Jasmine Lawrence, EDEN BodyWorks

EDEN BodyWorks is an accessibly priced brand that caters to the needs of women, men, and children with textured hair; and as such is reaching a large, underserved segment of the market, according to data​ Romina Brown, president of category growth management firm Strategic Solutions International, recently shared with Cosmetics Design. What Jasmine Lawrence has accomplished to date is impressive and what she’ll do with her brand in the future promises to be equally remarkable.

Here, the lifelong beauty entrepreneur shares a profile of herself and the brand.

Name: ​Jasmine Lawrence, Founder

Indie Beauty Company: ​EDEN BodyWorks

Launched: ​August 2004

Headquarters: ​New York, New York

Cash flow: ​EDEN BodyWorks is Self-Funded—Bootstrapped.
Earning over $1 million was an incredible milestone to hit before I turned 18.

Indie how? ​An Indie beauty brand is usually lead by a small team of passionate people who can quickly respond and adapt to its customers’ needs. It is not owned, managed or funded by another large brand or organization.

Team work: ​8

Distribution: ​Our products are available nationwide at select Target, Walmart, CVS, Amazon.com, Kroger, HEB, and Sally Beauty Supply stores as well as online through our website​. It is available internationally through our online partners like CurlMart.com.

Years in beauty: ​15

Years at EDEN BodyWorks: ​15

Entrepreneurial experience: ​I had a hair trauma at age 11 where I received bad chemical damage and decided to nurture my hair using natural ingredients that I mixed in my parent’s kitchen. I was creating products that I liked and noticed a difference in the health of my hair. By age 13, I enrolled in a business camp where I learned to incorporate this gift into a business. Fifteen years later, we have nine collections including body care and are sold internationally at top retailers and online. We’re constantly listening to our customers and looking for innovative solutions to meet their needs.

The business: ​EDEN BodyWorks provides natural products that integrate wellness and beauty inspired by nature to restore and maintain the hair and body’s original design.

The wow-factor: ​EDEN BodyWorks is unique in its focus on education, empowerment and commitment to the community. The products offered complement our commitment to encouraging women to live happier, healthier lives. We sponsor groups and organization that are committed to similar core principles, including the principle that beauty extends beyond your outward appearance. Finally, the EDEN BodyWorks team continues to listen to feedback from our customers so that we constantly remember that we are in the business of serving others not just making a profit.

The consumer: ​Our target customer lives a natural lifestyle and seeks affordable products that support her healthy hair journey. She seeks flexible solutions for her current hair style and inspiration for her next. She is socially savvy, informed, and also pays attention to recommendations from influencers. She graciously shares her products with the girlfriends, men and children in her life.

Milestone moment: ​Being featured on the Oprah Winfrey show was one of the proudest brand recognition moments in our history.

Advice for fellow beauty entrepreneurs: ​My advice would be to learn what you can about your target customer, understand their needs and work with them to develop a solution. There is a lot of opportunity and diversity in this industry so focusing on a specific area, problem or customer is necessary when getting started.

Just one: ​Asked about her go-to product, Lawrence says, from my own brand, it’s EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Leave in Conditioner​. And from another brand, it’s Burt’s Bees Ultra Conditioning Moisturizing Lip Balm.

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.