Beauty and science have gone hand in hand throughout history. But with rise of the contemporary indie beauty movement, the range of expertise that chemists, biologists, microbiologists, geneticists, etc. are bringing to the industry is unprecedented.
Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu works, for over a decade now, as a university researcher focused on molecular medicine and immunology. Two years ago she founded a skin care brand premised on her understanding of skin immunology. Here, she shares a profile of herself and the AveSeena brand.
Name: Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Indie Beauty Company: AveSeena
Launched: 2017
Cash flow: AveSeena is 100% self-funded and woman-owned. We have not received funding from business accelerator or crowd funding programs, however we have been encountering strong interest from new investment opportunities.
And, while the company is not yet publicly sharing financial milestones, we are extremely proud to state that our repeat / returning customer rate is at 60% and rising. More and more international consumers are reaching out too.
Indie how? To me an indie beauty brand is a small innovative company that brings a fresh positive outlook to the market. Indie brands are bold and are becoming the pioneers in the beauty industry in applying the most cutting-edge developments and concepts to their cosmetic or skincare products with an unwavering passion for quality, sustainability, and needs of the community.
Team work: 1 full-time employee and 2 part-time
Distribution: AveSeena is sold primarily in selective cosmetic distribution sites including luxury spas such as Canyon Ranch, Cal-a Vie, Heal Thyself Atlanta and key skincare e-tailers including Naturalmebeauty.com and Florabeautybar.com along with our website AveSeena.com.
Years in beauty: 8
Years at AveSeena: 3
Entrepreneurial experience: I have been behind the scenes of the beauty world for more than 10 years; and 6 of those were working one-on-one with prominent cosmetic ingredient producers both as a scientist and a consultant. Although I was in the trenches before, this is my first company focusing on Dermoimmuno beauty.
The business: At AveSeena, we use the full advantage of cutting-edge science, novel botanicals and natural molecular actives. My first step is to handpick ingredients based on their safety and efficacy data that will be not only good for the skin but also the skin immune wellness. After I am scientifically convinced with the data, then they are incorporated into the formulas. Our focus is to deliver something truly original to the market that is going to solve skincare challenges today and tomorrow.
The wow-factor: Aveseena the first immunologist-designed skin care brand to effectively understand the impact of inflammation, anti-aging, hormone disrupting chemicals on skin’s immune wellness and microbiome balance. Armed with our “Dermoimmuno beauty philosophy”, AveSeena offers a unique value by bridging the gap in ultimate wellness zooming in on the delicate balance between the skin, skin’s microbiome, and skin’s immune wellbeing for healthier and cleaner beauty.
The consumer: Our target consumer has been women and men 30 + looking for natural clean balanced skin care. Our customers are very health and beauty conscious and also very concerned about the long-term consequences of potentially harmful additives such as endocrine disrupting chemicals. They are very conscious about brand ethics, including cruelty free beauty.
Milestone moment: We were honored at the Clean Beauty Awards with 2 products. We have had great media and influencer coverage and are very grateful for unbiased reviews from global beauty influencers.
Advice for fellow beauty entrepreneurs: Make your plan and implement it. And don't be too hard on yourself, do the best you can and let it go.
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Karpuzoglu says it’s the AveSeena Ageless Perfection Cream, a multitasker both focusing on all the needs of the circadian rhythms in the skin for the skin’s immune wellness.
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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.
