EP110. Reject fast beauty

Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica

In our last guest episode with the indie beauty co-founder Tara Pelletier, we heard how her business Meow Meow Tweet was not only driving a successful bulk refill scheme for its beauty products, but also how it was shunning the pressure to churn out new products.

But will the beauty media bother with indie companies that can't push out press releases about their latest new product? Will opting for deeper rather than wider product ranges self harm an indie brand?

It takes a brave business owner to call out the traditional beauty business model that is built on bringing out a constant stream of new products. For the sake of sustainability, this should be happening if we are to consume less and save the planet's resources more.

Can we change the culture around product development? Lorraine Dallmeier, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host, says that while she has come across numerous beauty brand and industry stories about improving packaging, finding sustainable suppliers and striving for circular beauty, she has heard none about a brand choosing to slow its growth for sustainability's sake.

The beauty industry model is still all about fast churn; in fact, we can talk about 'fast beauty' just as we do about fast fashion. The beauty media thrives off reporting the latest innovation and product release.

Lorraine's point is that a brand with loyal customers enjoying its current range has no need to keep pushing out new products. Are customers really waiting for something new? And why would an indie brand wish to upstage its hero products with new ones all the time?

Lorraine challenges all brand founders in the indie beauty community, and beauty consumers, to be loyal to the fabulous products already out there and reject fast beauty. By doing so, they can start to shift mindsets on beauty's traditional business model.

Listen in to Lorraine's opinion short in which she asks the ultimate question: can the beauty business model be built on slow beauty?