In my recent conversation on The Brand Blueprint Podcast with Desiree Crenshaw, known as Desi the Glam Scientist, we dove deep into one of the most critical areas for any beauty brand—product development. It's often the step where founders get tripped up, thinking they can skip the research or cut corners in their quest for a quick market launch. However, Desi's wealth of experience in the beauty industry shows just how vital it is to fully understand the product development process to create a scalable and sustainable business.
Why Product Development and Formulation Matter
As we discussed on the podcast, many indie beauty brands rush straight into production without first understanding the complexities of formulation, which can lead to costly mistakes. A key lesson Desi emphasized is the importance of owning your formula from the very beginning. Without full control, you're at the mercy of your manufacturer, and as we've seen from industry failures, this can spell disaster for your brand.
Real-World Example: A small skincare brand I’ve worked with wanted to scale quickly but didn’t invest enough time in owning their formula. As a result, they had multiple issues with quality control and their formula didn’t perform consistently across different batches. Once they took control of the formula, vetted better suppliers, and implemented better testing, their product success skyrocketed. Lesson learned: owning your formula isn’t just a choice, it's critical for scaling your brand effectively.
Key Takeaways on Product Development
Desi's advice on creating a scalable product hit home. Many founders often believe that once they have their formula, the product is good to go. But Desi stresses the importance of going through the product testing phase, which includes:
Stability Testing: How long can the product last in different conditions?
Safety and Efficacy Testing: Does it deliver what you promise?
Ingredient Sourcing: Quality ingredients are non-negotiable. Subpar ingredients lead to subpar results.
Without these critical steps, you risk putting a product on the market that fails, resulting in poor customer experiences and returns, which can damage your brand.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Manufacturers
A mistake that many founders make is rushing into contracts with manufacturers without understanding their capabilities. Desi shared that not all manufacturers are created equal, and cutting corners to save money can lead to long-term damage to your brand's reputation.
To prevent this, I recommend vetting manufacturers carefully. Get clear about the terms of your contract, especially around ingredient sourcing, production timelines, and quality control standards.
Real-World Example: A client of mine was working with a manufacturer that wasn’t transparent about the raw materials they were using. Once this was uncovered, the brand had to go back to the drawing board to re-source ingredients, costing them precious time and money. Choosing the right partner is critical to ensure your product is made to spec and your brand’s reputation stays intact.
Owning Your Formula: The Key to Scalable Success
Desi made it clear: Owning your formula is essential for a brand that wants to succeed in the long term. You need to retain control to make adjustments and ensure consistency as your brand scales. This is especially important for indie beauty brands, where brand differentiation is crucial to standing out in a crowded market.
In my experience with clients in the beauty industry, those who retain formula ownership are able to pivot, adjust, and expand their product lines much more easily. Formula ownership = flexibility, and flexibility is key to keeping up with market demands.
Strategic Product Development for Long-Term Growth
Having spoken to Desi, I’m reminded that product development is a marathon, not a sprint. Founders must be willing to take the time to develop a product that is not only market-ready but scalable. By owning your formula, vetting manufacturers, and focusing on quality ingredients and testing, you can set yourself up for long-term success.
If you’re a founder looking to build or scale a beauty brand, I highly recommend connecting with Desiree Crenshaw, the Glam Scientist, to help guide you through the product development process. She’s been an invaluable resource for many of my clients, and her insights will undoubtedly help take your brand to the next level.
At Value Growth Partners, we specialize in helping founders build scalable, impactful brands. If you're in need of strategic advice for scaling your brand or refining your product development process, reach out to me directly. Let’s work together to ensure your brand’s products stand out and succeed in the market.
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