Planning is essential

Whilst you are happily planning your launch here in Australia its absolutely imperative if you are looking at getting your componentry offshore that you factor in major holidays and closures.

Too often do clients miss one of the biggest and well know holidays within manufacturing which is The Chinese New Year celebrations and the date for this festive occasion is different from year to year.   

For example if you are planning to launch mid March, ensure your products are on the water well before Christmas.  However, should you put your order in during January hoping for the best and they manage to get everything ready before they close down, chances are you won’t get any cargo space just when you need it.  

Remember, there is always a backlog when our suppliers return to work and space is tight on shipping vessels.   So, plan around every contingency you can think of so you aren’t left empty handed.

As we enter into the Year of the Dragon, we at Roxi Productions wish you all a “Xin Nian Kuai Le”

How far will you go?

There are so many new trends out there that’s its hard to know where the lines stop and start; they all begin to blur and futuristic treatments are like reading through a sci-fi journal.   Things like regenerative Skin Care which is all about making your cells behave differently so that the body heals itself from within or even injecting your own blood cells and plasma to nanofat injections which are said to improve skin tone and texture.    Having said that a lot of research is still being conducted and there are still years of testing to assess efficacy and safety of these treatments.     However, there are products already on the market usually at high $$ so do your research before purchasing and understand exactly what you are putting on or in your face.

But for today; whilst you are sipping your morning choice of beverage, click on the link below and have a read of the latest trends which might make your immaculate eyebrows raise into your hairlines, but what an interesting read!    

https://www.allure.com/story/biggest-skin-care-trends-2024

Looking down

You’ve probably heard of the expression “Tech Neck” which refers to neck pain caused by repetitive strain & injury to muscles and tissues which can be attributed to the constant looking down at our beloved phones, tablets and other hand-held devices…  But have you thought about what this is doing to the skin on your neck & jaw line?   Its worth giving it some thought – with the constant looking down, premature lines are solidly becoming more apparent and not just on us oldies who are battling the double chin, even on the younger generation with their plump youthful skin; lines & wrinkles are beginning to show in neck folds.  So what can we do apart from look up? 

Well, Lubrizol Life Science Beauty (LLS Beauty) have the perfect ingredient called Argireline® YOUth which has a similar mechanism to Botulinum Toxin injections for a relaxation of expression wrinkles and in their scientific testing shows reduced length, area and volume of wrinkles in neck folds after just 28 days.   Helen Pearce gave a fabulous presentation at the August ASCC Southern Chapter meeting where she presented this innovative ingredient, which when used as a topical alternative causes a muscle relaxing effect for those pesky expression wrinkles which means they are less visible yet keeping the authenticity of emotions.

So keep looking forward but definitely up!

How green is green?

Even start ups want to do their bit and more often than not are more focused on sustainability and environmental issues than perhaps the bigger brands.   However, what is and what isn’t sustainable from your packaging to the raw ingredients in your product?   Perhaps you might ask yourself as you look at your marketing strategies what can my little start up do?  How can I impact on the greater good for going green? And is everything I’ve read on Google actually the truth – or is it a case of greenwashing?   Did you know that the ACCC is cracking down on companies making untruthful claims on their packaging and social media sites.   So, its essential to ensure the claims your brand makes are actually qualified and substantiated.     

And whilst we’re on the subject it might be worthwhile to take a look at sustainable farming and check out Palm Oil again.   Essentially, it’s not Palm Oil in itself which is the baddie, but the concerns with unscrupulous companies creating deforestation of tropical forests which have given it a bad rap – perhaps unjustifiably so – because if we replace Palm Oil with say for example Babassu Oil, are we looking at how this is farmed using the same level of microscopic diligence? Same with Coconut Oil! So when you do use it, make sure your palm oil is CSPO (Certified Sustainable Palm Oil) 

But at the end of the day, how do you know what is and what isn’t green & what you can use in your product?  It might be time to talk to some experts in the field and I can certainly recommend you check out Skinterest (https://skinterest.com.au/) On their web page you’ll find some fascinating blogs on the above issues and concerns.  They have a team of experts on hand who can not only help you formulate and create some amazing products but will help guide you along the way towards meeting your own and industry environmental and sustainability standards.

Remember, “choices made with love and intention will always be right - Ethish”

Small quantities – why so expensive?

“I only want to do small quantities” …   Yepp, that’s certainly doable but you must keep in mind that this will impact your COGS. Be it packaging, labels, manufacturing, unit cartons etc.

So what volumes are you talking – as an example, let us say you are a start-up and only want to fill 500 units… Yes, that we can accommodate, but you need to remember manufacturing costs will be amortised over the amount you want to fill.

As an example, you want to fill 500 units – the setup and clean down time on the line is exactly the same as if you were filling 5000 units, hence why the cost is higher.  To understand manufacturing is essential to grasp the intricacies of filling and getting your product to you & I can help you.  Even putting your product into a unit carton still requires set up and set down time irrespective of how many you want to do. 

So don’t be discouraged by the higher manufacturing costs of your product – its just simple maths and the way the world works.  We understand you’re a start up and you don’t want to do big quantities, you only have a small budget etc etc.  But at the end of the day – manufacturers aren’t your bank, they also need to pay wages, and run their business.

So when you are looking at creating your very own product in small quantities, keep in mind that its absolutely 100% achievable, but you need to budget for the higher costs at the start… When you have cash flow behind you and can increase your volumes, then the whole perspective shifts on its axis and you can start hearing Cha-ching!

Flip it!

So, your dream is to create your own skin care brand! Well done and a big congratulations – having goals and knowing what you want is the start of every dream.  However, the reality check happens when quotes for development, manufacturing, packaging, freight begin to add up to what you’ll have to initially invest of your savings, which can be quite daunting! 

And looking at what’s happening out there in the world of online skin care, let’s face it - everyone today is creating and launching a skin care brand and you will find that you are competing against celebrities, influencers and all manner of other competition. 

So why not take a step back and flip the idea…  Start with something that is still uniquely yours but a much simpler & economical product to produce such as body wash, bath salts, room spray. Your packaging can be simple yet superbly stylish & elegant, the contents; well speak to me about that!   This type of product you will find is not as expensive to produce as a bespoke skin care range which means the sale of these products will give you greater cash flow, you’ll create a brand so that when you have an established customer base you can create that sense of belonging when you do your marketing spin… you know the one… due to popular demand we have now created our luxurious new hand cream or body lotion or shampoo/conditioner.

Launch one new product at a time until you eventually have the financial means to really create a fabulous moisturiser, cleanser, toner etc.

Your loyal customers will love you for it…   and so will your bank account!  

Cheap vs Premium pricing

As you walk the aisles in the big supermarkets & bulk chemist stores you can see the huge range of different products available covering skin care to hair care and even pet products but you can also see how low priced they are… How in the world can you compete with your new start up venture which is only available for online sales & therefore priced accordingly.

It’s probably even more daunting if you’ve just received your quote to manufacture based on 500 or 1K units… gulp and that’s not including all the other components you need to fix from primary and secondary packaging to potentially your bespoke fragrance and having to consider each MOQ relevant to the supplier. 

But you need to consider this: What’s on those shelves belongs to big brands who when they do a production run or order packaging, they are looking at volumes of 10, 20 or even 50 thousand units without even blinking for distribution across the country. They have the purchase power to enable them to do this and therefore their COGS are very low.  But don’t forget: even if cheaply priced on the shelves, they will still be selling these products with a healthy margin (big businesses still need to make a profit no matter how much they are selling them for) and they still have to pay for all their packaging, manufacture etc.  And remember, those big retailers are also wanting their cut of the margin too and this all eats into the gross profit. 

So, use this to your advantage for your own marketing spin; your products even if they cost more are unique and only available through your online store – in other words, find your tag line, grab a hero ingredient and run with it.

Its not all grey and gloomy

How is that some women have luscious locks of thick hair long into their “old” age?  Have they just been very consistent with their regime from day one or are they blessed with good genes?     That’s a hard question to answer and one that every woman will have a personal opinion on.   Some swear by certain treatments and others slip slop slap whatever they have available.  

According to the TRI Princeton Research centre there are many causes which affects our hair in later years; menopause, stress, smoking etc. can have an effect on our hair structure - meaning greying, density, diameter, sebum production, dryness & the overall scalp condition for shape and shine. But there is help to be had today (e.g. Pantene Pro-V Hair Biology Menopause) where companies are researching and targeting just these problem areas as well as constantly looking at innovative ways to treat problems and reduce/reverse the effects of ageing & ensuring we have a healthy scalp to last us well into our nineties!     

So, if you’re feeling your age, try both thickening & volumizing products as well as scalp treatments.  You can also massage your scalp every time you wash your hair to stimulate and increase blood circulation!

… and remember Invest in your hair, it is the crown you never take off!

Do I need to oil & wax?

You wash & condition the hair on your head and treat it with tender care using all sorts of products, so why not treat the hair on your face the same way… Yes, we are talking of beards and that also includes moustaches.   This delightful growth is often forgotten about on a daily basis when it needs a little TLC too.  So should you wash, oil and wax?   Absolutely and there are many fantastic products on the market today that will do just that. 

Each and every beard is different and needs a routine tailored to suit.  Each mans grooming need is individual and what works on one beard might not work on another.  According to Percy Nobelman when your beard is “young” and not very long it is recommended to only use an oil which is lighter and will keep your facial stubble or short beard nice and soft.  When it has reached the more ponderous lengths of say 4cm (1.5 inches) it’s time to introduce balm & eventually wax. 

But you can use beard oil on a daily basis after your shower, making sure you work it down to roots which will not only condition the beard but also the underlying skin whereas the balm or wax is intended for the outer part of your beard to give it hold and a light shine and of course how much to use is based on your beard – is it wispy, coarse or maybe just a little troublesome. 

… and remember Grow it with Care, Flaunt it with Pride

No matter what the weather!

I used to think that they were just “age” spots, but after having them biopsied to find out they were BCCs which meant spending a little time under the plastic surgeon’s knife.   And after having four different areas of my face, neck and top of head doing some surgery time, my dermatologist gave me a well-earned lecture about using a daily moisturiser with SPF & yes, even if I’m in the skincare industry I still needed to be starkly reminded of applying some smart sun thinking.  

However, now as we near the end of the summer season, the weather is fluctuating up and down and will eventually get a little cooler – so does that mean we don’t need to use an SPF moisturiser?   Absolutely not – this should be an essential part of everyone’s daily routine especially down here in Australia where the ozone layer is much thinner and the chances of damaging your skin is just as likely whether there are clouds or clear skies. 

So, look after your skin - you’ve only got one shot!

It’s a whole new world

The world of perfume is quite complicated and one that can be likened to diving into the unknown when you begin your journey to create your own exquisite fragrance.  We all know that fragrances evoke memories, feelings and can change your state of being.  So where do you start?  How do you begin that journey? well, quite simply with one foot in front of the other.  This is going to be your fragrance which will represent you & perhaps your personality, so you need to consider not only your own joys and passions, but also what you want the wearer to feel when wearing your product.   It can be a long road but the rewards are worth it. Don’t rush it, when choosing the right blend of fragrance oils, it’s essential to work with a reputable fragrance house and a skilled perfumer that can assist you to choose the right fragrance for the right application & this can take weeks or months.   

You need to ask yourself what scent you want to create and the type of notes you want to unfold over time – so think of the olfactory pyramid with top, heart and base notes.   Do you want your perfume to have a personality such as floral or woody?  What demographic will you angle your product towards?  

It is a marvellous journey to create your own perfume, as you are infusing a part of your inner wishes into the product and who knows, one day someone could walk past and as you catch a whiff of their scent you realise that they’re wearing you.

What’s trending, the latest “on fleek” ingredient!

How do you know what’s the latest trend?   The world of skin care is constantly evolving which is a good thing – what was tried and tested 20 years ago may no longer be as effective as we once thought. For example, Retinol (part of the Vitamin A family) is one of the body's key nutrients for boosting cell turnover. Retinol is probably among the most well-known and well-studied cosmetic actives around today. 

Speaking with Armelle Sebbag, BDM for Avenir Ingredients but also a Cosmetic Chemist, she explained that Retinol can stimulate the production of new collagen and it can counteract skin aging plus help to improve the appearance of UV- damaged skin. Collagen is the main structural protein of the extracellular space in various connective tissues and it is the most abundant protein in the human body. However, collagen is a large molecule composed of over 1,000 amino acids which makes it too big to penetrate the skin and have significant anti-aging benefits.   The most popular collagen currently used today is from fish scales which is not suitable for vegans and not sustainable.

Armelle said that as technology and consumer demands evolve, there are alternatives that are stable and sustainable.  Avenir Ingredients together with their partner Lipotrue recently launched two new ones produced in Wild Plants as Biofactories; the first one called Reneseed™ which contains plant-Transforming Growth Factor Beta-2 also known as the seed of youth for our skin. It has a retinol and retinoic acid-like activity in terms of collagen production efficacy.   And a new fully functional Collagen Type 1 fragment called Col-Frag remastered™ which acts as a building block and booster for collagen synthesis, tightens the dermis and epidermis, reducing wrinkles & enhancing skin brightness.

So if you want to stay on top of the game, let the future of innovation inspire you.

Men need a little bit of care too!

It’s not just beards and moustaches!   Our handsome men need to look after their skin just as much as women do, yet this seems to be relegated to a certain demographic.  Men in their mid-20s to mid-30s are more than happy to purchase their own products and take care of their skin and I’m not talking only about the face – it’s the entire body (yes, that means hand creams and body butters) while the more mature men may sneak a bit of moisturiser on their face if they feel a bit dry!  However, men are just as exposed to the same amount of pollution and weather extremities as women yet they seem more reluctant to get into a regular skin & hair care routine.   Men have the happy advantage that they can play with beard oils and balms – how much fun you can have with that added advantage of facial hair… Whereas, most women are just trying to get rid of it!    

So a shout out to men of all ages, embrace your inner self with a bit of love & look after your skin…  It’s totally acceptable & you’re totally worth it!

Less is More

Imagine, you’ve just developed a luxurious body wash that smells great, foams nicely and your ingredient list looks amazing – 30+ super duper ingredients have gone into creating your product!  That’s what will sell isn’t it? 

Let me ask you this – how does it affect your cash flow and your bottom line? Its costing you plenty to manufacture due to so many raw materials and some may be quite pricey with high MOQs & $/kg, which the manufacturer will pass onto you and yet all that money is literally being washed down the drain, so really a bit of a waste. 

Maybe its time to change tactics and instead highlight a few hero ingredients which you can increase the amount used in your product so that they actually are fit for purpose, instead of just being part of your fruit salad mix of tipins & marketing spin!

Because you know what?  sometimes less is more!

Who doesn’t love a fur baby!

The Pet Care industry today is growing exponentially as more and more pet owners and groomers place more focus on product innovation and quality for those we love & treat as members of our families. 

Gone are the days of just using whatever bar soap you had in the laundry cupboard especially as our understanding & knowledge of our animal’s skin and fur increases.    There have been some great steps forward in developing new ingredients aiming at keeping a healthy balance of the epidermis by using many superior natural products. 

To develop a new pet care product can take just as long as developing a new skin care product and every consideration needs to be taken into account so that all creatures great and small are treated with respect.

Should I order now or wait?

A golden rule in any business is don’t run out of stock!   Yet, sometimes there are those unfortunate times when planning backfires and for unseen delays you do run out, but this can be turned around to your advantage to create that sense of urgency with your customers… “Sold out” “Place your pre-orders now” etc.  These shoutouts will certainly work with the FOMO phenomenon via the socials today.

So, remember to allow for at least 8-12 weeks lead time when placing your order.  This allows for a healthy margin to order packaging componentry including any possible shipping times, raw materials – there are often long lead times with some as long as 16 weeks and also production planning.  Majority of contract manufacturers wont even put your job on the planning board until all componentry is on site!   So keep an eye on your orders and how quick your stock is depleted then plan and plan again!

MOQs – why why why?

For many new start-ups you will hear this terminology constantly from every aspect of your project whether it be with the contract manufacturer or the packaging supplier.  This is quite simply the backbone of any world class manufacturer.   Whether your order consists of 200 or 2000 units, the set-up time is exactly the same as is the time it takes to clean the line; to name a few of the required steps.   These costs need to be amortised over the number of units, so yes you need to be aware that the smaller the quantity the more expensive it is to produce.  For an initial start-up launch, you will need to weigh up whether its viable to purchase at a lower price larger manufacturing quantities which will require holding stock for a longer time on your shelves or to produce smaller quantities at more expense but in doing so allows you to establish your brand without the risk of the product ageing beyond the expiry date.

Are we there yet?

That’s not just a question from kids in the back seat…  That’s the question I hear from most start-ups!  Developing your new range of product be it perfume, face moisturiser or a dog cologne doesn’t happen overnight.  That’s just the way it goes.  

These things can easily take 6 to 12 months and as much as I’d love to get help you get your product to market in the shortest possible time, it’s vital that you are mentally prepared for the simple fact that things just might not go as quickly as you originally thought through no fault of anyone’s.

But always keep in mind the end goal and know that when it does finally launch, it’s absolutely perfect & it’s yours! 

Slippery ideas?

Ideas are like slippery fish, if you don’t nab them, they swim away never to return.

So what do you do when you have an idea for a new product? Do you just dream about it but never action on it? Do you play around with ingredients in your kitchen or are you the type that will dive into Mr. Google and research every product that’s out there today?

No matter what you do – its your actions that will take you to that next step of realising your dream.  Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help from those that have the experience.   I love the entire experience working with new and old clients – seeing their passion for their idea and being able to assist with the creation process from concept to a product ready to sell…

What makes your product you…

Imagine holding your product in your hand, the excitement of seeing it on a shelf in a retail store, or just before you pack it into your mailer box to send to your customer. What are you feeling as you do it? Passion, pride and a small smile on your face, knowing that you’ve finally succeeded.

It’s a pure inspiration to see the product go from idea to a concept then a launch. The knowledge that you stand behind what you are selling with every fibre of your being.

If you can do this every day, then the product is YOU!

Don’t hesitate to take on the task of creating something that you believe in…