When London-trained beauty therapist Isabel East moved to Australia, she saw a niche for locally made beauty products. Little did she know the adventure she was about to embark on…
Professional Beauty chats to beauty entrepreneur and founder of Australian-owned skincare range Tudor, about the journey from product vision to reality.
Why did you decide to start your own beauty business?
“After training as a beauty therapist in London, I moved to Australia in 1968 and recognised a need for good value, high quality, locally manufactured beauty products. My husband was in the cosmetic raw materials industry so he had good contacts and introduced me to all the right technical people, some of whom I still work closely with today.”
What was the greatest challenge you had to overcome when you first started?
“Getting known! Trade shows were quite small then and in 1974 I exhibited with just 15 other companies. Tudor was one of the first Australian owned manufacturing companies selling exclusively to beauty salons.”
What has been your greatest success so far with the brand?
“Well, certainly the thing that has given me the greatest satisfaction is that so much of my success has been due to word-of-mouth recommendations. We’re a small and specialised profession and, thankfully for me, people talk! Tudor has been supplying beauticians for over 40 years! I think that’s quite an achievement.”
How important is customer education to your brand?
“New products, especially those with newly developed ingredients, need a lot of work in promoting them. Technical information is essential but in final analysis, the question must be “Is the product effective?” and that speaks for itself.”
What considerations did you have to make when packaging the product?
“Packaging is so important. Presenting a well designed pack that’s user friendly and reflects product quality should be the aim. Never ‘over-package’. Excess packaging simply gets ‘binned’ and that’s wasteful.”
What’s your advice for other beauty entrepreneurs out there like yourself, thinking of launching their own brand?
“Be careful and don’t underestimate the work involved. It’s immense! The legal and technical obligations nowadays are daunting. Besides that, you must be sure that you’re financially sound, and for a long time! There aren’t any quick profits! Surround yourself with good people, engaging the best technical, marketing and financial advice you can afford. Do your research, ensure your business plan is sound; and follow your dream.”