How to Build a Profitable Beauty Brand

If I were starting a DTC brand from scratch today, here’s what I wouldn’t do: I wouldn’t start with a logo. I wouldn’t start with a paid ads plan. I wouldn’t start with a 50-page pitch deck. I’d start with a problem. A real one. Because the brands that break through today aren’t just selling products. They’re solving urgent, emotional pain points customers already feel. You don’t create demand. You uncover it. Here’s where I’d focus first: Fall in love with the customer’s tension. Get closer to the pain point than feels natural. Great brands don't invent needs—they listen deeply and meet them better than anyone else. And then, pressure-test the demand. So, let's explore these. Before you design a product, study the problem: - Use Google Trends (multi-year view) to spot macro trends and seasonality. Explore Exploding Topics for emerging demand you might not know to search for yet. - Use Pinterest Trends for visual, lifestyle, and seasonal insights. - Use Amazon reviews (especially negative ones) to uncover what existing products miss—and where your white space lives. - Check tools like Buzzsumo or BuzzAbout to see if there’s real conversation and social energy in the category. Build the math before you build the brand: - If the unit economics don’t work small, they’ll only get harder at scale. (I look for delivered DTC margins above 65%, ideally closer to 67%. Profit isn't optional. It's your oxygen.) Go narrow, not broad: - One hero product. One channel. One customer you deeply understand. Complexity taxes speed—and speed compounds early wins. Launch before you feel ready: - If you wait until everything is perfect, you’ve already waited too long. Launch at 80–85%, get real feedback, and sharpen from there. Perfect is where momentum goes to die. Think about LTV from day one: - Retention isn't a later-stage problem. It's a launch-stage opportunity. Build your email, SMS, and customer data capture systems cleanly early—and your future self will thank you. If you’re exploring ideas right now, start simple: - Where is there real tension? - How do you know it’s not just imagined? - Can you solve it better than anyone else? Because real businesses aren’t built on clever messaging.They’re built on real solutions to real problems. Find the pain. Sharpen the value. Then build something worth believing in.

Want to know the secret growth strategy that built Glossier, Warby Parker, and Away into billion-dollar brands? Everyone's chasing viral TikTok moments and influencer collabs, but the most successful DTC brands are quietly doing something completely different. It's called Customer Value Optimization (CVO), and after consulting with hundreds of brands, I can tell you: it's the most reliable path to sustainable growth. Here's the simple 2-step framework that's working right now: 1. Identify your most valuable customers (the ones who buy more, return less, and spread the word) 2. Align EVERYTHING - your products, marketing, and service - to attract more of these dream customers Look at how the top DTC brands do it: • Glossier turned beauty blog readers into super-fans who buy every launch. Their "Into The Gloss" community members spend 40% more per year than regular customers. • Away found that customers who bought their smaller "Carry-On" first were 3x more likely to return for bigger purchases. They made it their hero product. • Warby Parker discovered their highest-value customers came through their "Home Try-On" program. They doubled down on it, even though it cost more upfront. Real talk: I watched a skincare brand waste $500K on Instagram ads targeting everyone... when their data showed their best customers all came from dermatologist referrals. Don't make that mistake. The magic of CVO? Every dollar you spend doesn't just retain great customers - it helps you acquire more of them. This isn't about quick wins. It's about building a sustainable growth engine. 👇 What's your "hero product" that turns first-time buyers into loyal customers? Share below - I'd love to hear your examples. #DTCBrands #CustomerStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Marketing #CustomerValue

If I were a skincare brand, these are the top 5 marketing investments I'd make right away to grow and scale my business: 1. Invest in Paid Social: Meta Paid Social Meta is currently the best paid social platform, hands down. Its machine learning and targeting capabilities are unmatched compared to other platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. If I had a new skincare brand, I’d invest in Meta paid ads to maximize reach and efficiency. 2. Create Awesome Ad Creatives With advanced machine learning algorithms handling audience targeting, bidding, and placements, the most significant control we have over paid media is through ad creatives. It's crucial to invest in high-performance ad creatives and rigorous ad creative testing. If I were a skincare brand, I’d develop and test these ad creative assets right away: - User-Generated Content (UGC) - Customer Review/Social Proof Ads - Product Benefit Ads - Before and After Ads - Statistic Ads - Application Video Ads Many brands miss the mark on ad creative, but with a well-thought-out strategy and execution, you can excel in the paid media game. 3. TikTok Organic Channel While Meta is the leader in paid ads, TikTok is currently the king of organic social. TikTok is perfect for creating viral content that can reach thousands to millions of viewers for free. By nailing TikTok organic content and building a strong channel, especially in the competitive skincare space, you can achieve amazing traction and results. Investing in an organic presence on TikTok will allow brands to connect with their audience through fun and genuine videos, build a loyal fan base, and grow naturally. 4. Use the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program TikTok is heavily investing in its TikTok Shop Affiliate Program, which allows brands to team up with content creators who can promote products to their followers. This not only helps boost sales but also enhances brand credibility and reach. I've seen impressive results from other brands using this program, and I believe it will continue to grow. If I were a new skincare brand, I would immediately develop a strategy and start executing with this affiliate program. 5. Build a Strong Email/SMS Program for Retention and Customer LTV With rising customer acquisition costs, it's more important than ever to invest in a customer loyalty and retention strategy. Keeping customers coming back is key to long-term financial success. By setting up a robust email and SMS marketing strategy, skincare brands can keep customers engaged, informed, and coming back for more. Personalized messages, special offers, and valuable content will boost customer loyalty and lifetime value (LTV).  _________ If I were a new skincare brand, I would prioritize this pillar to ensure sustained growth. Focusing on these five areas will help us create a strong foundation for thriving in the competitive skincare market. _________ What would you add to this list? 

Ever wondered how to build a $20M brand without spending on Facebook ads? Last week, I sat down with Dianna Cohen, the founder of Crown Affair ... If you’re involved in DTC, you’ve likely encountered Crown Affair. While they don't run ads, they excel at building a brand, not just a product business. Dianna nailed her brand identity, making Crown Affair an extension of herself. The business, only a few years old, will hit nearly $20M in revenue this year, all from retail (SEPHORA) and their DTC website, without Facebook ads. Intrigued, I had to learn her secrets... 1️⃣. Start Small and Scrappy: • Dianna built Crown Affair on nights and weekends while running her marketing agency, Levitate. • She started with a lean team: 1 designer, 1 copywriter, and 1 product/formulation expert. ⚡️ Lesson: You don’t need a huge budget or team to start. Focus on having a great product and efficient processes. 2️⃣. Pick a Market and Find Your Angle: • Dianna chose hair care because of her passion for the category and saw a clear whitespace for a premium brand. • Crown Affair launched with just four products: The Brush, The Comb, The Towel, and The Oil. ⚡️ Lesson: Identify a niche and create high-quality products that you’d be proud to recommend to friends. 3️⃣. Speak Like Yourself: • Crown Affair’s branding focuses on care and rituals rather than perfection and harsh language. • The brand’s messaging emphasizes a slow, thoughtful approach to hair care. ⚡️ Lesson: Authentic, positive branding resonates more deeply with consumers. 4️⃣. Embrace Retail for Acquisition: • Crown Affair’s presence in Sephora has been a major growth driver, providing both sales and social proof. ⚡️ Lesson: Don’t be afraid to leverage retail channels for brand growth and customer acquisition. 5️⃣. Build a Personal Brand: • Dianna’s active presence on TikTok and Instagram has been invaluable for distribution, hiring, and fundraising. • She connects directly with consumers and creators, gaining insights and building relationships. ⚡️ Lesson: A strong personal brand can amplify your business efforts and provide unique insights. 6️⃣. Don’t Give Up: • Despite numerous investor rejections, Dianna persisted, believing in her vision. • Crown Affair is now on track to achieve almost $20M in topline revenue this year and expand its presence in Sephora. ⚡️ Lesson: Persistence is key. Believe in your vision and keep pushing forward. For more tactical insights, don’t forget to tune into Limited Supply each week on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!