Make it your own - flirties

 

More and more training academies are looking to create their own brand of beauty products  to use in training and also to distribute to other therapists.

The process of sourcing products, creating a brand and ticking all the boxes along the way is quite an expensive and time consuming project and with over 20 years of brand development (our own brands and also those we have created for customers) we feel it is important to know the ins and outs before starting on such an important project.

DIY Beauty 
You often see therapists on the forums asking for recipes or how to make products at home. With so many brands and products on the market that have been specifically developed for that particular use it is a surprising to hear that some therapists still want to spend the time and money in mixing and creating products at home which tends to work out more expensive AND it is against the insurance. Unless you are classed as manufacturer with all the licenses that are required we would strongly advise against this. You can spend a lot of time trying to create  a product which can cost you dearly if it goes wrong. Even if it goes to plan you would still be liable to comply with the various regulations and to undertake the stringent cosmetic tests etc which is just not feasible if you are just doing it to save a penny or two.
 
Likewise, using a product, rebottling or relabelling falls under the same category as manufacturing so unless you are set up for this and can comply with ALL the necessary requirements our advice is ...Don't do it! 

Suppliers
A much better option is to find a supplier who can help with your venture.
First of all you need to source the product itself. This means either producing from scratch through a lab or factory which generally involves huge volume OR you need to find a supplier who offers white or private label products. You can then decide whether you want to take over the responsibility and cost of labelling and registration of the product or whether the supplier offers a ready made solution for you which involves all aspects of private label so that you can fully concentrate on marketing and selling rather than getting involved in all the nitty gritty of creating a product. 


Quality
If you put your name to it, you want to make sure the quality is 100% right so unless you have a trusted brand or supplier who offers this option it means lots and lots of testing. You need to purchase samples, try the products and make sure they fully align with your brand strategy. A process like this can take a lot of time and money before you find THE right product. 

If you find a product in the EU there is a chance that the product will be safe to use here but if you look further afield then there is a likelihood that the product might contain ingredients which may not be allowed in this country or that it might have to be tweaked to be suitable. 

Labelling
Believe it or not, there are even laws regarding the labels and you have to know what to include on a label, how to show it and which details must be present. We have seen products on the market that were literally made illegal as the salon owner thought it would be ok to just stick a label with a logo or name on the product. Again, mistakes like this can cost you a lot more than just a label! 

Compliance
Each country and region has its own rules and regulations and the UK and EU have one of the toughest. No matter whether you are “producing” or “just” importing you are still the “responsible person” (this is a term from the Cosmetics EU regulations) and it means that you are liable for all the quality, challenge and cosmetics safety testing and all the risks and costs associated with this.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can just buy something in the internet and import it in order to use or sell it to clients. This is illegal and can land you in severe trouble and the authorities have got the power to fine you and even close your business for this. 

Buying abroad is risky as other countries have different regulations (if any) and the ingredients used might also not be approved in this country. Added to this often comes a language barrier and the documents you will need to successfully undertake the required tests and registrations don't exist or are not in a format that is acceptable here. 

Hidden costs
If you are looking to import products in order to avoid production costs then you still have to comply with import regulations which also includes import fees, taxes, duties and other charges from the couriers.
Suppliers from far away countries will often tell you that they ship free of charge, however that does not mean that there is no cost involved for you. Even if the products arrive in good condition and you are not charged import fees at that point you are still liable for it. Sounds silly? Your supplier is not responsible for this so it is easy for them to offer "free delivery" and they might mark the product as 0 value, however you are still liable for the import fees, duty and VAT and customs does keep an eye on the imports coming into this country! 

These are just a few things to consider when you are thinking about creating your own brand or product line to sell to other professionals. If you are looking to create products for retail then there are further stipulations you need to consider! 

As you can gather, creating your own brand generally works best for larger volume and it probably is not worth the effort, time and money if you are just looking to create a brand for your own use.

If you are just looking for a brand as a salon owner then it is more beneficial to use a reputable brand to help you establish your business through marketing and support.

Please note that these points are based on the current regulations in the UK and it might be different where you are (if you are not UK based) but please check carefully what you need to consider before starting on your new journey. 

Marketing and pricing are also important aspects to get right, otherwise the venture wont work. There are so many things that need to be considered in order to be safe and successful and we are happy to share our knowledge and help!

Flirties offer a unique opportunity for White or Private label which means that you can benefit from our vast experience, know-how and product knowledge and we will even help you create your own brand. Using a UK supplier also means that you don’t have to worry about import fees, development costs and all the associated risks as we take care of this for you.  

Most of our products can be supplied as white or private label which includes lashes, adhesives, prep and aftercare, brow products, nail ranges, waxing and accessories. 

We are happy to help so please get in touch to find out more! 

Comments

flirties

flirties said:

Thank you so much for the comments and interest in our products. We do have a WHITE label option available for selected products and we can also offer PRIVATE labelling. Please feel free to contact us directly with your requirements so that we can help

Amy Tipton

Amy Tipton said:

Hi, do you offer white labeling on any lash/brow lifts please.

stacey leanne barker

stacey leanne barker said:

Hi please could you provide me with information regarding white label brow products.

Kind Regards

Stacey

Mimi

Mimi said:

Dear sir/madam,

I trust your are well. I would like to enquire about if you offer a white label / private label service for lash lift kits to retail in the UK?

I am a fully qualified and trained lash technician.

Ideally I am looking for a supplier who offers a ready made solution that is EU and UK approved and compliment with Cosmetics EU regulations

Many thanks
Mimi

Ruby lysons

Ruby lysons said:

Really want to make my own product line to go along with my academy can I have more info please x

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