Ciele Cosmetics and Remi Cachet: Growing Successful Expert-Led Brands

Key Takeaways

Professional beauty brands are increasingly led by industry experts, emphasizing education and client relationships.
Remi Cachet successfully targets hairstylists, ensuring customer loyalty through quality and support.
Ciele Cosmetics offers innovative makeup infused with SPF, leveraging connections in the beauty retail space for growth.

The Rise of Professional Beauty Brands

In the beauty industry, the trend of makeup artist- and hairstylist-led brands has gained momentum, reflecting a shift toward professional expertise in brand building. Notable brands like Isamaya Beauty, Violette_FR, and Ciele Cosmetics are now part of leading retailers like Sephora. To delve into the inspiration behind these brands, Beauty Independent hosted a webinar featuring Nikki DeRoest, co-founder of Ciele Cosmetics, and Victoria Lynch, founder of Remi Cachet.

### Remi Cachet: A Focus on Professionals
Victoria Lynch established Remi Cachet in 2003 with a commitment to the professional market, targeting hairstylists and salon owners. Drawing from over a decade of experience in hair extensions, Lynch highlighted that these professional customers tend to be more loyal than average consumers. This loyalty stems from the necessity of quality products for their businesses. “If you capture a loyal customer…then you’ve got that loyal customer for life,” Lynch stated.

Remi Cachet gains recognition by delivering superior service and education to professionals, which enables stylists to build a trusting relationship with their clients. “When their clients feel as though they’re getting a return on investment… we want a client to get 18 months to two years out of a hair product,” she explained. Lynch also shared the business’s financial journey, starting with her own investment and a loan from The King’s Trust. In 2022, the brand’s parent company saw substantial turnover, and it is now expanding internationally while building a field sales team.

Lynch encouraged haircare professionals to diversify their offerings, suggesting: “Make sure that you offer more variety than what you think… That will then add to your success.”

### Ciele Cosmetics: Makeup Meets Sunscreen
Co-founded by celebrity makeup artist Nikki DeRoest, Ciele Cosmetics aims to blend cosmetics with sun protection. Launched in 2023, the brand achieved early success, debuting in 270 Sephora stores as part of its Next Big Thing assortment and now expanding throughout the retailer’s locations. Ciele’s flagship product, Blush & Protect, is a liquid blush with SPF 50+, designed to combat skin discoloration.

DeRoest faced challenges in creating products with sunscreen — navigating FDA regulations and sourcing chemists was no small feat. However, she emphasized the importance of offering high-performance formulas that consumers are unaware contain SPF. The brand’s extensive product line now includes skin tint, concealer, and bronzers, all boasting SPF options.

DeRoest’s history with Sephora began when she launched Roen Beauty in 2019, a brand recognized for innovative eyeshadows, leading to her strong partnership with the retailer. Reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey, she encouraged fellow beauty professionals: “You’re going to make mistakes. Learn from them. It turns into muscle memory and that knowledge is power.”

As Ciele Cosmetics prepares for further collaboration with Sephora, it exemplifies the potential for success when blending expertise, creativity, and a keen understanding of the industry.

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