Indie Beauty Profile
Lori Machiorlette, Worth Beauty
Brushes and tools are endlessly being updated to take advantage of new materials and structural design innovations. With the revolving makeup brush head, however, something truly novel has arrived. The makeup applicator and beauty device categories have converged to create a new niche market; one that has legacy brands (Clarisonic) and startups (Sonicblend) alike competing with blendSMART for shelf space.
Here, the beauty entrepreneur shares a profile of herself and the brand.
Name: Lori Machiorlette, president
Indie Beauty Company: Worth Beauty, LLC
Launched: 2015
Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Cash flow: $4.25m in retail sales, for the year ending December 31, 2016
Team work: 7 full-time employees, and 3 part-time
Distribution: Due to its demonstrative nature, blendSMART has been quick to reach omni-channel status. We launched as a QVC brand and sold over 90,000 units on their US, UK, Germany and Italian platforms. We moved into e-tailers with Sephora, Costco, Dermstore, Revolve and Amazon Luxury Beauty in addition to Dillard’s and Von Maur Department Stores, and over 45 specialty boutiques. We have secured international distributors in India, the Middle East and Russia. In 2018 we will focus on expanding our direct sales.
Years in beauty: 3 years and previously 9 years in consumer goods
Years at blendSMART: Since inception in 2015
Entrepreneurial experience: I have been in the consumer goods industry for over 9 years and honed my marketing and retail sales knowledge with our first company, Worth Home Products, which we still own. Additionally, I have extensive expertise in initiating and securing new retail sales channels, product development and retail strategies, prior to launching Worth Beauty, LLC.
The business: blendSMART is a platform to improve conventional tools with affordable, attainable and innovative products for both beauty and personal care. We are in the process of commissioning a consumer research company to confirm several new usages and products to expand the line.
The wow-factor: Powered by innovation, design and technology, blendSMART is a movement to significantly improve conventional beauty tools and methods.
Our first-of-a-kind patented, rotating technology promises to disrupt makeup application and personal care. Our interchangeable brush heads spin at 190 RPM's to imitate the rapid motion a makeup artist uses to deliver consistent, airbrush results. It puts your beauty routine on cruise control and eliminates lines and streaks. Best of all, no skills are needed to use blendSMART to achieve a flawless finish.
The customer: There are beauty seekers who don’t want to spend the time or effort to master the arduous task of applying makeup, but want consistently great results. She is smart, resourceful and busy, looking for ways to simplify and improve on her makeup application process. She wants fast, flawless and easy solutions and tends to be over 30.
Milestone moment: We were thrilled to receive product reviews from media icons like Buzzfeed, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue France and Arabia, and Univision. I still love watching unpaid product reviews from global influencers such as Casey Holmes, Graveyard Girl and Tati w/ Glam Life Guru.
Most recently, PopSugar reached out to blendSMART to launch 2018. As a start-up brand, we are eternally grateful for those influencers who have been dedicated to informing their followers of newness and innovation in beauty.
We are also proud to reach those with mobility challenges like those who suffer with Arthritis and Parkinson’s. The personal anecdotes of how blendSMART has changed their worlds make our mission even more special.
Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs: Love the customer and continue to touch them. I try to take customer service calls daily or reach out by way of social media, to stay on the pulse. Listening to the customer is the only way to compete and innovate in such a crowded space.
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Machiorlette replies, Of course, I have to say blendSMART, because pre-blendSMART I was known to leave the house with an embarrassing makeup streak or an uneven patch. I do love my By Terry Éclat Opulent foundation and I get anxious when it gets low.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
