Indie Beauty Profile
Monica Watson, Berlin Skin
In a time when personal care and cosmetics shoppers’ loyalty to beauty brands is waning, Berlin Skin is invested in branding that is subtle, a mission that is at once serene and powerful, and product that stands on its own merits.
Here the beauty entrepreneur behind the brand, shares a profile of herself and her growing business.
Name: Monica Watson, Founder and CEO
Indie Beauty Company: Berlin Skin
Launched: August 2016
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California
Cash flow: I am forecasting that we will almost triple our sales in 2018 vs 2017, which is an exciting accomplishment.
Team work: 2 full-time employees
Distribution: Berlin Skin is distributed nationally through our own ecommerce site berlinskin.com and at select small shops and spas.
Years in beauty: I had no previous professional beauty industry experience prior to launching Berlin Skin.
Years at Berlin Skin: 2
Entrepreneurial experience: This is my first company, and it has been such a rewarding and fun journey. To be able to bring a luxurious, clean beauty experience to people has brought immense joy and fulfillment.
The business: Clean. Modern. Minimal. These are the words that we live by in everything we create and in the lifestyle we promote. We aim to bring simplicity and beauty to people’s skin care routines.
The wow-factor: Unlike most of the oversaturated beauty industry, we have chosen to encourage our customers to not buy into overconsumption in their lives. We’ve provided a routine of just 4 facial products and one body oil, holding to the belief that with the right ingredients - less can be more when it comes to skin care.
The customer: He or she lives a life of intentionality and cares about people, the environment, and animals - recognizing that the brands they buy from can have a direct positive impact on all of these things.
They want a fuss-free skin care routine delivering powerful, plant-based ingredients which promote healthy and renewed skin. They want to use clean products that also look beautiful sitting on their bathroom counter.
Milestone moment: We were recently featured in CR Fashion Book which was our biggest press mention to date.
Advice for fellow beauty entrepreneurs: If you want to start something new, make sure you have an unwavering passion for what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Be incredibly convicted about your “why” or else nobody else will be.
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Watson says it’s the Berlin Skin Cocoa Eye Butter.
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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.
