Every day it seems as if there are more and more indie beauty brands cropping up. And while there are good lessons to be learned from those with longevity, it’s also useful to take notice of newly launched startup beauty ventures. Planted in Beauty by Well Within is just such a business. Started by industry veterans Lynne Florio and Renee Tavoularis, Planted in Beauty is a brand that caters to consumers according to psychographics rather than demographics and that is on track to carve out its own niche in beauty.
Here, the beauty entrepreneurs share a profile of themselves and the brand.
Names: Lynne Florio & Renee Tavoularis, co-founders
Indie Beauty Company: Planted in Beauty by Well Within
Launched: April 2017
Headquarters: New York, New York
Growth rate: We launched 7 skincare products – boasting 4 certifications – in just 14 months. And, we had 1,000 subscribers for our Well Within Beauty e-newsletter before our official marketing efforts even began.
Delegation: We are both devoted to this full-time, and our business is supported by outside agencies for the following activities: branding and creative services, web development and ongoing support, digital marketing, public relations and brand communication, product and packaging development. In addition, we work with a network of about a dozen freelancers and consultants.
Distribution: Planted in Beauty is available exclusively on wellwithinbeauty.com.
Years in beauty: Lynne 38, Renee 24
Years at Planted in Beauty: Our indie beauty company has been 15+ months in the making, but we officially launched April 20th, 2017!
Entrepreneurial experience: While we’re well versed in the beauty business thanks to our collective decades of experience with La Prairie, this is our first foray into the startup world.
The business: Planted in Beauty by Well Within is a collection of plant-based skincare, created with the belief that wellness and beauty are inextricably linked. The product range is derived exclusively from natural sources and contains the highest level of organic ingredients while remaining completely free of [hazardous] chemicals and toxins.
The wow-factor: Our philosophy is if it doesn’t exist in nature, it’s not in our products. We have gone to great lengths in order to offer the consumer a line that is this pure and clean and sustainable (developed based on EU Guidelines), boasting organic agriculture and holding certifications from Ecocert for Cosmos Cosmetics Standard, EWG VERIFIED, Leaping Bunny, and Vegan Action. As we believe in a holistic approach to beauty and wellness, our site also includes plant-based solutions in nutrition and lifestyle for optimal skin health and wellness.
The customer: We’re targeting wellness seekers (at all ages and stages of their wellness journey) who are focused on age-embracing instead of anti-aging, on being well, not fixing sick, and on investing in their health and well-being. They are intrigued by and/or committed to the notions of natural, organic, chemical-free, and holistic living; and that extends to beauty, nutrition, and lifestyle.
Milestone moment: We’ve had an incredible response from consumers writing into our site who are applauding us for moving away from anti-aging and towards age-embracing.
Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs: Passion and purpose must drive the process. Never lose sight of the end game – it’ll keep you laser focused.
Just one: Asked about their go-to products, Lynne says it’s our Detox Exfoliant. I use it three times a week to scrub the “city” off my face. It helps my skin shine from within. And for Renee, it’s the Planted in Beauty Eye Complex. My tired eyes and dark circles are my nemesis, and this works wonders at smoothing and firming.