Founded in 2012, Lady Green had a range of organic face care and makeup products for blemished, acne-prone skin made using a blend of natural active ingredients, notably aloe vera and neem. The range, including a face wash, face cream, mascara and BB cream, was available in several French outlets such as Naturalia and Mademoiselle Bio as well as many pharmacies and organic specialist stores. Beyond France, Lady Green had distribution in 15 countries, largely across the EU, including Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.
Developed almost 10 years ago to cater to the teenager skin market, targeting consumers aged 16-20, founder and company president Virginie Vinet said interest in natural and organic products for blemished skin had now expanded beyond this demographic.
‘Maskne’ during COVID-19 has brought skin problems into spotlight
“Today, what we’ve found is more and more women at any age have blemishes or skin problems, so our target is a bit older now – it’s moved to 18 – 35 years old,” Vinet told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.
Whilst the interest had been building for some time, she said these skin problems were a rising issue amongst consumers particularly considering prolonged mask-wearing during COVID-19.
“More and more brands are addressing this topic because with the mask right now, more and more people have acne problems (…) and I think it will be a growing issue,” she said.
“…For us, it’s an opportunity because it’s really our area of expertise.”
The overarching goal of Lady Green had always been, and would continue to be, to offer this market a “different approach to skin care for blemished skin”, Vinet said. Its products would remain focused on natural, organic active ingredients blended into gentle formulas, she said, and carry marketing messaging that promoted positivity and built self-esteem amongst consumers with problem skin.
The company would also continue to conduct third-party clinical trials to prove product efficacy, despite this being costly for a small brand, she said, and would continue to work with its star ingredients aloe vera and neem, renowned for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and purifying properties.
Expanding reach – NPD in makeup, skin care and wider rollouts
Vinet said Lady Green had plans to expand its makeup range – building on the popularity of its best-selling mascara product made with beeswax and jojoba oil – as well as stretch reach into new countries, in the EU and beyond.
The company was poised to launch a liquid lipstick and eyeliner in 2022 and in the meantime would focus on new product development in skin care, she said.
The long-term goal was to stretch the brand into body care and any segment that catered for young women looking for natural options to care for blemished skin, she said. “We started with face care products, which is the most important for young women with acne (…) but we want to offer everything girls need.”
