A change in brand image, new, more ecological packaging and an incursion into English Canada, then the United States. The list of projects for the year 2023 is ambitious for Omy Laboratoires, a Quebec company of custom-prepared cosmetics.
If consumers are tightening their belts more, they have not, however, given up on “little luxuries” such as day creams, cleansing foams or other beauty serums, assures Rachelle Séguin, co-founder of the company whose the head office and the laboratory are located in Quebec.
“We are affected, but not that much. It is sure that we have seen it with the Black-Friday. People will try as much as possible to get discounts, ”she admits, however, on the phone.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Rachelle Séguin, founder of Omy Laboratoires
“But we’re still growing and our clientele is loyal,” she said, adding that the prices of her products hadn’t increased over the past year.
We preferred to cut our margin rather than subject consumers to an increase.
Rachelle Séguin, founder of Omy Laboratoires
New era
With sales hovering between $4 million and $5 million for 2022, compared to $3 million the year before, Omy now wants to step into second gear. “We decided to change the logo, the packaging, the overall image of the company to facilitate our market penetration in the United States and English Canada,” she explains. We wanted a more inclusive brand image, with a logo that would appeal to both men and women, because our custom products are for everyone. »
The company, which currently has 30 employees, will hire about 20 more next year.
To conquer other markets, the 27-year-old businesswoman, who studied cosmeceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences, wants to promote her products by highlighting the contribution of a team of scientists who work within the company in a laboratory located near Omy’s offices.
“The new image brings out more of the scientific aspect of the brand,” she says. We are in direct contact with the laboratory and we want that to be perceived by the consumer, that he knows that we are not a brand like the others in the field of beauty. »
“Tailor-made is complex to explain,” she laments, however.
People don’t understand that it’s possible to have a cream formulated for them exclusively. Having a brand image that simplifies this communication helps us a lot.
Rachelle Séguin, founder of Omy Laboratories
And what do we mean by “tailor-made”? By visiting the Omy Laboratoires site, the consumer completes a questionnaire. We ask him his age, if he takes medication, if he has any allergies and above all what he wants to treat: dark circles, redness, acne, wrinkles…
To improve the service, we ask customers who wish to send a photo to have a better analysis of pores and redness. Once the information has been collected, using artificial intelligence software, the products are developed in the laboratory. They are usually ready in 24 to 48 hours and then sent directly to customers.
Sales are only made online, and for now Rachelle Séguin and her business partner, Andréa Gomez, want to keep this model, which avoids having a host of intermediaries and offering competitive prices. Currently, a 30ml jar of day cream sells for $64.99.
Unique concept in the world
Does Omy Laboratoires go it alone in the beauty products market? “Made-to-measure in the field of the cosmetics industry is starting to take up more and more space,” replies M.me Seguin. But at our level, when we talk about dermocosmetics, we are still the only ones. »
“I see Omy as the company that has the laboratory closest to the consumer,” she adds. If a person’s skin changes or if they are unhappy with their product, they can call the lab directly and we will reformulate the product until it is perfect for that person. It really is a close relationship. »
The founders of Omy now want this proximity to be exported to our southern neighbors over the next year.
Omy Laboratories in brief
Activity : Dermocosmetics company that manufactures custom-made products
Founders: Rachelle Seguin and Andrea Gomez
Income: between 4 to 5 million
Strengths
- Product quality and effectiveness
- The proximity between the laboratory and the customers; this is what makes for good customer service.
- Online sales company with artificial intelligence skin analysis
Weaknesses
- Difficulty in gaining notoriety in new markets
- Difficulty explaining the concept of made-to-measure. Consumers struggle to understand the meaning of personalized products.
- The impossibility of going through traditional distribution networks since these are made-to-measure products