Omy Laboratoires is a bit like the story of an “entrepreneurial love at first sight” between two young women who, separately, had the same idea: to offer skin care products, made to measure in 48 hours, according to the needs of each person.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
The company
During their university studies, Andréa Gomez and Rachelle Séguin did not know each other, but already had several points in common. While they both worked part-time as cosmeticians, they quickly realized that many customers with skin problems could not find the product they needed at the various counters.
PHOTO ERCIK LABBÉ, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
Rachelle Séguin, co-founder of Omy Laboratoires
We realized that people with sensitive skin, who have multiple skin problems, cannot find suitable products on the market, which means that there is a lot of dissatisfaction, a lot of product waste.
Rachelle Séguin, co-founder of Omy Laboratoires
By dint of talking left and right about this idea of personalizing creams and other serums, they end up meeting. Rachelle Séguin studied cosmeceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences, while Andréa Gomez specializes in administration. Together, they founded Omy Laboratoires in January 2018, after a year of research and development in the premises of Laval University. The company, whose head office is located in Quebec, now has 30 employees. For 2021, sales reached 3 million.
innovation
An artificial intelligence software called Skinia is somehow the key to their success. It is thanks to him that the skin and the needs of each client are evaluated online. The data collected is then used to create the recipe that will suit each person.
“I worked with artificial intelligence specialists, dermatologists and facial recognition experts to create Skinia,” explains 27-year-old Rachelle Séguin. To offer the right product, it takes the right analysis. Skinia analyzes and recommends the right ingredients, the right texture, the right smell. And now the technology takes allergies into account. We went to look for a large database on allergies and we were able to go further in our diagnoses. »
How it works ? 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, the products are developed in the laboratory. They are usually ready in 24 to 48 hours and then sent directly to customers.
A 30ml jar of custom-made day cream, for example, sells for $64.99, which is equal to the list price. “We do not go through a distribution network. Selling directly to consumers allows us to avoid intermediaries,” says Ms.me Séguin, to explain its selling prices.
Another advantage of buying made-to-measure products: freshness.
We often forget that a product we buy on the shelves was made two years ago. All antioxidants and ingredients that are supposed to be effective have time to degrade, at least partially.
Rachelle Séguin, co-founder of Omy Laboratoires
Importantly, Omy Laboratories manufactures products that are aimed at both men and women. “It was something that bothered me in the cosmetics industry, recognizes Rachelle Séguin. There is a lot of gender discrimination. Often men’s products are cheaper, there are fewer options, it’s very limited. Our offer is gender neutral. »
The future
There are many plans for the future for the two young women. From next year, for ecological reasons, they want to be able to offer recycled plastic refills to their customers who could thus always keep the same pot.
They also want to develop an application to follow the evolution of each customer’s skin and adapt the products accordingly.
With its new laboratories, where employees have been working for two months, the company could well try to break through outside Quebec.