Building a Cosmetics Brand from Scratch

An entrepreneur puts her heart and soul into every aspect of her new company, from the branding and packaging to choosing the right vendors

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The Entrepreneur: Gabriela Hernandez, 42

Background: A successful art historian and graphic designer, Gabriela Hernandez co-founded the Alma Group, a design agency in Los Angeles, with her husband. Hernandez then left the Alma Group and poured $1 million of her own money into creating a cosmetics startup. She set the company apart by basing its products on the style and craftsmanship of cosmetics from the 1920s, '30s, and '40s (see BusinessWeek.com, 10/3/06, "A Big Impression for a Tiny Lipstick").

The Company: Launched in 2004, Bésame Cosmetics were initially sold through the company's Web site but are now available at department stores including Henri Bendel in New York, Printemps in Paris, and Holt Renfrew in Vancouver, as well as a number of smaller retailers.

Sales: Bésame Cosmetics, based in Glendale, Calif., earned about $40,000 in sales in its first year and projects $1.2 million in 2007.

Her Story: I have been in the creative field for most of my life, so the thought of creating something—a painting, sculpture, photograph—was never intimidating to me. What I did not realize is that the endeavor of creating a living brand was going to entail using every skill I had learned in the past 20 years of my career. How do you go about building the equivalent of a person apart from yourself, a person with values and personality, who speaks to customers when you are not there?

The idea of making a cosmetic product came to me after working on several branding projects for other manufacturers in the industry. I owned many originals from my grandmother's time, and the thought of reinterpreting such lovely items was irresistible artistically. Of course, the market is saturated with makeup brands, but I never saw Bésame as a direct competitor to any specific brand in the market. I saw our market as a very well-defined niche, because our product was targeted and specific as well as being easily distinguishable.

Standing Out in a Crowd

I wanted to build a company with heart and a soul that people could feel from just touching one of our cases, and that could affect women in a positive way. The product had to have the power to bring a flood of memories to the wearer, positive associations that immediately made it endearing and familiar.

How did I make the brand stand out in a crowded marketplace? Creating a brand is like making a person entirely to your specifications. This person has a personality, a moral standing, a temperament, and a physical appearance. When I created Bésame, I infused the brand with a distinct personality that is carried to the customers with every detail in their interaction with the brand.

From the feel of the containers to the smell of the product to the consistent use of patterns and designs to the way our phones are answered, everything is part of a whole, and adds to a distinct experience. Customers know who we are, what we represent, and they even tell us what products they want us to make. Customers are happy to interact with me at events and tell me what they like or dislike about our products.

Brand Personality

A brand's personality is one of the main points of difference in the product landscape, and a memorable one is key to making the brand stick in the consumer's mind. A moral standing is another main component of a successful brand. Customers have to know where the company stands on issues that are important to them. They have to identify with it and share common values to want to display it as something they believe in and trust. Wearing our product really condones our activities in their minds, so [helping them] feel good about their choices is a great way to grow our customer base.