The organic personal care products market is projected to be grow to $15.98 billion by 2020. This rapidly expanding space is fueled in part by the growth of large companies like The Body Shop and L’Oreal, which now process the raw materials they use for integration across their entire value chains. However, many mid-size companies are experiencing steady growth as well — in everything from lip balms to shampoos. One emerging brand leader, Gabriel Cosmetics, is a privately owned company that offers products carried by more than 4,000 retailers. The company is projected to hit $10 million dollars in annual revenue in the near future.
Company’s CEO and founder, Gabriel De Santino, spoke with Forbes about his experiences building and growing his brand.
Kate Harrison: You started the company in 1992, before eco-friendly cosmetics were popular. What inspired you to get into this area of the business?
Gabriel De Santino: At the time, I was an aesthetician and had many clients who were sensitive to chemicals and had been afraid to use anything on their skin because of it. I went searching for a chemical-free skincare line to use on them. After months of researching ingredients and exploring different companies, I realized that the skincare and makeup industries were missing many products that were truly natural and chemical free. It was important to me that I offer products my clients could use safely, so I decided to create my own skincare line.
Harrison: How did you go about actually creating your first products?
Santino: It took years of research, and lots of testing — on humans only! — to find natural alternatives to each and every chemical ingredient, but I was determined to bring a fun and exciting line of color cosmetics to the natural products industry. The Gabriel Color line became available in 1996 and has been a leading brand ever since.
Harrison: When and how did you expand?
Santino: Customers began requesting more colors and formulas. I listened to our customers as well as our retailers to learn what they were searching for in the skincare and makeup areas. Based on what I found out, a few years after I started I created ZuZu Luxe. From there, I have added tools, colors and new products. Over the past few years I’ve added seasonal collections as well, which have had an amazing response and indulged me creatively.
Harrison: Why do you think demand in this industry is growing so quickly?
Santino: It seems to me that savvy consumers are driving this change with their demand for natural and organic products. They are becoming more educated on ingredients and are making purchases that fit into a clean healthy lifestyle.
Harrison: What role does packaging play in marketing green products?
Santino: Packaging is a critical piece that drives consumers to make a final purchase. Consumers are requesting transparency in packaging as well as ingredients. This is the main reason we felt it was important to lead in the green space by obtaining certifications for our products, such as NPA, Certified Gluten Free, and others. We also offer a 100% money-back guarantee if a customer is not completely satisfied with any of our products.
Harrison: Your products are now sold in Target & Whole Foods. At what point did you secure those relationships, and how did you do it?
Santino: We partnered with Whole Foods back in 1996. At that point, we began to grow alongside Whole Foods as the demand for healthy alternatives grew. We were approached by Target late last year and launched our first products on Target.com this April. This was primarily their initiative based on their customers requesting that they offer healthier products.
Harrison: How have these deals changed your business?
Santino: These two mass retailers have helped us become a leader in the natural products category by giving us the exposure we needed to a mass-market audience, as well as making our product line more easily accessible to purchase.
Harrison: What is your vision for the next five years?
Santino: We currently service over 4,000 retailers both large and small across the USA and Puerto Rico and we’ve got a strong e-commerce following as well. We sell our products throughout Canada, the Philippines and recently did a soft launch in the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe. I see our reach continuing to expand globally. I want to make my safe and natural products easily available to everyone. I think it is important for consumers to have access to natural, chemical free, organic beauty products that really work.
Harrison: What are the most important things that have contributed to your success?
Santino: I have found that staying true to myself and the company’s philosophy has created tremendous brand loyalty. We have never compromised on ingredients and will never do so. I continually educate myself on ingredients to ensure we use the most healthful and innovative options available. We create and distribute beautiful products that work and that people can have fun with. We also work vigorously to keep our costs down so that our wholesalers deliver our products at prices that consumers can afford. Finally, I work with a great team that shares the same philosophy as I do. They help me deliver quality products and offer the best possible service to our retailers and our customers.
Harrison: If you could give one piece of advice to others looking to get into this market, what would it be?
Santino: Unlike when I started, the market is saturated. In order to stand out, you will need to bring something new and innovative to the space, or market to a specific niche. Create products you are passionate about, do not compromise on what you and your brand represent, and surround yourself with a positive team.
