Source: CANVASREBEL
We were lucky to catch up with Susie Yoon recently and have shared our conversation below.
One of the most important and time consuming aspect of creating Skinesque was finding the right manufacturer partner in South Korea. I started by attending trade shows in the U.S. that invited South Korean manufacturers to share their technology, ingredients and products. My next step was to attend trade shows actually held in South Korea. I was able to set up meetings during my first trip and share my vision. After meeting with four manufacturers and receiving 3-5 rounds of samples over the course of 6 months or so, we were able to commit to one manufacturer. During this period, we had to negotiate MOQs (minimum order quantity) and pricing. It is very important to think very carefully about the cost of your goods, as this affects everything thereafter. Another huge expense has to do with shipping the goods from South Korea to California. Costs related to shipping can be fluid. Case in point, during covid, my shipping costs more than doubled.
I am very grateful for my relationship with our manufacturer. I value the founder’s vision and commitment to quality and efficacious ingredients and products. I trust that she will commit to good manufacturing practices.
Throughout the past years, I have also learned that it is good practice to have relationships with several manufacturers who can create and deliver the products you need.
From working as a corporate attorney to becoming a mother of two, I created Skinesque to meet a market I needed: dependable skincare that was gentle, approachable and effective. After Skinesque came into fruition, I realized that a universal South Korean beauty line should be made not only for the busy person, but for the moments when we decompress at home. Wellness, self-care and setting aside time to look and feel your best became a mantra at our office and a huge driving force behind our product development. Ultimately, our products are not intimidating and can be interchanged morning and night.
I want to be very intentional with my product development. Instead of having multiples products in the same category, I have worked very closely with our manufacturer and in house dermatologist to create products that are safe for all skin types and genders.
Best source of new clients have been fellow parents at my children’s schools. It happened very naturally, but fellow moms were introduced to the line. The easy to follow cleanser, moisturizer and mask regimen worked very well for them. They soon shared with others, and even bought for their children as the formulation is made for all skin types.
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