The inside scoop on Smooch Beauty will inspire you

written by Ashleigh Nefdt October 27, 2022

So, you’re thinking of setting foot into the world of beauty, professionally.

Maybe you’ve already got a name for your future business saved in your notes, and if you’re really serious, you likely have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to ‘product-inspo’.

But how do you take your dream out of your journal and into the big bad beauty world?

In an age where starting your own business has never been more affordable or accessible, it almost seems self-sabotage-seque for budding entrepreneurs not to bet on themselves. The world of beauty for one (once considered one of the toughest industries to break into) has seen a wave of new influences perfuming our lives with more inclusivity, sustainability and an abundance of creativity (as well as less of a monopoly worldwide) when it comes to where we’ll stock up our makeup bags.

Sometimes, it takes jotting down a few notes from the women who took that first step out of the journal, to spark those realisations that against numerous odds, it is possible to create something the beauty world is just waiting to welcome.

Alisha Ramasar, the founder of local beauty brand SMOOCH BEAUTY is one powerhouse who brought her beauty business to life on her own terms. We sat down for a conversation with Alisha:

What inspired you to tackle the beauty industry specifically, especially during lockdown?

To be honest, it wasn’t an instant ‘go-to’ in my case. Having had a bit of a blow with deciding to close down our successful retail advertising agency, as the realities and impact of lockdown was immense in that sector. During this time I discovered a lot about myself. What especially took me by surprise (not so much the people around me), was that I evidently cannot sit still.

So having explored various ideas to keep myself busy, I found myself also questioning my own personal spending habits over this time. Having previously used a luxury brand serum, I was paying anywhere between R2000-2500 for my then serum. Meanwhile on specific online one-day specials, I would see very generic brands offering serums for R199.

The natural investigator in me, decided to explore this reasoning and as such I became fixated and fascinated in the science behind it all. Truth be told, my first Major in varsity was Biomedical Science, so I found myself delving into that sort of mindset and that combined with my creative career mindset – catapulted into what is now SMOOCH.

I wanted to create a product that was as amazing as the luxury serums on the market, that had all the right ingredients, with the correct concentrations and the most beautiful packaging and brand experience. However, the hum-dinger was that it needed to be much more affordable and FUN. It needed to be something that my friends would love, that my sister would love and that ultimately my daughters would come to love.

Do you think that the beauty industry is as tough to break into as mainstream discourse supposes?

I think any industry can appear to be tough to break into. It’s part of the challenge of being an entrepreneur. Whether I was going to get into the fast food space or the cosmetic/beauty space – the challenge would’ve been just as daunting.

I had to decide upfront what I wanted first and foremost, then to cross-check that with what was already on the market and ultimately decide where I wanted SMOOCH to fit in. We have such phenomenal brands in South Africa, both local and international brands. We are so fortunate to be in an environment with so many choices. I personally find it exciting to have that much choice. It pushes me to constantly think about ‘what’s next’ and ‘what if’ and ‘could we.’

We’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again. The fact is that if you are passionate about something and you believe in what you have and your product. Then you can make a success out of it.

Seeing your products in the U.S must have been a highlight! Which products made it to the states?

That was actually (believe it or not) the first stockist for SMOOCH. It was 18 months ago when we still only had the three serums and they loved the brand and decided to stock all three. Since then, we launched with ARC in June 2021 and now have a presence in all 8 stores with 34 SKUs across skincare and beauty essentials. We have recently had the next big thrill with launching in Kenya, where the brand is being so well received. It’s just all so exciting with even more regions launching in 2023.

What barriers if any, in your opinion, still exist for brown women in the beauty industry?

I grew up overseas and I have never really acknowledged myself as a person of colour / brown. People were people. However having been in the advertising industry for so many years, the colours of the rainbow became more notable and definitely played a part in many aspects for various brands.

Now that I have become more aware and educated on the diversity spectrum, I believe that we have seen a massive evolution worldwide, where brands have either been called out or have proactively taken the steps to become more inclusive and acutely more aware of their decisions.

We have seen the opportunities expand drastically in this industry. Everything from model selections to product ranges and specific formulas being developed. The beauty industry is one that is constantly watched and constantly judged – I believe it’s because it plays on emotions and perceptions.

You handled everything from content creation to developing. Which was the most trying but the most satisfying to overcome?

Content and marketing is my background, so those aspects came exceptionally naturally. I initially thought that these aspects of owning a brand would be my most satisfying side of the business. However, being pushed to play in distribution, business negotiations and product development have been the most thrilling.

I did find that the learnings (also known as disappointments) you are exposed to as a business owner are exceptionally trying. Some months you aren’t sure if you are going to make it beyond the next week. Other times you are let down with quality control or payments or delivery. However, as challenging as those moments are and can be. When you do better, when you figure out how to get it right, when your clients and customers are happy – then that is the most satisfying aspect of running a business.

As a mom and entrepreneur, what advice would you give to other moms, other parents, when it comes to taking that first step into entrepreneurship?

As a woman, I’ve got 100 stories of where I’ve been put in difficult situations of having to go for after-work drinks and meetings and knowing I’ve still got to get home for dinner, bath and bedtime before 7:30pm. Being a wife, mom and businesswoman isn’t for everyone. However, I have to note that the toughest job on that list is definitely … MOM.

We constantly put pressure on ourselves to do the best, to give more and to ensure our babies are the happiest they can be. So it’s not an easy decision to consider having another ‘baby’ in the form of your new business. My advice is twofold. First, make sure you can afford to invest your time and money into a new business. Second, is to make sure that you believe in your goal and vision of your business. If you have those two things down, then you just add in some drive and perseverance and you will be good to go.

Nothing comes easy. Work hard and if you need to – wine helps.

Please tell us a little more about your book and how on earth you had the time to write it whilst conquering the beauty world!

OMG! What a thing I’ve done! This honestly started as a thought, then a cover idea (creatives will understand) and ultimately became a novel. Which, I honestly wrote 50% on my cellphone in ‘notes.’ Whenever I had an idea or an experience… I would start writing anywhere, anytime. I absolutely loved it and as such it never seemed like ‘extra work’. I started in October last year and was done with the manuscript by Feb. The manuscript is now with an international publishing house and is in the process of becoming a book.

It’s a down-to-earth reimagining of my various experiences and exasperations that strips back the veneers of certain pre-conceived notions about adulthood, motherhood and womanhood. It’s a must-read for women who don’t have the time to read. It’s our ‘it’s gonna be ok’ book. I hope it will be ready to launch in the first half of 2023. So watch this space.

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Feature Image: @smoochbeauty.co/Instagram