For a busy woman on the go and on a budget, stocking the medicine cabinet with a slew of expensive skincare products isn’t an option when she barely has time to brush her teeth at night—let alone perform a complex nightly skincare regime. Keeping this business-savvy lady in mind as their quintessential customer, husband-and-wife duo Amos and Jodi Lavian founded Dermelect Cosmeceuticals to trim excessive time and money from a great beauty routine.
Serving as the company’s cofounder and chief inspiration officer, Jodi explains, “If I were traveling from New York to Florida, does my skin care have to change because I’m going from dry to oily? It doesn’t have to. Dermelect’s treatments are all formulated to provide her with a universal solution.” In order to limit the need for numerous products, Dermelect’s treatments aim to be multifunctional. “Let’s face it; the beauty industry loves to sell her a lot of products,” chief executive officer and president Amos adds. “We have a different vision that disrupts that notion. I want my client to buy individual items that will provide her with multiple benefits, saving time, money and effort.”
Refreshingly, the Lavians aren’t worried that clients buying fewer items will harm the business in the long run. They’re so confident in Dermelect’s high quality solutions that they strive to target a key segment of the market: repeat, lifelong customers.
“We respect our client. She’s in tune with everything she’s putting on and the ingredients that go into it. She’s coming to us with a problem; we want to provide her with the best solutions—not just make a sale,” Jodi says. “Dermelect will never claim to be ‘better than Botox’; let’s be real. What we will provide is a luxurious topical treatment that will give her true results with realistic expectations.” This practical, straightforward approach has served Dermelect well. As a testament to their growth, the company has formulated and developed three to four innovative skincare treatments per year and two new ‘ME’ peptide-infused nail lacquer collections annually, on average.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Amos Lavian’s exposure to the world of skin care started at the ripe age of 12, when his older sister was studying to be an esthetician at the world-renowned Christine Valmy International School for Esthetics, Skin Care and Makeup. Amos says he was the “perfect guinea pig” for his sister to experiment on because he was an acne-prone adolescent.
Later in life, Amos worked in the beauty industry at a boutique nailcare manufacturer, where he grew increasingly uninspired by the lack of new and innovative products on the market. Tired of seeing the same old glycerin-based formulas used in the majority of nail, hand and foot creams on the market, Amos resolved to make a change. “There was no creativity, innovation or excitement,” he recalls.
Combining his background in importing and exporting cosmetic ingredients with wife Jodi’s passion for makeup as a “self-proclaimed beauty junkie,” they founded Dermelect Cosmeceuticals in 2007.
“Jodi was constantly urging me to take the initiative and use my knowledge, experience and especially my passion and go out and create something special. So I literally did just that, the very day after our wedding. I left my day job and started working on creating Dermelect,” Amos recounts.
“My passion has always been skin care,” he says. “I developed Dermelect with the sole focus on providing incredible treatments with an honest approach. First, it had to be universal. I had to take the guesswork out of determining the ever-elusive skin type question: oily, combination, sensitive, etc. Women constantly claim they have sensitive skin because they’re unsuccessful in identifying their skin type.”
Dermelect’s solution to the skincare dilemma was to create universal, multifunctional formulas that eliminate the need for multiple products. For example, Dermelect’s Detoxifying Oxygen Facial Cleanser functions as a three-in-one toner, cleanser and facial mask that works on all skin types. “What does that mean to the beauty business, salon or spa owner? Other skincare lines have up to 24 product offerings that fill up these three steps. With Dermelect, you only need to commit to one,” Amos says. The result is an easier, faster and uncomplicated beauty routine.
Dermelect debuted with eight individual skincare treatments that are still available today, including the Self-Esteem Neck Firming Lift, which Amos calls a sleeper hit. After a successful launch, five more skincare treatments were introduced, including their bestseller and hero product, The Smooth Upper Lip & Perioral Anti-Aging Treatment used to combat vertical lip lines. With products that are high-performance, antiaging and affordable, Dermelect formulated all-in-one systems that appeal to a wide range of consumers.

SEAL OF APPROVAL
If you ask the Lavians their secret to starting a successful company, they’ll tell you it all comes down to perfecting the formulas and hiring the right team. Naturally, creating topnotch formulas takes time and lots of effort.
When a new Dermelect product is being developed in their U.S.-based, FDA-registered lab, it endures a battery of tests to ensure it functions as desired. The formula is then tested in-house and receives feedback, followed by another round of formulations.
“The products go through so much thought and analysis before launching that it would make your head spin. In the long run, it helps assure a successful product launch and a long product life cycle,” Jodi says. Their team takes the Lavians’ wild and inventive product ideas and turns them into a reality.
“Together, and as a team, magic happens,” explain the Lavians. They also rely on their Board of Advisors—two dermatologists, one a top aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon and the other a specialist who focuses on fingernail disorders—to convene with Dermelect’s estheticians to test and reformulate the products. They also count on additional input from a bridal skincare specialist, nailcare division and celebrity manicurist.
“In the beginning, everyone in our company had to be flexible with their job responsibilities and had to be able to wear many hats to get what had to be done completed. ‘That’s not my job’ was never uttered,” Amos says.

NAILCARE INNOVATION
Although Amos’ passion has always been skin care, his experience in the beauty industry also includes the field of nail care. So, when he came up with an idea for a unique formula to cure problem nails, the transition into creating a nailcare product was seamless, he says. “It is tremendously exciting and satisfying to bring a solution to a pent-up problem. The testimonials we receive put it over the top for us,” Amos says.
Working with her husband, says Jodi, provides their business with an edge over the competition. “We are on the same page; we don’t necessarily agree on everything, but we’re a great support system for each other. We work very closely together and we feed off of each other’s ideas and energy. It’s a very good synergy that we’ve perfected,” she says.
This creative collaboration paired with their shared passion for innovation has positioned Dermelect’s nail category as the most cutting edge on the market. The first to formulate a peptide-infused nail treatment, made from a protein peptide extracted from sheep’s wool imported from New Zealand, Dermelect founded a new segment in the beauty market: antiaging nail care. Specially designed for those with brittle, damaged nails, their groundbreaking extraction technique allows the protein peptide to remain intact.
“The biotech company initially used this ingredient in noncosmetic applications, such as bone and skin grafts. We approached them with the concept of utilizing it for damaged fingernails and they agreed that it would prove effective. Once greenlighted, we imported the ingredient and began formulating our nail cream, hand cream and treatment lacquers with it,” Amos says.
Using the same antiaging methods used to solve skincare problems, the team ingeniously created one-of-a-kind nailcare solutions. “We saw ridges on the nails and addressed it like wrinkles on the face. Our nail cream has ingredients in it that would challenge any antiaging facial cream,” Jodi says.

THE PERFECT POUT
With such innovative skincare and nailcare treatments, it’s no surprise that their lipsticks are just as all-purpose. Combining the benefits of four lip products into one, the 4-in-1 Smooth Lip Solution was created to provide rich pigments that stay put all day, the hydration of a lip balm, the high shine of a lip gloss and the long wear of a stain. “I’m a lipstick girl and this is something that I put my passion behind when we created it,” Jodi explains. “Formulated with peptides, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, vitamins and amazing extracts of key actives—what’s not to love?” w

THE NEXT CHAPTER
With many successful product launches under its belt during the past decade, Dermelect Cosmeceuticals’ future is bright. Next year, Amos and Jodi plan to improve upon a cult favorite, the hydrating Rapid Repair Facial Moisturizer for sensitive skin, by debuting it in a large yet travel-friendly tube. They also plan on widening their eye category with two new launches: the Revitalite Brow Transformer for thinning eyebrows and the Revitalite Brow Lift to highlight above and below the brow.
“Our approach at the retail level has also progressed. This year we’ve introduced all new permanent and semi-permanent displays to beautifully house and showcase the range,” says Amos. “With an aggressive sampling, spiff and GWP program in place, we anticipate making significant strides at the retail level.”
Long term, the couple hopes to continue to evolve the brand, expanding their skin and nail categories in addition to conquering other segments of the beauty industry. Though Dermelect products are currently only distributed in the U.S., Amos says the company’s next chapter will be expansion overseas with distributors that share their brand’s message.
He says, “The key is to constantly innovate, develop new product ideas and formulate exciting new treatments—all with the common goal to provide a luxurious solution to her beauty routine.”

For more information on Dermelect Cosmeceuticals, visit Dermelect. Find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @Dermelect.

The C2 California Clean collection works to rejuvenate your customers’ skin while providing the cleanest ingredients, as all its products are EWG Verified. The Advanced Hyaluronic Hydrating Primer is a gentle, oil-free primer that helps with firmness and fine lines. Customers can follow up with its Apple Stem Cell Regenerating Serum that works to nourish and repair lower layers of the dermis. The Citrus Stem Cell Intense Moisture Lock Creme locks in hydration while repairing the skin.


SRPs: Primer: $92; Serum: $108; Creme: $115

For more information visit: C2 California Clean.

Gerard CosmeticsLip Pencils are highly pigmented lip liners designed with long-lasting wear in mind. It is available in eight shades including Bel Air, Ecstasy, Underground and Luna (pictured).


SRP: $16

For More Information Visit: Gerard Cosmetics.

Lip Luxuries 5pc Lipstick Collection is a collection of semi-matte lip color, infused with vitamins A & E meant to keep lips nourished while pigment lasts all day.

For More Information Visit: Manna Kadar Cosmetics.

Scotch Porter Smoothing Beard Serum is an artificial color-free and color-safe leave-in beard serum meant to produce a smooth, silky, moisturized and frizz-free beard.


SRP: $20

For More Information Visit: Scotch Porter.

Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Strengthening Shampoo and Beautiful Lengths Strengthening Conditioner work together to cleanse and fortify hair ideal for maximum growth.


SRP: Shampoo: $4.99; Conditioner: $3.99

For More Information Visit: Pantene.

Hand & Nail Therapy uses shea butter to create a weightless, fast-absorbing treatment meant to fight against daily wear and tear.


SRP: $22

For More Information Visit: Tula.

The Sigmagic Brush Shampoo uses natural virgin coconut oil and sustainable palm oil to create a formula designed to dissolve product build-up and bacteria caused by oil residue.

SRP: $15

For More Information Visit: Sigma Beauty.

The Marula Foaming Cleansing Oil Towelettes are made with pure Marula oil and alpha hydroxy acids that rinse away to reveal healthier looking skin, ideal for dry, oily or combination skin types.


SRP: $10

For More Information Visit: Marula.

The Cooling Clay Facial Wash is made from Tanakura clay, menthol and activated charcoal designed to absorb oil and dirt, fight acne and detoxify skin. The Hair Hydrator is pro-vitamin B5 and hydrolyzed silk infused to treat dry and damaged hair while slowing down hair loss.


SRPs: Cooling Clay Facial Wash: $18.99 ; Hair Hydrator: $10.99

For More Information Visit: Blackwood for Men.

Last November, Eddie Jhin, president of Atlanta-based Jinny United, was in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, to receive the keys to the newest warehouse for Jinny Beauty Supply, the company’s flagship multicultural beauty distribution business. While opening this New York-adjacent, 145,000-square-foot facility marks a new level of success, the distributor was already very well-established with more than 1.4 million square feet of warehouse space in 11 cities across the United States. Having warehouses strategically located throughout the country gives Jinny Beauty Supply the ability to ship orders to its customers in record time. It also allows the distributor to offer retailers a selection of more than 60,000 items from more than 400 manufacturers. These key advantages have led to its dominance in the multicultural beauty distribution market.

“We’re very proud that we can get to any retailer in the United States — outside of Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii — the very next day,” says Jhin. “I think that’s one thing that we have that is superior to any other distributor in the United States.” Expanding Jinny’s large distribution network has been a top priority for the company during the past decade.

Continue reading about Jinny United in our January digital edition!

Robanda International announced Lori Feldman of BTB Sales & Marketing as its rep of the year, based on overall sales totals across its brands.

According to Anita Zappacosta, executive director at Robanda International, Feldman "took over business in the Northeast territory at a challenging time in her personal life a few short years ago and began building some outstanding relationships giving our Robanda customers great service all while building an amazing footprint of business with the Robanda brands."

"She has done a great job, and earned every order to receive the Rep of the Year award," said Zappacosta. "Thank you, Lori."

JD Beauty Group announced a global partnership with The Kirschner Group, Inc., effective January 1, 2017. The Kirschner Group, Inc. is a worldwide sales and merchandising organization that represents manufacturers in the professional hair, skin and nail industry. While The Kirschner Group has serviced JD Beauty Group internationally in the past, they will expand those services to the United States and transition to a global partnership.

“I am thrilled with the opportunity to partner at a global level with JD Beauty Group," said Harlan Kirschner, C.E.O. of The Kirschner Group, Inc. "We look forward to growing our business together and becoming an even stronger presence in the industry.”

Beauty Store Business, and the industry at large, mourns the loss of one of professional beauty’s most beloved family members: Fabio Sementilli, vice president of education at Coty Professional Beauty.
Sementilli died tragically on January 23 in Woodland Hills, California at age 49. He was known as a mentor to many, believing that continuing education and giving back were the cornerstones of our industry.
Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.
To learn more about Fabio Sementilli and his impact on the industry, read Beauty Launchpad’s (our sister publication) article from September 2014 Head of the Class where he was featured.

Your customers can now enjoy the trendy treatment called dermaplaning at home using a new skincare device called Dermaflash. We discovered this skincare device at the Indie Beauty Expo LA, last weekend and it created much buzz (no pun intended) on the showroom floor. Designed specifically for the delicate skin on a woman’s face, Dermaflash provides a superior level of exfoliation. A subtle sonic vibration and proprietary edge instantly remove dead skin cells, built up debris and peach fuzz. The results are immediate—a silky, smooth, hair-free complexion with no downtime. The hand-held device creates a perfectly smooth canvas for both makeup and skincare for an instant glow. SRP: $189, comes complete with "The Essentials" consisting of six edges, cleanser (Prep) and a hydrator (Soothe)

For more information, visit www.dermaflash.com.

The Volumizing Dry Shampoo from Suavecita removes oil build up between washes while adding volume and can be used with any hair color.
SRP: $8.99, www.suavecito.com

Beauty Store Business' managing editor Breanna Armstrong will be on the "How To Work with Celebrities and Influencers" panel at the Professional Beauty Association's International Salon and Spa Expo this weekend on Jan. 29, in Long Beach, CA. Armstrong will join beauty editor Jennifer Chan and Vanity Girl Hollywood CEO Maxine Tatlonghari at ISSE in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday at noon to tackle how brands and influencers can work with each other to produce sales and marketing strategies through social media. The panel will take place in room 204. Join us and see how your brand can benefit from working with the stars!

WHAT: How to work with Celebrities and Influencers
DATE: Sunday, January 29, 2017
WHEN: 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: Long Beach Convention Center, Room 204

Coconut-based beauty brand Kopari Beauty has received substantial investment funding from L Catterton, which is known as the largest consumer-focused private equity firm in the world.

L Catterton has significant experience investing in the beauty space, including investments in Bliss, Cover FX, CLIO Professional, Dr. Wu, Ideal Image, Intercos Group and StriVectin. Hollywood celebrities have also joined in this investment round, including Karlie Kloss, Shay Mitchell, Hilary Duff, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher.

"This significant investment from L Catterton demonstrates the strong positioning and high performance of our brand. The investment will allow Kopari to continue our rapid growth and expansion, providing people worldwide with the benefits of coconut oil and cutting edge, multipurpose formulations that deliver effective results in the safest and most natural way possible,” said Kopari CEO Bryce Goldman. “We will be able to accelerate our development of conscious skincare products that are as safe for our skin as they are for the planet. With L Catterton's support, Kopari will have the resources, industry knowledge and global expertise that we need to take our brand to the next level."

The growth capital will also be used to continue Kopari's R&D and product innovation, as well as to advance investments in marketing and inventory in an effort to support its retail partnership with Sephora; on whose website it launched in October 2016. The funding will also contribute to the digitally native e-commerce company’s expansion to brick-and-mortar locations nationwide.

"Expanding our investor partners with this caliber of prestige and Hollywood talent is a strong indicator of Kopari's success," said Kopari co-founder James Brennan. "Our celebrity investors serve as great validation that we have created something special, and they will help us to elevate Kopari's brand and further connect us with our target consumer."

"We're incredibly excited to partner with Kopari, a high-growth brand that has established itself as a leader in the natural beauty market by incorporating coconut oil into a broad range of multifunctional products," said Michael Farello, managing partner of L Catterton's Growth Fund.

Kopari launched in late 2015 as a direct-to-consumer brand by co-founders Bryce and Gigi Goldman, Kiana Cabell and James Brennan. The San Diego-based company has experienced exceptional growth by harnessing digital and social platforms to garner brand awareness and build a network of loyal customers and fans. In just one year, Kopari left a sizable footprint on the digital landscape and took its business into traditional commerce channels, including QVC and a national partnership with Sephora. In 2017, the brand will launch its first skincare line.

The 100-percent organic coconut oil-based beauty brand has an existing seven-product lineup of multitasking and bodycare products, including Organic Coconut Melt, Coconut Sheer Oil, Coconut Body Glow, Coconut Balm, Coconut Crush Scrub, Coconut Body Milk and Coconut Body Oil. All products are specifically designed to leverage the natural benefits of coconut oil and are free from sulfates, silicones, parabens, GMOs and other harmful ingredients. 

[Image courtesy of Kopari Beauty]

Nine years ago, 26-year-old Kat Von D walked into the Sephora corporate office for a meeting that would change the landscape of traditional cosmetics, and her career, forever. She was just coming off the second season of her own TLC reality show, LA Ink. Kat let the TLC cameras in to film the day-to-day action of her own tattoo shop, which gave her a lot of momentum as a known artist in and outside of the tattoo community. Her fierce cat eyes, red lips and distinctive style captured the attention of one of the world’s largest beauty retailers.

“When Sephora first approached me nine years ago about creating a makeup line, it was definitely a surprise!” says Kat Von D, now 34. “Growing up as an ‘outsider’ in a lot of ways, I wasn’t necessarily used to people interested in my personal approach to makeup. However, after our first creative meeting, it was pretty obvious that we had a special opportunity to create something that hadn’t been done before, and to me, that was extremely exciting!”

Author, reality TV star, beauty brand owner, musician, influencer and animal advocate, Kat spreads her creativity across several categories, internationally. Her company, Kat Von D Beauty, is making waves as one of the fastest-growing, most unique brands in the industry due to Kat’s tenacious ability to stay true to herself.

THE ARTIST

Born in Nuevo León, Mexico, Kat and her family moved to California when she was 4 years old. She started playing piano at a young age and developed her artistic abilities that she carries with her to this day. “I wouldn’t want to live in a world without music. I’d take my piano over all the lipstick in the world. Any day,” Kat says.

After getting her first tattoo at age 14, Kat’s love for tattoo artistry grew into a career when she dropped out of school to become a tattoo artist at 16. “I am ever so grateful for my rough-around- the-edges upbringing. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it,” she reflects.

Never shying from paving her own path, Kat’s distinctive beauty style began early on. A keynote speaker at The Makeup Show LA last year, Kat told a roomful of beauty lovers and fans that she used black eyeliner as lip liner when she was a teenager.

“The do-it-yourself community has always been a place where I can relate and now, with the impact of social media, it’s a beautiful thing to witness in the world today,” Kat says. “People are really exercising their creativity in ways that blow my mind.”

Her early interest for creating the looks she wanted in an unconventional way turned into Kat’s feminine goth sig- nature makeup style, which is the driving force behind her beauty brand and has differentiated her from the competition.
“I’ve never been a fan of following trends, to be quite honest. I really just create things that I want to make,” says Kat, who did just that with the creation of her vegan and cruelty-free makeup line.

THE BRAND

Kat Von D Beauty launched in 2008 with a few SKUs and over the years, has blossomed into a full cosmetics line, offering her signature “Lock-It” Founda- tion, Concealer Crème, Powder, Tattoo Liner, makeup brushes, contour palettes, eye shadow contour palettes, eye shadow primers, Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks, eye shadows and more. From brows to cat eyes, the brand has created new catego- ries and amped up traditional contouring with its large variety of long-lasting, bold products. Kat incorporated her love of tat- toos into her line, from the tattoo-esque packaging to the face products that are full-coverage enough to cover the most vibrant tattoos. The Tattoo Liner embod- ies the precision of a real tattoo needle, with the color payoff and all.

“There’s not one part of my brand that I don’t have my finger on and I’m always thinking about what we can do next! Not a lot of people know, but I’m completely involved in everything from concepts, art direction, formula test- ing, shade naming and artwork layout on both packaging and component, to running social media and everything in between,” she explains. “Thankfully, I have an awesome team that really backs me up when it comes to my vision for the brand.”
When Kat is not inspiring her millions of fans on Instagram and Twitter, she is busy creating, running her empires and staying true to her art. “I tend to stay super busy, and I like it, but it makes it easy when you love what you do,” says Kat. “As of late, I’ve been doing so much traveling since Kat Von D Beauty has gone global. When I’m not living the airport/hotel life, I tend to have a pretty packed schedule. Wake up early. Work out. Piano practice. Vocal warm ups and songwriting.
Expansion

Last September, Kat Von D Beauty expanded into the UK, a move that Kat describes as a huge win for her person- ally and professionally. “It has been a dream of mine to make Kat Von D Beauty accessible to everyone worldwide, but this process takes careful timing because each market is so different,” explains Kat. “Every region is different in its own way. So although it’s taken some time to finally launch in some countries, I’m happy to take it at a slower pace, that way we do things right.”

“Our first international launch was Australia, which was amazing! Being able to fly out to Australia for the first time and meet long time fans face to face was a dream! Now we’re available at Sephora globally and [as of] last fall [it is] available at Ion in Singapore and Debenhams in the UK.”Painting, drawing or working on artwork, and of course, maintaining a tattooing schedule at my shop.”

COLLABORATION

The brand recently teamed up with the well-known Too Faced Cosmetics to produce a product line collaboration for their fans, which has been a trending subject in the makeup industry since last summer. A personal friend of Too Faced cofounder and chief creative offi- cer, Jerrod Blandino, it was a natural fit for Kat. Called the “Better Together” collection, it combines the brands’ edgy and feminine styles.

“I think Too Faced is the yin to my yang,” laughs Kat. “When you look at Kat Von D Beauty and Too Faced and put them together, they look like complete opposites, but there are tons of similari- ties. I don’t want to say that Kat Von D isn’t feminine, because it is; it’s just a different type of feminine. There’s a lot of pink going on in the Too Faced world, and there’s a lot of black in Kat Von D Beauty. We both celebrate femininity in our own ways—there are many forms of self-expression—and I think together, we’re definitely better.”

The highly anticipated line launched in December 2016.

THE ANIMALS

2015’s winner of PETA’s youth division, peta2’s Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Company title, Kat Von D Beauty is no stranger to advocating animal rights. For- mulating vegan and cruelty-free products was a top priority of Kat’s when conceiving her brand. “Having been a vegetarian for a good chunk of my life, taking the step into veganism about five years ago was a life-changer for me. A lot of people think being vegan only has to do with what kind of food you eat, but in all honesty, it’s a complete lifestyle,” she adds.

“After coming to certain realizations, it was obvious to me that I needed to make some changes in some of the formulations of existing beauty products in my line. Of course, Kat Von D Beauty has never (and will never) test on animals, but it was important to me to take it one step further, in order to make the entire line 100-percent vegan. Reformulating wasn’t just about being environmentally conscious or compassionate toward animals, it was just as important to send out a message to the consumer and to other brands as well. Raising awareness is key. Especially in a time where our brilliant technologies make it easy to!” she says.

Making bold moves like this has set the young brand owner and her products apart. In September 2016, Kat Von D Beauty released a limited edition Ever- lasting Liquid Lipstick shade called Proj- ect Chimps, benefiting the namesake’s animal sanctuary dedicated to rescuing chimps from testing labs. The project was a success and quickly sold out.

THE BUSINESS

Giving back is one of Kat’s many priori- ties, thus she spends a good amount of time traveling for her brand appearances and meeting fans around the world. Her loyal fans draw inspiration from Kat and her brand on a daily basis, as the Kat Von D Beauty Instagram page is a gallery of vision, alone. “Inspiration is something I definitely have no shortage of,” Kat shares. “My biggest fear in life is that I won’t physically be able to create everything I have ideas for before I die! As for inspiration for my makeup line, I find muses in my surroundings, whether it’s architecture, elements of nature, heartbreak, music, literature or my cats.”

From finding success at a young age, to maintaining it so well, Kat has had her share of experience as a businesswoman. “I find it so vital to keep your original intention close,” says Kat to anyone look- ing to start their own business. “If your purpose is to create something for the betterment of others, it becomes far more fulfilling. Any other successes that come with it become icing on the cake!”

One perfect cat eye at a time, Kat Von D Beauty’s empire is an unstoppable force that has left a permanent tattoo on the beauty industry.

Today’s beauty consumers not only want effective skin care that delivers real results—they also want it to contain clean, natural and organic ingredients. And while they are willing to pay more for quality skin care, they still want good value. With the organic personal care market segment projected to hit $19.8 billion by 2022, beauty retailers need to consider what natural brands will work for their customers—and which ones deliver results. This month, we are featuring the rising star of natural brands, Derma E. Founded more than 30 years ago, this true, efficacious, skincare brand found its first home in the natural market, but in recent years, has made a successful move into the beauty sphere, all the while staying true to its natural roots. What’s more, Derma E has focused its marketing efforts on reaching out to millennials and beauty influencers through social media and other avenues, making it a known beauty brand to a broad range of consumers. Holding the No. 2 spot in natural facial care and No. 3 spot in natural skin care, according to SPINS data, we are excited to give you a closer look at this winning brand and its founders.
Shortly after meeting David Stearn, cofounder and chief executive officer of Derma E, and the company’s cofounder and chief formulator, Linda Miles, D.O.M., it becomes clear these two successful entrepreneurs are genuinely passionate about what they do—and are really excited about bringing their effective natural skincare products further into the beauty space. With a bubble of positive energy surrounding them, they arrive at our Van Nuys office sharp, attentive and ready to share their nearly 80 years of combined business experience. However, the talk is not all business, of course. As our managing editor, Breanna Armstrong, applies their makeup, we learn about their active personal lives too. Stearn talks about his recent two-week stay in Hawaii, while Miles, a doctor of oriental medicine (D.O.M.), dispenses herbal medicine advice to our art director. She also tells us about riding motorcycles and waking up early to feed her horses. It seems that these two business owners have struck that rare work-life balance amidst running a thriving business.
Perhaps they have arrived at this place because Derma E’s journey and success has been a slow and steady ascent over decades—33 years to be exact—marked by several growth spurts along the way. For the beauty retailer, if you are looking to build your natural skincare offerings, Derma E is a leader in this regard. Already available at Ulta Beauty and in mass beauty outlets, Derma E is now focused on building relationships with independent beauty retailers. Having started out establishing their brand firmly in the natural products world with independent natural health retailers, it’s a familiar place for them and they have dedicated staff, education and resources to support their brand in ways that other natural brands do not. And unique to Derma E, the brand is ethical—in the ingredients it uses, its choice of packaging and the causes it supports—what they call “eco-ethical.” But to understand how this natural brand came to be what it is today, it’s important to look at its history.

THE BEGINNING
The makings of Derma E really began more than three decades ago, after David Stearn and his father, Sam Stearn, sold their successful natural skincare business, Nature’s Family, which they started 10 years earlier, at a time when health foods and health products first gained traction. Linda Miles had worked for their company as an 18-year-old secretary still in college. “When they first started that company, the reason it was successful was because they both cared that the products were efficacious. If you can make a product that works, you have a customer for life,” Miles says. It’s an idea that Stearn and Miles carriedforward in their venture together. “After my father and I sold the company, Linda and I looked at each other and said, ‘This is really a lot of fun, let’s come up with a skincare product and concentrate on natural ingredients, quality and an industry that will appreciate it and focus solely on that.’ So that’s how we got started,” David Stearn recalls.
It was 1984. They focused on the natural products industry and finding distribution in independent health food stores and health retailers. They had success. And that success stemmed from the fact that they started out with an effective natural product featuring a well-studied antioxidant offered at an affordable price point. Antioxidants and other key botanicals and proprietary ingredients have since continued to be what makes Derma E a leading natural skincare line that resonates with natural health and beauty consumers alike.

USING ANTIOXIDANTS PAYS OFF
As chief formulator, Miles subscribes to the free-radical theory of aging, which posits that aging is the result of free-radical damage to cells over time, also called oxidation. The body produces antioxidants to neutralize free radicals and protect cells from damage, but experts say, not enough. Therefore, getting antioxidants topically or from the diet protects against cell degeneration—including skin cells.
Derma E focused its first product on quelling free-radical damage. “If you look at any of the theories of aging, it all comes back to free-radical damage. So it makes total sense to focus on antioxidants that actually shut down the freeradical damage,” Miles explains. And if you look at Derma E’s name, you might be able to guess the antioxidant they first included was vitamin E: Derma (for skin) and E (for vitamin E). “Vitamin E was the original, marketable, understood antioxidant,” Stearn explains. The first product was a jar of vitamin E-rich moisturizing cream. People were amazed at the results it had on their skin, and Derma E was in business.
Through education and adding independent health retailers, store-by-store, Derma E’s distribution and sales continued to grow. “We figured the more distribution we got, the sales would take care of itself,” Stearn says. And that’s exactly what happened. Miles continued to formulate new products featuring well-studied antioxidants, and the company grew slowly and steadily.

INVEST IN QUALITY CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE
Stearn is a mild-mannered leader who leverages common sense to the company’s benefit. He likes to share stories and anecdotes to illustrate business concepts. He relates the timeless Chevrolet/Cadillac business story to us, which originated from a book written more than 25 years ago. At a certain time in General Motors history, the cost difference between manufacturing a particular model of Chevrolet and a luxury Cadillac model was only $300, according to the story. Of course the Cadillac retailed at a much greater margin than that, but Stearn takes the story as a lesson in investing a little more to make a better product and gain a lifetime customer. “You take that same strategy—you spend the money and build a better product. In other words, you put enough ingredients in your product to do the job and you will keep a customer for life. If you don’t spend that money, you’re not going to keep him or her because your product is not going to be effective. It’s simple to me; it’s common sense,” he explains.
Miles applies this idea to what she commonly sees in the natural skincare marketplace and what Derma E strives to do differently. She explains that the marketplace has plenty of natural “base” formulas that have a nice feel and scent, but lack the key ingredients at the right amounts to truly make a difference. “You can do a lot with the base, but it’s the actives and percentage of actives that make the difference between a mediocre product that’s not going to give you long-term differences and one that is. And that’s the Chevy vs. the Cadillac. You need to make sure the actives are in there,” she says. Actives include antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals that deliver results. Stearn and Miles have not been afraid to invest more in Derma E’s formulations to include high-quality actives at the right percentages to make an effective product—and the company’s success shows that this approach works.

SCIENCE, SCIENCE & MORE SCIENCE
Part of the winning strategy that has yielded results for Derma E’s customers— and for the company, is this commitment to use scientifically researched and patented ingredients—these are the “actives” Miles refers to. In fact, if you look through Derma E’s product line, you’ll see a host of well-researched and proprietary ingredients. Miles works tirelessly to perfect each formula, adding additional ingredients to the actives to create a synergistic boost toward the desired effect—whether that be firming, hydrating, smoothing lines, purifying, sun protection—or a host of other benefits.
“We usually try to make sure that we use synergistically appropriate ingredients to actually boost the formula beyond what that featured active would be,” Miles explains. Being a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Miles has a vast understanding of botanicals and how they work together in the body and on the skin. She works relentlessly with each formulation to achieve the best blend of proven ingredients at the ideal amounts to deliver results.
“Some of our patented ingredients— for example, Matrixyl and also Argireline— require that you sign documents that you put in the active amount that they’ve clinically tested,” Miles says. Matrixyl is a scientifically researched, patented peptide that specifically stimulates collagen synthesis and skin repair. Argireline is another scientifically researched, patented ingredient shown to decrease wrinkles. Both ingredients are actives in Derma E’s Deep Wrinkle Essentials set of products amongst others.
One of Derma E’s strengths is the high level of integrity it demonstrates in its formulations, which again, points back to Stearn and Miles and the original idea to create effective products. Derma E’s director of marketing Barbara Roll, a 20-year beauty industry veteran who joined the company in 2016, explains, “One of the things that really impresses me about the company is how much integrity there is in what we say about our products and how they perform. And a lot of times, companies will put in just enough of an ingredient to make a marketing claim. But Linda Miles, our formulator and cofounder, would never allow that here. She believes that if you include an ingredient, it has to do something and it has to make it work. And I just love that about this company.”
This sentiment is echoed by those working closely with the beauty stores, too. Nicole Freeman of The Freeman Group, the manufacturer’s representative for Derma E, says, “The stores love the line because it is not only clean—it’s effective—and they have a wide range of products to address a number of skin concerns. It’s a real find for beauty stores. They also like their sampling and packaging. It’s spot on.”

EDUCATION & MARKETING
With all Derma E’s focus on science, they have had to invest in education, too. Miles explains, “We are so based on science, our education programs are extremely important because you need to understand why it is we put an ingredient like Pycnogenol in our products or our newest ingredient, Stay C 50. What are they? And what are they going to do for the skin?”
The company provides excellent educational point-of-sale materials to the stores to communicate directly to consumers. They also offer thorough training materials for store sales representatives. An in-house training team actually goes out to different stores to help educate retailers and consumers about their products. Derma E largely earned its reputation by working with independent health retailers, so addressing the needs of independent beauty retailers is, exuse the pun, natural territory. They have a staff person who solely provides support to all of their independent retail customers. “We have a dedicated staff person who handles individual stores. And she’s constantly on the phone helping them eight hours a day,” Stearn says.

THE BEAUTY EXPANSION
While Derma E has been in mass beauty for a number of years now—and in Ulta Beauty since 2011, it has paved a new road from the natural health world to find its place in beauty—and it continues to pull every marketing lever to further reach beauty consumers because there are real differences between the two markets.
For example, while occupying space in natural health retailers, the active ingredients were mentioned in the name of the products because that is an ingredient-driven market. “While we stayed in the health food industry, that worked pretty well. However, as we have gotten into the beauty aspect of it, you need to tell them what it is for—the benefit besides the ingredient. You have to tie the benefit to it. So it changed how we named the products,” Stearn explains. They changed their packaging last year, methodically, based on market research. “We are now talking to the consumer in an appropriate way for them not only to understand the benefits of the products but also the key ingredients. Those two things are really important to actually communicate at shelf,” Miles adds.
Starting in 1995, the company began making changes to prepare for significant expansion. They hired their first marketing director. No longer a two-man management show, both Stearn and Miles realized they needed a smart, capable executive team that had skills and expertise beyond their own in key areas. They added talent strategically over time. Stearns believes they’ve done a great job at hiring the right people at the right time to take the company to a whole new level. One of those hires is Jeff Carducci, who is now the vice president of sales, North America. “Jeff Carducci coming on board with us, having served as a vice president at Neutrogena for many years, brought a wealth of experience to this company,” says Stearn. “He forced us into the data mode,” Miles adds.
Prior to Carducci’s arrival, Miles and Stearn admit that they didn’t look at outside data—only internal data. Now they rely on data and market research. They’ve become a market-driven company. Data has helped them expand their reach too. Both Stearn and Miles credit data showing Derma E’s strong performance in mass beauty as the main incentive for Ulta Beauty picking the line up.
Miles is quick to point out that although they spent many years laying a great foundation for the company that has allowed them to expand gradually and steadily, they have made mistakes, of course, but all in the realm of normal entrepreneurship. “If I have one regret, maybe not David [Stearn], but me, I regret that we didn’t put better people in place quicker. I think the company would have grown faster had we done that. That’s the only thing. We’ve done all the right things just maybe a little slower than what would have been a good thing to do,” she says.
Most recently, they recruited Barbara Roll in March of 2016 to fill the marketing director role. Her leadership has helped catapult Derma E firmly into the beauty community through social media and work with beauty influencers. “Barbara is exceptional. Every time she opens her mouth, I learn something new,” Stearn says. Roll has helped make Derma E a recognizable name and trusted beauty brand for millennials by bringing the brand to the online spaces they visit. Few true, natural skincare lines are doing this, making Derma E an exception.
Speaking to Roll directly, she notes the results she is seeing by focusing on reaching beauty consumers through digital marketing. “The engagement has been growing. We see that with figures from earned media value. We see that with impression and engagement rates on our social media pages. We’ve doubled our following on Instagram and Facebook. It’s really exciting for us. Of course, I’d love it to go faster! Another indication that shows me we are becoming more well known in the beauty sphere is how many influencers, bloggers and vloggers reach out to me—to us, Derma E, on a daily basis saying, ‘I’ve heard about your products, I’d love to talk about them.’ That number is increasing each month.”

AUTHENTIC & ETHICAL
A large part of what makes Derma E such a strong natural brand—and what has made it successful outside of the natural market—is that the line has a very clear identity and it has always stayed true to its roots. When the brand first ventured outside of natural health to mass beauty—they would only agree to be in stores that featured natural sets, which is a designated area for natural products.
“That was one of our definitions of entry into any account. They had to have a natural section. If they didn’t have a natural section, we were not going to be sold there. We would never be found sitting next to Oil of Olay and Neutrogena,” Stearn says.
And the brand takes their “eco-ethical” moniker seriously; it’s not simply a marketing buzzword. From the start, Stearn and Miles made a commitment to select ingredients that are natural and organic whenever possible. With few exceptions, they have kept this commitment. They use only recyclable packaging, even though it is often extremely difficult and challenging at times. (The company once spent 18 months in order to obtain a recyclable package for their biodegradable wipes!) “It is a design challenge to make the prettiest packaging out there but still be recyclable,” Miles explains. In the most recent packaging update, market research indicated that consumers wanted “pretty”—something they would want to have on their countertops. So that’s exactly what they did. They made the packaging softer and prettier. However, making it recyclable, was indeed a challenge. “We would have loved to have used some of those pretty pumps with the metal collars. They are gorgeous. But they’re not recyclable,“ says Miles.
Additionally, Derma E’s products are 100-percent vegan and cruelty-free. They do not contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates, petrolatum, mineral oil, artificial colors, gluten, soy or GMOs. Their business practices are green as well. “All of our labs have wind energy certificates to offset energy use,” Miles explains.
Derma E gives back by making contributions to our local and world communities. The company supports a variety of humanitarian causes and philanthropic organizations such as The Paraguay Project, the World Wildlife Fund and a local chapter of the Special Olympics, to name a few.

WISDOM
Family owned and operated, Derma E’s identity is an extension of the philosophy of its founders. The strength of Stearn and Miles’ commitment to their values has certainly kept the brand on an upward curve of steady, balanced growth. But there’s also some wisdom in the culture they have nurtured among their employees. One key idea is that every employee has a voice. Stearn explains, “I like to bring people in and let them know we provide a non-threatening, safe environment so they feel free to talk and give their opinion. You never know where a good idea is going to come from. And you never know whose mouth it is going to come out of. And it surprises you a lot!” Stearn says.
When asked what the best business advice she ever received is, Miles readily says, “Oh, just do it. Just do it!” Derma E is poised to continue “just doing it.” While the skincare company will continue to serve its natural consumers well, its eyes are on expanding further into prestige beauty. It’s clear that Stearn and Miles are very excited about what the future holds.
Stearn sums it up well. “Linda and I are having fun. This is a really nice way to spend our days. We are making a difference. We are putting good products out into the marketplace. We are doing just a little something good for our fellow man.”
With more than 40 employees and growing and double-digit sales growth annually over the past five years, they have created something special. “The sky is the limit,” Miles says.
Indeed it is.