Skincare made from scratch that addresses specific concerns of customers.
FOR some consumers, looking for beauty products that are perfect for them is almost impossible. Although a product may be suitable for their skin or hair type, they may not get the results they are hoping for.
Another problem is that some of these products have been on the shelf for a long time. This usually means they have preservatives to prolong their shelf life, or, if you buy them close to their expiry dates, the active ingredients and their effectiveness may have been compromised.
These issues prompted Marcia Anne Gandhi to offer customised beauty products under her brand, The Raw Rebel. She wanted to offer specific-needs beauty products. Based on her experience, it can be difficult to get those that are perfect or almost perfect for her.
“I also want my customers to use products that are made fresh to ensure best results. At times I had bought products near their expiry dates but not realised it. The preservatives help keep them longer on the shelf .”
All The Raw Rebel’s products are made-to-order and include shampoos, conditioners, moisturisers, body lotion, body butter, hair oil, perfumes, dry shampoos forcoloured hair, deodorants, and cleansing grains as well as hair masks. To date, Marcia has made more than 40 products, with prices ranging from RM11 to RM70.50.
The ingredients used are natural and organic including sugar, turmeric, cocoa butter, shea butter, almond oil, avocado oil, castor oil, moringa powder, green and pink clay, cinnamon, rose and lavender buds.
To order customised products from Marcia, customers need to send their requests on The Raw Rebel’s Instagram or Facebook page. She follows up with questions on their skin and hair types, whether they have skin allergies or sensitivities, the products they are currently using and their daily beauty routine. Based on this information, she would embark on extensive research on the ingredients to find out which would work best for a customer.
“I then give them at least two or three choices in products. I tell them about the ingredients, how they work and what the effects are. They can ask me any question, or they can do the research on the ingredients themselves. I want them to have complete information about the products so they can make informed choices.
“They usually ask about the benefits of the ingredients if it will help their skin or hair and when they will see the effects. When they share their skin concerns, they also ask for product recommendations.”
Marcia says the entire production process takes between five and seven days. It includes getting the ingredients, making the product, packaging, labelling, and getting it ready to be shipped out. She would include instructions on how to use and store it and its shelf life.
“I love creating products because it gives me a sense of pride and joy. It makes me happy when I receive positive feedback that the products work really well, that customers are happy with my creation. So they will continue to trust me to make the products for them. It is a personal accomplishment when I get these comments.”
OWN EXPERIENCE
Set up in 2015, The Raw Rebel is the result of Marcia’s own experience with acne when she was a teenager. She had tried many commercial brands to treat the condition but often, they did not work. “I decided to try making skincare products myself. I did a lot of reading and online research for do-it-yourself remedies. I then created the products with natural ingredients and wrote about the results on my blog.
“I got a lot of questions on the products and my sister encouraged me to sell them. But I did not think about it at that time, because I wanted to pursue a career in writing. I was working as a lifestyle and content writer for magazines and portals and as I was busy with work, I stopped making them.”
But after eight years of working fulltime, Marcia decided it was time to make the products again, this time, as a business, as she had just resigned from her job. The first few products she made were the body and lip scrubs, which were very well-received.
Marcia says The Raw Rebel is focused on using wild and organic ingredients for skin and hair care.
“I would describe it as wild, non-conforming, fun, earthy, sassy and eco-friendly. Personally, it is important for me to offer natural and organic products. I have tried products that are not chemical-free, not natural and not organic. I was frustrated and disappointed with the results.
“The products I make are those that I use on my own skin. I have tried every single product myself. I think using the right beauty products is important because it is important to love your skin.
“Growing up with problematic skin, people’s reactions affected me. I wouldn’t want that for someone else. A customer once told me I helped her gain confidence. That inspired me to keep coming out with the products.”
It is also important to Marcia that The Raw Rebel is different from other beauty products, especially in terms of packaging and branding. Each product has a quirky and fun name such as Tomato Thieves, Turmeric Trickster, Lotion Potion, Once In A Melon, Black Magic, Strawberry Snitches, Motley Mango and Ruthless Rhassoul.
Another interesting concept for The Raw Rebel is that its face masks and body scrubs are in powder form, to extend their shelf life.
“If I want to increase their shelf life, I have to add preservatives. In powder form, it gives you the freedom to mix it with whatever you want. You can mix it with yogurt, honey, aloe vera or water when you want to apply it on your skin.”
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH
Marcia says to ensure her products meet with customers’ expectations, she consults with a pharmacist regularly after extensive research on the ingredients as well as during the testing.
“I ask the pharmacist about ingredients, and for any additional information, most importantly, to find out how it will affect people differently, especially those who have allergies, or are on medication, or have skin disease.
“I try out different formula variations with the core ingredients. I have to do this because certain mixes only work as intended for a specific skin concern or skin type.
“I also ask the pharmacist as well as a group of testers to test the product for two to four weeks. One skin cycle is about four weeks, so you can see if the products work on your skin after the cycle. With their feedback, I improve on my creation, repeat the process if necessary, or otherwise, get it ready for its launch online.”
Marcia says that she is only using Instagram and Facebook at the moment to market her products. She also joins weekend bazaars but only when time permits, as she is solely responsible for the production.
She adds, “In the future, I may set up a store or collaborate with other local beauty brands.”