The terms, Indie Skincare Brand and Indie Beauty Brand, continue to pop up in blog posts, vlogs, social media, industry articles, and more.
Michelle, from the scientific beauty blog Lab Muffin Beauty Science, referred to Kate Ryan Skincare as an Indie Brand. Michelle is a true supporter of KRS, especially the Total Nutrition Night Repair Complex, and a renowned research-based skincare expert. Her opinion can be trusted – and is trusted among her followers, numbering in the hundreds of thousands on YouTube alone!
If you look at the definition of Indie Skincare Brand, Kate Ryan has always fit the category; and now there’s a name for it!
What is an Indie Skincare Brand?
An Indie Skincare Brand is independently owned and operated; it does not receive corporate funding and startup funds come from the owner.
But there is more to being an Indie Brand – and in a way, it’s subject to personal opinion. These are some aspects of a business that lead to it being considered an Indie Brand:
- The founder’s values and beliefs are an important part of the company.
- The products are intended to fill voids that the founders witnessed firsthand.
- The brand and products are authentic and purposeful.
- There is a facet of the business that makes it unique.
- The backbone of the company is the products but there is also a focus on lifestyle.
- The passion and heart of the owners can be seen and felt.
- Sales are Direct to Customer (DTC) rather than through large beauty retailers.
According to Forbes, Indie Beauty Brands are part of a beauty revolution. Vogue reports that the annual growth rate for skincare products will increase 4.5% by 2025.
Big-name beauty brands are being challenged by the success of Indie Beauty Brands. To circumvent the loss of customers and dedication to niche brands, beauty giants are making more acquisitions.
What makes Kate Ryan Skincare an Indie Skincare Brand?
Kate Ryan Skincare is an Indie Skincare Brand through and through – and has been from its inception, nearly 10 years ago.
KRS founders, Erica and Bev, incorporated their values into their mission, and have stayed true to these core beliefs. They work with scientists to provide honest, innovative, high-potency skincare products for a beautiful, healthy complexion.
When Erica, an RN, BSN, was pregnant with her daughter, she spent time researching skincare products that were safe to use and effective. She found that the skincare industry was lacking the type of products she was looking for, so she decided to make her own. In conjunction with Bev, a retired industry executive, they founded Kate Ryan Skincare.
The KRS brand is authentic. Erica and Bev believe in honest skincare for life. Despite disparagement of their concept from the first potential laboratory/formulator they interviewed, they persevered and stuck to their principles. Formulas loaded with fillers and preservatives, designed for profit, along with a long line of distribution, would not and will never characterize their brand. A full ingredient list, with no contrived marketing names, is available for each product – along with a guarantee that the product will do what it says.
Indie Skincare Brands, like Kate Ryan Skincare, are unique. All KRS products are 100% cruelty-free. In addition, the products contain safe, trusted, time and science-proven ingredients – and nothing else.
Kate Ryan Skincare is a lifestyle brand – a lifestyle focused on overall wellness. Taking care of your skin is an important part of wellness, but it isn’t the only part. The collection of gift boxes typically features high-quality items from other small Indie Brands that are aimed at relaxation and making a difference for someone special.
Erica and Bev’s passion for their brand and products, and love and appreciation for their customers, is evident in every order, interaction, and social media post. They believe that healthy skin is beautiful skin and that a high-quality consistent skincare regimen is a way for clients to feel good about their skin.
In the always-evolving world of beauty and skincare, Erica and Bev have created products and an Indie Skincare Brand they can proudly stand by and say is theirs – and theirs alone!
Why do some Indie Skincare Brands move away from independent ownership?
Some Indie Brands are making a shift to receive funding or to be under a bigger-name umbrella.
If the goal for the company is continued major growth, the growth may mandate more tech, logistics, employees, etc. than the smaller business can reasonably handle.
Additionally, some brands have experienced a much higher demand than they are equipped to supply. Again, expert advice from outside sources is the only way to expand the business and keep up with increasing demand.
While an acquisition is what many (or most) Indie Brands aim for, they have to continue with what makes the brand popular. Some well-known Indie Beauty Brands that have been purchased by big name beauty companies have gone from being trendy to irrelevant in a short amount of time. Focusing on the foundation of the brand that led to the initial success will keep them on the right track!
Kate Ryan Skincare takes pride in its status as an Indie Beauty Brand. From working directly with scientists to interacting directly with clients to packaging the orders themselves, Erica and Bev do it all and continue to have a passion for providing a high-quality experience for their clients, in every aspect of their business!
New customers, perhaps a little skeptical at first, are shocked when an owner answers the phone or responds to their email question, at the quality and number of ingredients, and best of all, seeing noticeable results. Mass marketed, over-hyped products, even those offered through professional practices with hefty price tags, often leave users disappointed. One of the most frequent questions Erica and Bev receive about Kate Ryan Skincare is, “Why haven’t I heard of you before?” Their response is, “We are self-funded and devote almost nothing to advertising. It’s just too expensive. We put all of our resources into the quality of our ingredients, keep overhead low, and fulfillment direct”. The business continues to grow organically through customer referrals, favorable mentions by bloggers, and the reason that gives them the most pride, our customers come back again and again. Kate Ryan has a customer retention rate well above the industry average, and is honored that their original, online customer still orders on a regular basis.
As always, Erica and Bev love to hear from you!
Our email is always open – hello@kateryanskincare.com!
Article Written by: Jennifer M.
