Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danielle Ruess. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Danielle, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I actually didn’t come up with the idea to start Eonian until after I already had two formulations! I was taught about skincare as a teenager and became very interested in reading all of the beauty magazines (no online magazines back then). At 25, I was using professional skincare and becoming the ‘go to’ source for family, friends and work colleagues on what skincare worked, what was worth a higher price tag and what wasn’t. This was just a side passion as I started a corporate job at 26. Fast forward to my early 40’s and my nice skin started to act up; I went to a dermatologist, then another, then estheticians, then more. No one could quite figure out what was happening.
I began doing my own research on the side, learning about ingredients, preservatives and antimicrobials, and then, learned even more about the skin barrier and how it changes as we begin to mature (both in men and women). I figured out that I had damaged my skin barrier by using the wrong ingredients and that retinol, no matter how gentle, doesn’t play well with my skin. I understand it is considered the ‘gold standard’ by many dermatologists in treating aging skin, but over the past five years, I have now heard from hundreds of people that they are having similar sensitivities to retinol.
Back to the story…I started ordering some single ingredients to mix at home, and in 2018, met with a cosmetic chemist who was able to bring the products to life, including a men’s version for my husband. I went from a 7-step skincare routine that cost thousands to one product in the morning and one at night, and my skin looked better than it had in years. The inflammation, redness and bumps never reappeared. My family, friends and colleagues noticed and asked me what I was using, so I started giving samples out and the feedback was fantastic. I was having such a great time; I enjoy seeing people experience results and being so comfortable and happy with their skin; and that’s when I decided that this is what I wanted to do…help other people simplify their routine with truly clean ingredients…and that is how Eonian became a business.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As I mentioned, starting Eonian seemed like a natural progression for me after I started giving out samples and receiving great feedback from men and women.
My products are personal — initially, I leaned heavily on my cosmetic chemist to help me understand why I could or couldn’t use a certain ingredient to get the efficacy I wanted, or why we needed to source an ingredient from a particular location. But now, I’m more confident about researching ingredients and bringing proposals to my labs. The initial products, Strength and Structure (Supreme for her, Sovereign for him) were created specifically to address skin barrier strength and collagen production. Those are the two critical things to focus on to keep your skin healthy as you mature. If you get that right; you will look naturally vibrant!
I think there are a few things that set Eonian apart;
1) The formulas were created with the men and women who use it in mind. We researched ingredients and clinical studies for the initial formulation and created something that is nurturing, hydrating and moisturizing enough, while still having a small amount of actives to show efficacy. We don’t use retinol in our products at this time; I’m meeting more and more people, like myself, that have sensitivity to retinol.
2) I’m focused on the overall picture of longevity and educating people; I believe that most people want to be as healthy and active as possible as they mature – skincare is just one aspect, but it’s important to keep your skin healthy. To that end, I’m not interested in creating products that everyone else already has, especially in this crowded marketplace. But I do want to create products that serve a specific purpose and offer people realistic results; we currently have a few new products in the development phase and I’m excited for them to launch!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve pivoted in my corporate life quite a bit, moving from pharmaceuticals, to chemicals and then to the technology industry, but one the most challenging came just when I was starting Eonian. I received my first shipment of Strength, Structure and the AfterShave Balm. At that moment, my GTM strategy was focused on selling directly to estheticians as wholesale. I had not built out my DTC channels yet because I believed the professional validation through wholesale partnerships would be the majority of my business.
The day after the products arrived, my city shut down due to the pandemic, and since no one really knew what timing looked like, everyone….and I mean everyone, cancelled their order. Here I was sitting on inventory with no DTC website and, looking back, I should’ve doubled down and built my DTC website and social presence right there and then. But, I had been in talks with a company about a very interesting CMO position; so I pivoted back to corporate.
The corporate role was demanding of my time so I didn’t spend much time on Eonian; other than to work on formulations and refine the brand strategy towards DTC. I don’t regret the pivot as it led to the development of some fantastic work-relationships, but it did teach me that timing and resilience is a heavy contributor to success or failure. The path is never linear, but staying committed to the vision has helped me find a way forward – even if it is a bit different than I originally imagined.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
A timely story was my first trade show as Eonian Skincare. I have been to at least 50 or more trade shows over my corporate career, so I knew the mechanics of a trade show. But this was different. This time it was me, my brand, and my budget. And, unlike a massive expo, this was a curated, high-touch event with only around 20-25 vendors and an exclusive audience of spa directors. The stakes were incredibly high, not only in cost.
I built everything for scratch; banner designs, wholesale materials, samples. Every night for two weeks leading up to the show, I couldn’t sleep and the running commentary, besides ‘What did I forget?’, was ‘Am I wasting my precious funds?’ ‘Will these spa directors care about a small brand like mine?’
I’ve always loved engaging with people and my story is authentic. I love telling the story of why I created Eonian and who it is for, and how much I learned about ingredients and how chemists work with the formulations to bring about the intended results. So, once I was there, the booth set up and my first booth visitor arrived, everything clicked. I barely had time to take a drink of water all day! My booth was packed, attendees stayed much longer than I had anticipated and everyone asked really good questions.
By the end of the show, I was physically exhausted but mentally….I was elated! People who I hadn’t met yet at the show came up to the booth saying ‘I heard someone talking about Eonian so I had to come over here’, and many commented that my booth did not appear to be a start-up brand booth – that the aesthetic, the details and the way everything was presented felt elevated and polished. That feedback meant the world to me and demonstrates that even when you’re small, a clear story and thoughtful visuals can help you compete with much larger brands.
That single event not only generated sales, but I met so many wonderful people who continue to open doors and some who are mentoring me as I grow in the spa industry. It was worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eonianskincare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eonian_skincare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?viewas=100000686899395&id=61560905633520
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-ruess-saltz-1982a72
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EonianSkincare
