Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katie Kvietkus . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Katie , appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

In the process of starting Cloud Cosmetics many things and ideas did not go as planned, but they led to where we are today in our company. The main thing is to not get too caught up in decisions where you do not end up making any decision. The best thing you can do when first starting is to execute, get your idea or creation out there in the universe and the rest will come through constant creation and action.

Starting imperfectly, I begin by formulating our first product, Cloud Butter. It is a rich, intensely moisturizing body butter that captures the essence of a cloud. Creating this product showed me that I had what it takes to relentlessly create excellence in skin care. This product actually took hundreds of formulas to perfect. I had in mind those who needed this product to be suitable for their skin while formulating and keeping it cost efficient. This formula is gentle enough for babies to use and embodies our philosophy of transparency in ingredients and reflects a mindset of minimalism in ingredient selection that the skin loves. This product inspired a whole line for the company that is truly foundational skin care and hair care. Each product fits seamlessly in your routines. Everything is manufactured in-house to ensure ethical production and sourcing. The difference of this company is that it is all formulated by me in a professional lab, it is not outsourced. We even make many of the intermediates that people usually have to buy. This gives us complete control of our production making sure that it is effective and the highest quality.

After a year of dedicated work and formulating in the lab, Cloud Cosmetics was ready to make its debut. The foundational line of products was carefully curated, offering a range of skin care and hair care items that embodied the vision of our brand. The launch was a moment of sharing my creations with the world, promising a new era in personal care where chemistry would curate confidence. Beyond the lab, the design process and art work was one part of the business that takes the longest to create. The flow of business naturally took me into wholesale skin care of our products and then another idea started to percolate in my mind.

As a tribute to my beginning, I wanted to serve other inspiring beauty entrepreneurs who have their own ideas for personal care products, and help them bring those ideas and businesses to life through cosmetic chemistry. The development of the infrastructure that now allows clients to hand-select ingredients, actives, and marketing claims for their own line of products, meant expanding our labs and acquiring additional equipment, and partnering with packaging and label companies to bring their visions to life. We keep a focus on the entrepreneurs beginning in their company with their own philosophy of what personal care should be. We recognize the importance of the opportunity to grow with them so we rebel against high minimum order quantities. You never know when someone executes that great idea and becomes a new standard in the beauty industry. I am with them from the start of their company, the times you have to be scrappy and innovative in ways you spend your money.

I am still constantly learning in this business and I am inspired daily to have the knowledge of the ever-changing beauty industry and the trends so that I can be the best for my clients. The groundwork of this business was trial and error and believing in myself. No one knows what to do when they first start the entrepreneurial journey, it is up to you to find some people that do know and learn through imperfect experience and action.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am cosmetic chemist that built my business in Mishawaka, IN who does not take no for an answer and does not quit. Your brand changes you and how you interact with life. Life is mystical and you become so entangled with your brand. Now, everytime I look up at the sky and see the clouds I think of the future. The start of the company was serendipitous as chemistry is. It was during 2020 – peak pandemic times that I had an idea for a company and saw an opportunity to create something beautiful in a hard time. I started reading about how pandemics have been opportunities to create successful businesses. It changed my whole attitude towards hard times and the pandemic. It was such a moment in time that I will never forget when the idea for a beauty brand dedicated to capturing the transformative power of chemistry was born. It was born from taking inspiration from the sky, built upon a love and skill for cosmetic chemistry, and believing that I can make a difference in personal care by making it fun again. I believe that just as the clouds could change and take on new forms, personal care products have the potential to empower individuals and transform their self-confidence. I have a desire to help the markets that are often neglected in the personal care market such as the textured hair market, male beauty shoppers, age 50+ beauty shoppers, and those with skin conditions, like eczema.

This inspires us to create solutions in skin care and hair care products that are cost effective and do not sacrifice quality. We create custom chemistry and we have a foundational product line for skin care and hair care that is expanding in this next year, we have some exciting collections coming that have been a year in the making. Some exciting projects we have worked on for private label and contract manufacturing include creating lines for estheticians and hair care professionals, menopause skin care, men’s collections, pet shampoo and products, and unique fragrances.

The possibilities are limitless in creating in our lab. Whether you’re into lotions, powders, jellies, oils, fragrances, or sticks, we’ve got you covered. Our chemistry and formulas are the heart and soul of our brand. They allow us to control everything from texture and viscosity to the degree of hygroscopicity, ensuring our products are top-notch and tailored just for you. Our unique formula base for skincare and ointments is one of a kind. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to creating special products with special, pure properties. We take inspiration from the skies, infusing cloud-like textures into our products. It’s almost like a little bit of heaven in every bottle.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Cloud Cosmetics evolved from a one-woman show. When starting my business, the resources were limited. There were many times where I had no one to answer questions or call at midnight while fulfilling orders. The orders and production took longer than expected because it was just me initially. I was up all hours of the night trying to get the orders done in that first year, while I was my own marketer and accountant. During this time, I was in the MBA program and going to school at night. Learning about business in school and books is incredibly different than learning about business in life. I loved being able to grab inspiration from both at the same time. Despite the mistakes in business and life I have made, it shaped me to know what I know now. The journey of resilience these past 2 years since founding my company at 24 years old, now allows me to have the guts to ask for exactly what I want in this life and not be disheartened by rejection. I actually just started a podcast called, Made for Cloudy Days, where I share my journey in business and the beauty industry and how each and every one of us is made for those cloudy days, where we can stay resilient and confident in the midst of chaos and the unexpected.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

We manufacture each product in-house and this started with researching a way to create with the idea of skinimilism in mind. Creating products that improve the overall health and feel of the skin and hair is the priority. It is ingrained in our DNA to make products that have minimal components, only what the skin and hair needs to be at its best state.

The lesson I have learned the most and the most often in manufacturing is patience. Patience with formulating, samples, and the process. Time is objective when it is something as important as getting the right product and formulation the first time, especially for a client who is launching a company. Our core formulas have not changed since the beginning. I have learned how to dig deep and find excellent vendors through a process of trial and error. We now partner with companies and local vendors to expand our capabilities in packaging, labels, and design.

I learned to stay focused on my vision and not let the trivial problems stay around too long in my head. There is something revolutionary about being a part of the beauty industry and how it keeps expanding to new heights in formulation and manufacturing. There is something so beautiful about how beauty starts conversations about confidence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mycloudcosmetics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycloudcosmetics/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mycloudcosmetics
• Other: Made For Cloudy Days Podcast on Apple and Spotify Podcasts Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-for-cloudy-days/id1714095877 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FSB6sfvLQC8XsYNpkXJr9