We recently connected with Marci Estiverne and have shared our conversation below.

Marci, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

Starting my cosmetic line Maquillage by Marcel was something I had on my heart for many many years. I decided to bring my dreams to a reality during Covid in the year 2020. It was then I decided that I would take this passion of mines and bring it to life. Originally, I decided that I would begin by doing tons of research and become a self made chemist and make my own cosmetic products from scratch by turning my home into a laboratory. However, I quickly realized that it was not feasible for me to go that route for a number of reasons-time, safety, cost. However, one thing that came out of that journey was educating myself on the science of cosmetic products, familiarizing myself with ingredients and what worked well together and how certain ingredients functioned. Once I decided to move on from making my own products it was back to drawing board for me and in doing more research I learned about private labeling. I was able to learn that there are many cosmetic manufacturing companies where their sole business and purpose is to create products for you or work with you to develop a formula for you to incorporate in your brands’ line. I was intrigued and also discovered that many of the brands we know today in go to cosmetic retail stores do this very method of private labeling. So, over the next few months I researched different private labeling companies and had some decisions to make- on whether I wanted to outsource a company overseas or within the US. Once I choose a few companies that had products I was interested in I had to sample them. Now sampling was a long phase as I wanted to wear the products for a bit in order to truly test if the formula and makeup resonated with my brand and the target audience I was looking to attract. Sampling was also fun but could be costly depending on how many samples I wanted to try. In doing so this led me to work with a local renowned cosmetic manufacturer. Once I instituted and formed a relationship with a manufacturer it was on to ordering inventory and planning a virtual launch.

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.

My name is Marci and my obsession with makeup really evolved when I was in college. I am an advocate of women owning their beauty in the best way that she sees fit. To the millennial woman who is juggling many hats whether that be through working, creating or raising a family then you should do all that your heart desires with access to beautiful and bold shadows and lippies.

Maquillage by Marcel is a cosmetics company that provides beauty products such as lipsticks and lipglosses in a variety of colors and what sets us apart is the forward thinking behind all the products we include in our beauty products.

At Maquillage by Marcel, we take immense pride in several key aspects that define our brand and set us apart in the beauty industry:

Inclusivity and Representation:

We are proud to offer a diverse range of products that cater to a wide array of skin tones, types, and needs. Our commitment to inclusivity ensures that everyone can find products that make them feel beautiful and confident.

Quality and Innovation:

Our products are crafted with the highest standards of quality and innovation. We use safe, effective, and ethically sourced ingredients, ensuring that our customers receive the best in beauty care.

Empowerment of Black Women:

As a Black mom-owned brand, we are particularly proud of our role in empowering Black women and mothers. We strive to create a platform that celebrates and supports their beauty, strength, and entrepreneurship.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In the journey of growing Maquillage by Marcel, there were several lessons that I had to unlearn to better navigate the realms of business and social media effectively:

Firstly,The Bigger the Following, the Better the Engagement

I learned that It’s not about the number of followers but the quality of engagement. Building a smaller, more dedicated community that genuinely connects with your brand can be far more impactful than having a large but disengaged audience.

Secondly, Not all Social Media Trends are Worth Chasing

I learned that: not every trend aligns with your brand values or resonates with your audience. It’s crucial to stay true to your brand’s identity and focus on content that genuinely reflects your mission and appeals to your core audience.

Thirdly, Social media success doesn’t equal Immediate business success

I learned that high engagement on social media doesn’t always translate directly to sales. It’s important to build a comprehensive marketing and business strategy that integrates social media as one of many tools to drive growth and success.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We currently sell our products on our site www.maquillagebymarcel.com as well as on Amazon and Etsy. In utilizing both techniques to sell my products this is what I have experienced.

Pros to selling on my own site versus amazon and etsy are:

control over my brand image, customer relationships, profit margins, customization and flexibility meaning the ability to implement custom features, promotions, and sales strategies tailored to my business needs.and the flexibility to integrate various tools and plugins to enhance functionality..

Some cons to selling on your own site are traffic and visibility, cost and maintenance, trust and credibility and logistics and operations where I am solely responsible for handling all aspects of order fulfillment, shipping, and returns., managing inventory, customer service, and other operational tasks.

In selling on platforms like Amazon and Etsy some pros are: High traffic and visibility, trust and credibility, simplified operations, marketing tools, Cons are fees and commissions, limited branding, competition, dependence on the platforms policies and limited access to customer data.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maquillagebymarcel.com
• Instagram: @maquillagebymarcel
• Facebook: @maquillagebymarcel
• Twitter: @maquillagebymarcel

Image Credits

Image credits to Avyana Chap man, Andgy and fort_lauderdalefoodie