With today’s consumers becoming more aware of what’s in their products, it’s the perfect opportunity to launch a cruelty-free and vegan makeup brand and promote sustainability, ethical product choices, and veganism.
Veganism has now gone beyond consuming only plant-based food. From simply being regarded as a niche concept, it has now evolved into a mainstream, full-blown lifestyle, which commits to only choosing products with vegan ingredients and are cruelty-free, from cleaning agents to makeup.
Free Market Research Future had foreseen a 6.1% increase in the market of cruelty-free cosmetics between 2017 and 2023.
True enough, there had been a 175% global increase in vegan cosmetics launches over the past five years, as of 2019.
With this trend not showing any signs of slowing down, making your way into the industry remains perfectly opportune.
Among vegan products under the spotlight today is makeup.
If you’re a vegan entrepreneur to wishes to start your own vegan and cruelty-free makeup line soon, use the strategies suggested below to promote your brand and cause.
1. Focus on the Ethical Aspects of Your Business
As per a 2017 research, 87% of consumers will choose a product from a brand that supports an organization or cause that they care about.
Hence, as a vegan brand, highlight the ethical processes of your business that aligns with the advocacy of animal welfare and/or environmental organizations. For example, if your brand’s message is to make sustainable life choices, then share how buying your products can help reduce carbon emissions, and thus save the planet.
Collaborating with sustainable organizations will also help extend your reach and further emphasize your message.
2. Promote Beneficial Ingredients
Consumers are now getting more aware of what’s in their products.
Natural and plant-based ingredients are now favoured over unfamiliar chemicals and toxins.
Even the packaging already matters, preferably being biodegradable or recyclable for them to appeal to the vegan and cruelty-free market.
The Body Shop and Lush are among the big brands that have started to minimize their use of animal by-products.
If your brand is 100% vegan, learn from these big-time competitors on how they promote their beneficial ingredients, like aloe vera, argan oil, and avocado, for example.
You may also compare them to their chemical or animal by-product counterparts, for the benefit of beginners in the vegan lifestyle that may stumble upon your brand.
3. Work with Micro-influencers
Instead of hiring supermodels or famous actors and actresses as your product endorsers, tap micro-influencers, because consumers are now more interested in interacting with “real people” who can also relate with their common struggles, such as skin issues.
With the help of an experienced beauty portrait photographer, use portrait imagery to showcase your selected influencer’s real skin – with textures, lines, other imperfections – and show how your vegan makeup can help conceal or even enhance them.
This has high likelihoods of garnering positive feedback, because micro-influencers have formed communities based on loyalty and authenticity, making them highly trustworthy figures in the industry as opposed to celebrities that are often perceived as unreachable.
4. Share Your Story
Another way to strongly resonate with your market is by sharing your story with them.
Publish blogs and articles that narrates your journey on your website or social media, share your knowledge and future plans, openly discuss your vision and mission, and connect with beauty journalists who regularly feature vegan product reviews on their platforms.
Initiate conversations with your customers to form a community with them.
With over 90% of consumers preferring brands that share their stories, this strategy is proven effective.
Getting the whole world to become vegan may still be far from reach today, but you can still make a significant impact, one vegan product at a time.
As long as you remain sincere and committed to your cause, your brand will be regarded as trustworthy, moving people and encouraging them to rethink their product choices.
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