8 Online Beauty Products Success Stories [2024]
Selling beauty products online could be your next profitable venture. The concept is straightforward: curate and offer a range of beauty items through an ecommerce store without the need for a physical retail space.
Imagine providing customers with top-quality skincare, makeup, and wellness products from the comfort of their homes. You can partner with well-known brands, or even explore dropshipping arrangements to avoid inventory hassles. With platforms like Shopify, setting up an online beauty store has never been simpler.
The global beauty market is robust, with consumers constantly seeking the next best thing in personal care. Effective social media marketing and influencer collaborations can make your brand stand out.
Starting an online beauty products business requires dedication and consistent effort. From product selection to customer service, every detail matters. But for those willing to put in the work, the rewards can be substantial in this thriving sector.
In this list, you'll find real-world online beauty products success stories and very profitable examples of starting a online beauty products that makes money.
1. Urban Betty ($6.6M/year)
Chelle Neff, founder of Urban Betty, started her business by opening her own brick and mortar salon after five years of being in her own salon suite. She gradually expanded her team and transitioned from contractors to all commission-based employees. Eight years later, Urban Betty has two locations and over 50 employees, generating $3.3 million in revenue.
How much money it makes: $6.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $69.9K
How many people on the team: 81
This case study follows the founder of Urban Betty, who started her salon business with only one contractor, and now has two locations with over 50 employees, growing from 1.5 million to 3.4 million in revenue from 2014-2018, and investing around 2% of its gross income every year in Yelp, Google, and Facebook Ads.
2. STOCK ($3.6M/year)
Jim Snediker, CEO of Stock Manufacturing Company, pivoted from high-end menswear to B2B uniforms after being approached by a Michelin-star restaurant in 2013. This strategic shift propelled their business to $3.4 million in revenue by 2023.
How much money it makes: $3.6M/year
How many people on the team: 11
Case study on the transformation of a D2C menswear brand into a successful B2B uniform provider for hospitality industry giants, achieving revenue growth from $700k in 2019 to $3.4M in 2023, through strategic collaborations, product expansion, and community-driven initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Doppeltree ($840K/year)
Tony and Faye started Doppeltree as a side hustle, inspired by Tony's brother's success in the DTC business. Tony wanted to find a way to pay for his expensive lunches and saw the demand for cold brew coffee. Faye, on the other hand, wanted to create natural self-care products. They launched their website and started selling on Amazon, focusing on product innovation and improving upon customer pain points.
How much money it makes: $840K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
Doppeltree, a natural self-care product company in San Francisco, started in 2017 with an $800 investment and now averages $40,000 in revenue per month with 40-50% net profit, offering eye and face masks, a Vitamin C Facial Serum with Real 24K Gold Essence, and an Organic Cotton Cold Brew Filter Bag.
4. Meridian Spa ($360K/year)
Alma Curry founded Meridian Spa in 2017 after noticing a gap in the market for combining fitness and wellness. With her first venture, Meridian Fitness, already successful, she took a £120K gamble that now earns £30K/month.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 9
Case study of Alma Curry's successful business, Meridian Spa, generating impressive annual revenue of £350K with a profit of £198-200K, reaching 2.82M total impressions in the last 12 months through effective marketing strategies like PPC, FB Meta ads, and SEO.
5. Blue Nectar Ayurved Products ($360K/year)
Blue Nectar attracted and retained customers through a focus on superior quality products made with carefully chosen herbs. Their online marketing strategy, similar to that used for their spa services, has proven successful, with their customer base primarily coming from online promotions. They have grown from a few products to a global presence, with high repeat rates of 50-60% for some of their products.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
How many people on the team: 30
Blue Nectar is a successful Contemporary Ayurved Beauty and Wellness brand that generates $150K/month with high repeat rates, offering world-class Ayurvedic products that balance traditional effectiveness with modern sensibilities.
6. Aromaology ($120K/year)
Daisy Kimbro, the founder of Aromaology, had a vision to create natural bath, body, and home fragrance products that were sustainable and effective. Starting with a soy candle, she quickly gained popularity and expanded her product line to include body butters, oils, and more. Through word-of-mouth and guerrilla marketing techniques, Daisy was able to attract customers and even gained exposure through features in media publications. Aromaology experienced exponential growth in 2020, and Daisy has plans to expand distribution channels and build partnerships in the future.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 1
Aromaology founder Daisy Kimbro explains how she organically grew her natural bath, body, and home fragrance brand, which saw a gross sales increase of 51,000% - 89,000% from June to December 2020, and discusses the importance of trusting your gut and remaining positive during tough times.
7. Hair Fetish ($84K/year)
Diane German, the founder of Hair Fetish LLC, had a passion for hairstyling from a young age. She started styling her friends and family and eventually opened her own salon. In 2011, she launched Hair Fetish and in 2012 added the product line Agape Fetish. Through determination and perseverance, Diane has built a reputable business that has made over 90k in 2020.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study follows Diane German, founder of Hair Fetish LLC, who has built a successful styling service and hair product business with over $90k in revenue, and plans to expand to an organic hair care line, despite experiencing setbacks and failures along the way.
8. keauty ($18K/year)
Kellie Yavalar, the founder of keauty, came up with the idea for her DIY face mask kits during a sales meeting when a colleague suggested thinking about food packaging as inspiration for beauty. After months of considering the concept and being inspired by a trip to Turkey, Kellie was determined to bring the experience of a warm, natural face mask with fresh ingredients brewed from a kitchen appliance into people's homes. She spent nights and weekends researching and developing the brand, teaching herself how to use the Shopify platform, and overcoming production challenges to bring keauty to fruition.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $45K
How many people on the team: 2
Keauty is a beauty brand offering DIY single-serve face mask kits featuring coffee or tea pods and specialized powder mix, with $1,500 monthly revenue in its early launch phase.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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