Behind the Curtain: The Raw Truth About Running My Skincare Brand
Ever wonder what really happens behind the scenes of a beauty brand?
Today I'm pulling back the curtain with my operations manager Bridgit to give you the unfiltered truth about running our skincare company.
When people see our brand, they often think we're much bigger than we actually are. In reality, we're a small team hustling to create products we believe in while navigating the wild world of beauty entrepreneurship.
The Marketing Myths We Refuse to Buy Into
Let me set the record straight: we've NEVER paid for influencers or reviews. Why? First, it feels inauthentic. Second, those influencer fees are outrageous—I'd rather invest that money back into the business.
The most shocking truth? Going viral doesn't mean making sales. We've had videos hit 3-4 million views that didn't sell a single product. The entire social media game feels rigged against small brands, with algorithms forcing creators to chase virality rather than foster genuine community.
That's why I've shifted much of my energy to Substack—it reminds me of what social media used to be back in 2006, when online spaces actually helped build real communities rather than exploit creator labor to sell ads.
When Things Go Wrong (And They Will)
One of our most memorable mishaps? Discovering that our Intense Barrier Cream boxes had the same barcode as our Water Balm boxes—right before shipping pre-orders. Cue panic and a frantic solution: custom barcode stickers applied to each box.
These are the moments customers never see—the behind-the-scenes scrambles, the shipping delays stuck in customs, and the constant battle between my optimistic timeline predictions and Bridgit's more realistic ones (she usually wins).
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Want to know what eats up a shocking amount of our budget? Subscriptions. Last year alone, we spent about $20,000 just on the apps and software needed to run our business—and that was after cutting it down from nearly $40,000!
Every small beauty brand is dealing with these invisible costs that the big corporations can easily absorb but hit us hard. The big guys can flood social media with 100 influencers all saying the same thing on the same day—we have to be much more strategic.
Despite It All, We're Still Here
The beauty industry can be brutal for independent brands. We make all our products in Japan and Korea (no private labeling here), which means development takes years, not months. We've stayed debt-free and profitable by being careful with every decision.
At the end of the day, running this business is about creating products we believe in and building real relationships with our customers. And while there are days when the technology fails, the barcode printer jams, or a customs delay pushes back a launch, we wouldn't trade this journey for anything.
Well, except maybe that African safari I promised Bridgit we'd take if we ever hit $10 million in annual sales. One day!
For more behind-the-scenes reality checks and honest conversations about beauty and business, subscribe to us on Substack, where I cuss and discuss all things beauty without the algorithm interference.
Shop Our Skincare:
www.soniaroselli.com
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