One of the most common mistakes new skincare brands make is starting with products and then looking for customers. The brands that build lasting ranges do it the other way around.
Start with the person. Build from there.
Get specific about who you're serving
"Women who want good skin" is not a customer. It's a market.
Your ideal customer has a specific age, lifestyle, concern, and purchase behaviour. She's a first-time mum trying to find safe products for her newborn. He's a 30-something man who's never had a skincare routine and doesn't know where to start.
The more precisely you can picture that person, the more purposefully you can build for them.
Let their concerns drive your product decisions
Once you know who you're building for, their skin concerns become your product brief.
Ask yourself:
What is the primary problem they need solved?
What does their current routine look like and what's missing from it?
What would make them recommend a product to a friend?
These answers tell you what to formulate, what to call it, and how to talk about it before you've ordered a single unit.
Build a range with a logical journey
A well-built product range takes your customer somewhere. It has a starting point (often a hero product that solves their most immediate problem), a supporting cast (products that complement and extend the routine), and room to grow with the brand.
For a children's haircare range, that might look like: a gentle cleansing shampoo → a detangling conditioner → a leave-in moisture cream. Three products. One coherent routine. One customer, fully served.
Let the range evolve with your customer
The best skincare brands grow with their audience. They listen to feedback, watch what sells, and introduce new products.
That kind of evolution only happens when you know your customer well enough to anticipate what they'll need next.
At Unisex, we help brand owners build ranges that make sense, from formulation selection through to naming and positioning.