There are over 236,700 estheticians in the United States alone. Depending on where you live, there are plenty of people that do the same thing you do. You have to start thinking about your career differently and branding your own products is a powerful way to start.

Always remember, you are a brand. You have your own special way of providing services to customers and you may be known for a specialty you offer or a specific skin type you are great with. For better or worse, you are cultivating a reputation in your market that should win new customers. This same concept applies to the products you sell. This is the main reason estheticians start their own brand of products. 

As a practitioner for the last 23 years, I looked for a way to stand out in a very crowded spa market when we lived in New Orleans. Creating my own products, made my skincare practice nationally known and it has allowed us to help hundreds of solo estheticians, spa owners and corporations create their own successful brands.

Private branding of consumer goods is one of the hottest and most sensible strategies for companies that are interested in being more than just another place to buy commonly sold products. Mega-malls, department stores, Ulta, Sephora and online retailers are competing with estheticians for the beauty product customer. Uniqueness, and exclusivity of brand is proving to be a sound way to attract and keep a loyal retail trade. Private branding (or private labeling) traditions extend back to the early days of fine department stores who saw brand-recognition value in labeling suits, coats, and dresses with the company name.

There are many suppliers of private label products. Whether you sell coffee, toilet paper, or skin care products, there are businesses that can make a brand just for your company.

What is a “private label” product?

Purely put, a private label product is one of any quality, be that high or modest, created for someone other than the manufacturer to brand and sell. Peruse a vintage clothing store or your own closet and count the dresses, blouses, and accessories sporting the name of the store that sold them to you. Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York, Saks 5th Ave, and even, yes, Sears sells clothing under their own company labels.