How three mates created cosmetics company Bondi Skin Co

Bondi Skin Co co-founders DougieJoseph, Chris Mushan and Nick Mallet.The male personal care market has seen rapid growth in recent years and is predicted to hit $166 billion globally by 2022, according to Allied Market Research. Men’s skincare alone grew sales by over 7 per cent in 2018, according to an NPD Group report. Despite the huge growth opportunities in his category, there is still limited choice when it comes to men’s skincare, with few brave enough to expand beyond small, basic ranges.In June 2020, three Sydney mates who had noticed a gap in the skincare market decided to launch their own business to fill that need, offering simple anti-ageing products for men that are Australian made, completely natural, vegan and cruelty free.Bondi Skin Co co-founders Dougie Joseph, Chris Mushan and Nick Mallet, spoke to Inside FMCG about their business journey to date. Inside FMCG: Tell me a bit about yourselves and how this business started?Bondi Skin Co: We are three best mates from high school that have known each other for over 15 years. As we grew older we began to pay more attention to our skin and how we looked after it. We found ourselves constantly using our partners’ products and felt that men had been somewhat neglected when it came to skincare. There were certainly a few male skincare brands that existed, but there was the absence of a brand that catered to the simplicity and ease of use that so many men desire when it comes to self-care. Men were also primarily concerned with anti-ageing products. We felt that we could simplify the process for men while also catering to this demand for anti-ageing products.Inside FMCG: How has it been going into business with friends? Have you learned any hard lessons?BSC: Well, we are a couple of months in and we are still on speaking terms, so we are doing well so far! In all seriousness it’s been great so far – we’ve known each other for so long, so we’re able to hash out any differences in opinions we might have with relative ease. It’s been great to share the workload with each other particularly during situations when we’ve really been under the pump. We’re constantly learning each day – one of the biggest lessons we learned early on was that we weren’t going to get everything spot on the first try. Realising this made it easier to just get on with things and not dwell on and waste time thinking about any mistakes that we made along the way. Inside FMCG: There seems to be quite limited options in anti-ageing products for men. Do you think this is becoming a bigger concern for men?BSC: Absolutely. Research suggests that anti-ageing is the key focus for men when purchasing skincare products. Men are taking a lot more interest in self-care, which we think is great because it is one component (of many) that helps blokes to feel good about themselves. Bondi Skin Co products.Inside FMCG: What ingredient trends are you tapping into for this range?BSC: The three main ingredients we’ve tapped into for this range for our face serums include vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and vitamin A (retinoids). All these ingredients have been around for a while and are what you would call “essentials” for anyone’s skin care routine.Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps defend against environmental aggressors such as UV and pollution. Vitamin C can reduce redness, dark spots and under-eye circles, promoting a healthier overall complexion. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring compound in the body that attracts and holds onto moisture in skin cells, promoting overall skin hydration. It is well known for its benefits, such as alleviating dry skin and reducing the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin A (retinoids) helps bolster collagen production and facilitate skin cell renewal. Retinoids are known to help reduce the appearance of acne, sun spots and wrinkles, resulting in a more even, smoother skin. Inside FMCG: Can you explain a bit about the sustainability aspect of your business? BSC: The sustainability aspect of our brand is linked tightly to our motif of “doing better”. In the early stages of developing the brand we asked ourselves how we could do better than what was currently on the market. We adopted a holistic approach to this, so it wasn’t just about having a better product for the consumer, but also a product that was better on a macro level – better for everyone and everything else too.Sustainability was one of the key focuses that fell under this “better” umbrella. So from production to packaging, we looked for ways to enhance our sustainability efforts. Our products are all Australian made, are derived from natural ingredients and do not contain any palm oil or palm oil derivatives. Our serums come in recyclable glass bottles and are packed in cardboard mailer bags that are cushioned with 100 per cent recycled newspaper fibres.As we continue to grow as a brand we are committed to extending our sustainability efforts even further.Inside FMCG: Have you plans to expand the range?BSC: Absolutely – we’re currently testing new products and are excited to be expanding our range in the not too distant future. We are very excited about what the future holds for Bondi Skin Co.