10 things no one tells you about being an online beauty queen…

Fri, 26 March 2010 3:47PM

Kate Morris, founder of Australia’s first online beauty store, adorebeauty.com.au tells us: 10 things no one tells you about being an online beauty queen…

1. You’re going to need a bigger bathroom cupboard. We have just over 90 brands on the site now,… so when my partner complains about the overflowing cupboards I just explain to him that no, I can’t cut back – it’s my job!

2. “It won’t happen overnight, but it wull heppen.” Primpers, listen to Rachel Hunter and her immortal words of wisdom. Most people starting a business have grand plans of being a millionaire in 2 years’ time, but having been at it for 10 years now, I can tell you it all comes down to persistence.

3. Get ready to be a beauty expert. You are now “cosmetics guru” to your family, friends, and random people at parties…. I’ve discussed application techniques of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm at wedding receptions, the importance of UVA protection in sunscreen to my barista.

4. Believe in yourself, even when no one else does. I started adorebeauty.com.au when NO ONE shopped online, so it was a huge risk, but I knew it would work out and 10 years on I’m happy to say it has.

5. You’d better have awesome service. Once upon a time, if a customer had a bad experience, they would tell 10 people. The Internet is far less forgiving; these days customer complaints can get around to , oh, more like a bajillion people. Which is why, at Adore Beauty, I make sure out customers are happy little Vegemites.

6. Accept that your lounge room will become your office and your bedroom your ‘warehouse’ for the first couple of years. And then you’ll move into the garage. And then, one happy day, you get a proper office with ACTUAL HEATING!

7. Learn to embrace your inner nerd. Computers make your life marvelously easy… until they have a meltdown and refuse to work. The motto: “Switch Off, Switch On” works.
(If that fails, telling your IT technician that the ‘computer says no’ will ALWAYS be hilarious.)

8. Trying every product you sell is not as easy as you’d think. We have over 2500 products now, and I only have so much skin! I have been known to wander around my house with two different face masks on (one on each side), ten different colours of nail polish (one on each finger), my hair full of hair mask and a different body lotion on each limb. Oh yes, I suffer for my vocation.

9. There’s no such thing as “the best” brand of skincare/makeup/haircare. I get asked this all the time, and it’s impossible to answer because it totally depends what each person wants. For example, one person’s “best” skincare might be a no-nonsense cosmeceutical range; while someone else’s “best” will be a luxurious French brand with gorgeous packaging and plant-based ingredients. Don’t worry about what other people think is best, find out what YOU like!

10. Your first, and most loyal, customer will always be your mum. Although I’m still forever nagging her to wear sunscreen… AND she pinched my Benefit Eye Bright pencil. Grrr.

Kate xx

Posted by: Kate Morris

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Tags: adore beauty, beauty, kate morris, online