A family that travels together, starts a business together. That’s exactly what Co-Founders, Bryan Taylor and his teenage daughter, Madison Taylor did. This father and daughter duo created Taylor Beauty, body products based on their family favorites, experiences and adventures. We are so excited to feature this young ambitious entrepreneur and her father in our WOC Limited Edition Box and their Strawberry Avocado Lotion. You will love the delicious scent and how smooth your skin will feel with this moisturizing lotion. Read all about the Taylor’s and their family, fun, and flavorful lifestyle and how strawberry and avocado can benefit your skin.
How did Taylor Beauty get its start?
Bryan (father + co-founder) grew up going to St. Maarten with his parents. When he had children of his own, it was expected that they would spend summers there as well. During a family trip to St. Maarten, Bryan suggested that Madison (daughter + co-founder), a self-proclaimed product junkie, launch her own product. As the years went by, this conversation repeated itself and Bryan decided to invest in his daughter’s interest.
How old was your daughter when the business started?
When we first conceived the idea to make our own lotions, she was 9. We officially launched shortly after her 13th birthday.
What inspired your Strawberry Avocado lotion?
All of our flavors (scents) are reflective of our family. In this case, we love strawberries (fresh or as dessert) as well as guacamole (hence, avocado). We figured the scent of strawberry would be a winner – a sweet smelling aroma.
What was the initial response that you received when you first introduced your product?
The excitement was very encouraging. We have videos of influencers, press, and attendees at CURLFEST, where we launched showing their facial expressions when they open a bottle and smell it. They proclaim “wow, this smells amazing”. The best part is it also delivers on hydration too.
What are the benefits of this natural fruit combo?
All of our flavor names are simply an expression of the scent we want to evoke. We didn’t choose the flavors (scents) for their benefits, more so for the emotional connection to our family. The irony is that if you study the benefits of fruit for skin, you’ll see that the ones we chose have several positive effects when eaten. They act as antioxidants, contain Vitamins C and E, and slow the effects of aging. But, as good as our lotions smell, they cannot be eaten so it’s up to you to do your part.
In addition to the strawberry and avocado, what are the other key ingredients in your lotion?
Our goal was to develop both a hydrating and moisturizing lotion formula. Water is the main ingredient (helps our lotions to have a smooth, creamy texture that’s easily absorbed), with other beneficial ingredients like Shea butter, Aloe Vera, and Soybean oil. Those are all known to help skin retain moisture and protect it against inflammation.
Is this for all skin types?
As a family brand, our lotion can be used on everyone.
What other fragrances does your lotion come in?
We currently offer four tropical flavors: Peche (aka peach), Coconut Kiwi, Blue Razz, and the flavor featured in COCOTIQUE, which is our latest launch, Strawberry Avocado.
What’s next for Taylor Beauty?
We’re working on new flavors for the coming year. As sales continue to ramp up, we will be re-investing in the brand by setting up Facebook ads, adding new flavors (scents), and hopefully, vending again (when it’s safe to do so). Long term, we’d love to expand outside of the lotion category – perhaps, consider body washes to complement our current offerings.
What advice would you give other parents whose children want to start a business?
Kids have a lot of interests and dreams can change as they age. I think if we have the capacity (funding, networking, resources, etc.) to show our children what’s possible, we should encourage them to explore their interests. It’s a great way to teach skills as well as spend more time together. Not every interest is worthy of an investment; however, the conversation around pursuing something and what it will take to succeed can help shape their minds for future decisions and opportunities.
What challenges did you experience when you first started?
There’s a learning curve involved when launching any business. You won’t know everything. As a former entrepreneur myself, setting up the business was familiar. Conceptualizing the beauty world from a teenager’s view, and as a man, definitely kept our business discussions flavorful. Trying to decide where to spend marketing dollars, on a shoestring budget, seemed like a gamble (as to which ones would yield the highest and/or fastest returns). Building a customer list/database is an important part of our business plan. Developing the website and store is still a learning experience as we constantly work to optimize the experience when you visit taylorbeautyproducts.com.
Fortunately, we have a household member who has spent her career in beauty so many of the obstacles to securing resources (i.e. components, chemist, manufacturer) were not present.
How did you overcome those challenges?
There are tons of videos/tutorials on the internet. Google and YouTube have a wealth of information for startups, including industry specific checklists, etc. We’ve also tapped into our networks to ask questions and request referrals. It’s nice to have a circle of entrepreneurs who’ve gone before you to share their experiences; and, hopefully, help you avoid repeating their mistakes.
Customers who get the WOC Limited Edition Box will receive a travel size of the Strawberry Avocado lotion. What is the one thing you want them to know?
We are all about family, fun, and living a flavorful lifestyle. Each of our products reflect an aspect of our lives and we’ve named them accordingly. It’s our way of spreading a little more love packaged with a sweet-smelling aroma across the world.
USE OUR EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT CODE COCOTIQUE FOR $3 OFF SITEWIDE AT TAYLORBEAUTYPRODUCTS.COM – EXPIRES NOVEMBER 30, 2020
To keep up with Taylor Beauty you can follow them on Instagram.