As a makeup and skincare junkie, I’m always on the lookout for holy-grail products, so I know how tough it is to find a product that’s the perfect match for your skin tone and type.
In Singapore, this quest becomes harder as there is a notable “lack of cosmetic brands that are catered for Singapore or Southeast Asian women,” remarked Eileen Poh, 25.
This very gap inspired her to start her own makeup label, especially since “there were no Singapore-based brands back then”.
Eileen, who was working in the makeup industry at that time, noted that most of the existing fibre mascaras used white fibres – and these are usually targeted at Caucasian woman.
This was also how the Fauxlash Mascara Duo came about – it was unique in the sense that it used black fibres, which is specially suited for Asian lashes.
The mascara comprises of natural fibres that effortlessly enhance your lashes by making them fuller and longer, and a lightweight transplanting gel that keeps those lashes curled and clump-free. In other words, the product can mimic the effect of false lashes without the need for actual falsies.
After finding a manufacturer, Eileen roped in her friend Yuan Ng, 30, as a business partner. Harnessing their prior business experiences in the cosmetics and marketing industry respectively, the two proved to be a dynamic duo not to be trifled with.
They invested a five-figure sum to kickstart Faux Fayc (pronounced “Foʊ – face”) with a single product – the Fauxlash Mascara Duo – and to say that it received rave reviews is an understatement.
This winning product also helped the brand to break even in a matter of just four to six months – which is no mean feat!
With the success of the Fauxlash Mascara Duo, they slowly expanded their product line to include foundations, blushers and lipsticks.
On helming Faux Fayc, Eileen said that she is more involved in the product development aspect, while Yuan is “in charge of the backend stuff” such as marketing and website management.
“As a brand that celebrates individual expression, empowering women is at the heart of Faux Fayc. Our embodiment of the 21st century sophisticated woman is specially designed to be an alter ego to lend confidence to women all around the world,” she added.
Surviving The Stiff Competition
The beauty industry is clearly very competitive and there are already so many different brands and products available in the market. So what sets their brand apart from their competitors?
“Our products are catered more towards Asian women and the [hot and humid] climate. And all our products have unique points that are different from other brands,” said Eileen. Moreover, their products have a very affordable price tag, with prices ranging from $16 to $58.
She also thinks that their brand – albeit local – is not inferior to its international counterparts.
“We are definitely smaller with lesser exposure in terms of branding and number of products, but our quality is on par – and actually more suitable for the Asian market.”
And as with any other fledgling startups, getting their brand name out there always posed as a challenge. As such, they relied heavily on social media marketing – they post actively on Facebook and Instagram, and often collaborate with social influencers.
One noteworthy collaboration is with social media personalities @Marxmae and @Girlwhocriedwolf, who co-produced bold lip shades to add to the Fauxstix Matte Liquid collection.
They also often held pop-up booths at places with high human traffic, such as at Ion and Wheelock shopping centres, and the recent Artbox event.
From Online To Offline
Faux Fayc was formerly an online-only brand, but it has taken a leap of faith to go offline last year, disregarding the tough retail climate in Singapore.
In June 2016 – after two years of establishment – they opened their flagship store at Plaza Singapura because they felt that it was necessary to have an avenue where customers can try out the products first-hand before purchasing.
Moreover, they felt that it’s very hard to change a consumer’s mind and get them to try a product for the first time since they are usually not experimental with an unknown brand. At the store, customers can swatch the products to their hearts’ content.
“We have many first-time customers who have heard of our brand, but only purchased at the store after trying them out,” said Yuan. This in itself is a testament to how a brick-and-mortar store can complement their online presence.
Commenting on their business growth so far, Yuan said that their profits have been steadily growing year by year.
In fact, they are looking to expand the business with a new TANGS counter at Vivocity in mid-2017, and another retail store in the Central Business District area. Plans to expand overseas is on their business map too.
As a female Singaporean, it is really empowering to see these two lady bosses making their mark in the local beauty industry. I’ve seen their brand around – at pop-up booths and all over social media – and now that I’ve heard their story, I think it’s time I give them some love and #supportlocal!
Faux Fayc
68 Orchard Road
Plaza Singapura, #B1-32A
Opens 11am to 10pm daily
Also check out their website here.
Featured Image Credit: Honeycombers