Discover the Future of Beauty Retail: Omnichannel Experience

The beauty and wellness industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with the rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) and digital-native vertical brands (DNVBs). These innovative brands have disrupted the traditional retail model by offering customers a seamless, omnichannel experience that blends online and offline shopping. From in-store appointments to online ordering and home delivery, these DNVBs are leading the charge in the beauty and wellness retail space. In this article, we'll be highlighting five exceptional omnichannel strategies from DNVBs that have successfully entered into retail. From ethical and sustainable practices to unique and personalized shopping experiences, these e-commerce brands are setting the bar for the future of retail.

Oh my Cream!

Oh My Cream! is a brand that has truly succeeded in its retail journey, starting as a beauty advice blog in 2013, evolving into a multi-brand e-shop and now a reputable brand in its own right. The company has established itself as a reference in the "clean-beauty" industry, offering consumers safe and effective products that prioritise their health and well-being.

From the very beginning, Oh My Cream! embraced the omnichannel principle, recognising that consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and expect a seamless shopping experience across all channels. The brand prides itself on creating strong, personal connections with its customers, and its brick-and-mortar stores provide the perfect opportunity to do just that.

In 2014, Oh My Cream! opened its first shop in the heart of Paris, and it's been expanding ever since. Today, the company operates 22 shops in France and two in London, all dedicated to its skincare brand, Oh My Cream Skincare, launched in 2017 and now accounts for nearly 20% of its sales. Additionally, the brand has recently added a make-up line to its offerings, solidifying its position as a one-stop shop for clean-beauty.

At the core of Oh My Cream!'s retail strategy are two keywords: clean products and expertise. The brand's knowledgeable advisers are trained in-store to provide expert advice and support, while online, the brand offers a wealth of editorial content, advice, and inspiration through its e-magazine. The personal shopper questionnaire is a particularly innovative touch, helping customers determine their specific skincare needs and providing personalised recommendations.

In conclusion, Oh My Cream! has succeeded in becoming a leading clean-beauty retailer, thanks to its commitment to expert advice, clean products, and a seamless customer experience thanks to a successful omnichannel strategy.

Unbottled

Unbottled is a French solid cosmetics brand that has successfully taken its retail strategy to the next level. Just one year after joining Sephora's 900 European shops, the brand opened its first standalone store in November 2022. The new Parisian store dubbed the "Temple of the Solid," is a testament to Unbottled's commitment to sustainable and waste-free beauty products.

Studies show that 82% of consumers prefer to buy from brands that share their values, and Unbottled is taking advantage of this trend. The brand's anti-plastic and zero-waste message is written on the walls of its new store, with slogans like "bye-bye plastic," "No more shady products in the shower," and the hashtag #dropthebottle serving as a reminder of the brand's commitments. This messaging is visible from the street, making it easier for customers to understand Unbottled's stance on sustainability.

In addition to its clear messaging, Unbottled has also used only sustainable materials to build its new store, and the brand regularly communicates about its environmental commitments to customers. For instance, the sink in the store is not made from marble, but from recycled plastic, a fun and impactful detail that showcases Unbottled's commitment to sustainability.

Customer experience and feedback are also integral to Unbottled's retail strategy. The brand displays customers reviews in-store, just as it published user generated content on its e-commerce site, to provide reassurance and build trust with its customers. Unbottled's new store is a testament to the brand's commitment to sustainability and its desire to create an immersive and impactful shopping experience for its customers.

Si Si La Paillette

Si Si La Paillette, the Parisian sustainable brand of plant-based glitter, has been on a mission to make partying and make-up more eco-responsible since its creation in 2020. With the values of ecology, inclusiveness, and celebration at its core, the brand has quickly made a name for itself in the beauty industry.

Initially, the brand relied on online sales through its website and network retailers in France. The digital channel has proven successful, accounting for 60% of the brand's 2021 turnover. The brand now boasts a network of around 400 resellers.

However, after just 6 months of activity, Si Si La Paillette decided to take the next step and opened its boutique, affectionately known as the "Glitter Bar." This physical space allows the brand to not only sell its products but also to develop its brand universe and bring its community together through events and workshops.

The "Glitter Bar" also acts as a laboratory of sorts, where customers can leave suggestions in a small suggestion box. The brand has even opened a second-hand shop for glitter clothing, further solidifying its commitment to sustainability. The shop now accounts for 15% of the young company's turnover, proving that a brick-and-mortar presence can be just as successful as online sales.

Baraboucle

Baraboucle has been changing the game for curly hair since its creation in 2017. With a mission to cater to curly hair's needs, which had long been ignored in the hair industry, Morgane Brisson launched Baraboucle with a successful crowdfunding campaign. The brand offers a range of #CurlsFriendly, #SulfateFree, #SiliconeFree and #CrueltyFree products, catering to the needs of all curly haired individuals.

Starting with an online marketplace, Baraboucle quickly grew to include ephemeral salons before finally opening its first permanent Bar à Boucle in the heart of Paris in January 2020. The salon is a hub for curly haired individuals, offering appointments that open every first of the month for the following month, giving everyone a chance to get their curls tamed and refreshed.

Baraboucle is not just about pampering curls, it is also about being a responsible brand. The brand is part of the French association Coiffeurs Justes, which is committed to sustainable actions in the hair industry. All the hair cut in the salon is recycled and used as oil filters in ports, rivers, or during oil spills in the oceans.

The brand has taken its commitment to sustainability even further by partnering with Terracycle to offer a recycling station for skincare and shampoo bottles. Each material is cleaned, processed, and transformed into granules or powder to make shipping pallets, watering cans, containers, and more. And to incentivize customers, Baraboucle offers a 10% discount at the checkout for every three recycled Baraboucle products!

In conclusion, Baraboucle has successfully gone retail, offering a unique and personalized experience to its customers while also being a responsible brand. With its commitment to sustainability, Baraboucle is not just a place to get your curls tamed, it is a place to feel good about your hair and the planet!

Avril Cosmétiques

Avril Cosmetique, born in the North of France in 2012, was founded by Alexis Dhellemmes with the aim of making organic cosmetology accessible to as many people as possible and to fight against over-packaging. Initially, the brand relied solely on online sales and word-of-mouth and social networks to build their reputation. However, after receiving feedback from customers who felt that buying this type of product online did not offer the possibility of testing it before going to the checkout, the brand opened its first shop in Lille in 2016. This turned out to be a great success, and ten years later, Avril has more than 45 points of sale throughout France.

One of the key factors in Avril Cosmetique's success in going retail was their ability to translate their values into their brick-and-mortar stores. The reduction of packaging has become a source of constant innovation for the brand, and they are developing a range of micellar water tablets. Avril is also behind a reforestation program and has been financing the installation of windmills and photovoltaic panels since 2019, with their shops powered by green electricity. They are also developing zero waste products.

In terms of customer experience, each Avril shop is unique, expressing the essence of the brand through the singular eyes of a local architect. The brand is dedicated to offering a truly unique and memorable shopping experience, all while respecting the values that Avril holds dear, such as sustainability and reducing waste.

Overall, Avril Cosmetique has successfully combined the benefits of online and brick-and-mortar shopping to create a retail experience that is both accessible and respectful of the environment. By staying true to their values, they have built a thriving retail business that continues to grow and inspire.