Squigs beauty brand uses TikTok marketing, PR to fuel growth

How it begun

Although at PopSugar and Elle, Charuza received to examination countless numbers of elegance items in order to critique them, she claimed. She also interviewed hundreds of dermatologists above the several years. 

It appears dreamy from the exterior, but Charuza was having difficulties with pores and skin issues: Numerous of the solutions she examined ended up triggering pores and skin irritation and allergic reactions. Outdoors of do the job, Charuza’s internal circle was also riddled with skin issues: her sister, partner and newborn all undergo from eczema. 

The pores and skin wrestle made Charuza try to remember the Ayurvedic answers her family applied for hair and pores and skin troubles rising up. Ayurveda is a professional medical method that originated in India that centers on herbal cures. Squigs’ “Gooseberry Delight” hair oil, for instance, stems from the oil Charuza’s grandmother aided her make developing up. The company’s name also stems from a spouse and children tale: Squigs is the nickname Charuza and her sister named each individual other as youngsters. 

“I could not find any affordable Ayurvedic models that felt enjoyment, and like any person could use it,” she discussed. “I know the industry is so saturated, but I certainly felt like there was no Ayurvedic manufacturer out there that was making inexpensive goods that experienced those efficacious elements.”

Tipping place

Squigs has accomplished a ton since rolling out about 11 months in the past. The manufacturer gained attractiveness publication Byrdie’s “Eco Elegance Award” for “Best Do-It-All Hair Product” in 2022, which Charuza mentioned was “super exciting for the reason that that was just a single thirty day period in, and Byrdie editors tested about 300 items based on efficacy [and] sustainability.”

Urban Outfitters reached out to communicate about obtaining Squigs in its stores, which Charuza described as a “pinch-me instant.” Until City, Squigs was 100{3df20c542cc6b6b63f1c547f8fb389a9f235bb0504150b9df2ff264aa9a6c16c} DTC—but Charuza always pictured it heading into suppliers eventually.

She stated that it’s a great deal more challenging for DTC models to keep on being on the internet-only than it once was. Which is partly since of the existing advertising and marketing landscape, which involves hurdles these kinds of as uncertainty about the potential of TikTok—which has been targeted by regulators and lawmakers—as very well as digital consumer monitoring problems caused by Apple’s 2021 iOS update.

Plus, possessing a model on a physical shelf in a retailer this sort of as City Outfitters drives legitimacy and brand name awareness, she stated. 

“It really will help people out there be like, ‘I can vouch for this brand name. I can have faith in this brand,’” Charuza explained, in particular for the reason that Urban and Squigs target a related demographic (Gen Z and young millennials).  

A further pinch-me second, she claimed, was when Squigs was highlighted on “Today” in August. In the phase, a elegance influencer suggested Squigs’ hair oil item. Charuza recalled the orders piling in just after it aired, as very well as viewing the episode with her household. 

The model was also selected for Ulta Beauty’s MUSE accelerator software, which is a 10-week-long mentorship program that gives early-stage BIPOC magnificence brands assist. With the acceptance, Charuza mentioned, arrived a $50,000 grant—the only funding Squigs has taken as a result significantly.