TO BE AT PAR WITH THE CURRENT TRENDS, WE USUALLY ASK THE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT AND RESEARCH THE PRODUCTS BEFORE RELEASING THEM
When Shakirah Firuz first moved to Bangladesh from Malaysia, where she was born and raised, she saw a massive gap in the beauty market. The Economics graduate who has the experience of working for a Fortune 500 company wasted no time in forming Lola Cosmetics with her sister Fatimah Firuz who has a background in Biomedical Science. Having been brought up in a multiracial country, Firuz was also well aware of the impractical beauty standards in society and wanted to work towards changing that. Both Shakirah Firuz and Fatimah Firuz are passionate about making others feel more confident about themselves with the use of minimal makeup. In an interview with ICE Today, the dynamic duo elaborates on their journey and how Lola Cosmetics is working to raise the beauty standards in Bangladesh
What range of products are you currently offering? What are some of the customer favourites?
We started with two product ranges – lashes and lipstick. We have now expanded to ten, including lashes, matte lipstick, lip gloss, blush, highlighter, nails, mask, eyeshadow palettes, and the latest is the eyeliner. At the moment, we have almost everything that you may need for the face. We recently also added masks to our line which will soon be available in pharmacies around Dhaka. It’s pretty tricky to choose, but if we had to, our best-sellers for 2021 are lashes, breathable masks and eyeliners.
The beauty industry across the world is currently experiencing significant shifts in consumer motivation. People are becoming increasingly aware of the integrity and sustainability of the brands they use. How does Lola Cosmetics ensure the sourcing of high-quality raw materials for their products?
At Lola Cosmetics, customer opinion is pivotal. To be at par with the current trends, we usually ask the customers what they want and research the products before releasing them. The process of curating a new product for Lola Cosmetics takes a long time as it has to go through R&D and rounds of sampling until we are satisfied with the outcome. My [Fatimah’s] biomedical science background helps us ensure the right ingredients are used, and products are tested adequately before undergoing R&D and quality checks to ensure that the products are safe to use. We source from the best manufacturers around the world within our price range, ensuring no animal testing as we are a cruelty-free brand. Over time we have improved our products by adding ingredients such as coconut oil, shea butter and other good ingredients to benefit the customers. We still have to be mindful and ensure our products are affordable to the mass market despite all the extra goodness.
In a short period, Lola Cosmetics has amassed a significant amount of dedicated customers. Why do you think the brand has been able to set itself apart?
From the day we started this brand, customers have been our number one priority. Without them, we would not be where we are today. It’s not just about purchasing the products, but customer experience is more important. We ask them for their feedback and work on making their next experience even better than the first time. We listen, and we deliver. Our logistics have also been strong from the beginning, getting orders to customers as fast as possible. We believe that good pricing points, quality products, and personalised customer service are the factors that have set this brand apart from the others and that is why we have had a considerable number of repeat customers since starting this brand.
Lola Cosmetics is exclusively an online brand. Do you feel it’s still necessary to have a physical presence in the market to appeal to a broader consumer base? How do you envision its expansion in the coming years?
Shakirah Firuz: With the current market condition, it would be precarious for a home-grown brand like ours to expand to brick and mortar retail. We need to strengthen our base further before going offline. Our online business expansion plan for the coming one to two years is set. Also, these days most customers prefer online shopping as it is easily accessible from the comfort of their homes. Hence we do not think it is time to have a physical store yet, but with more upcoming products, opening a physical store is definitely in the pipelines, but it will take several more years to materialise.
OVER TIME WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR PRODUCTS BY ADDING INGREDIENTS SUCH AS COCONUT OIL, SHEA BUTTER AND OTHER GOOD INGREDIENTS TO BENEFIT THE CUSTOMERS.
HIGHLIGHTER
Lola Cosmetics has two super pigmented highlighters called Golden Sands and Petite Peach. They are curated to be smaller in size so that they can easily be carried around. Priced at only BDT 550 each, they are one of the most affordable highlighters in the market for the quality.
WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION, MOST CUSTOMERS PREFER ONLINE SHOPPING AS IT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOMES.
MASK
Lola Mask is one of the best selling products of the brand for 2021. It is a fabric mask made of ice silk material, very breathable and comfortable. It also has an adjustable ear loop and is hygienically packed in Lola transparent ziplock poly, which you can use to store the mask for your daily use. They come in five beautiful colours, including black, pink, blue, purple and grey. Lola is hoping to further penetrate the market by making them widely available. Lola masks will be available to be purchased physically from October at Xpress Pharma located on Road 11, Banani.
LASHES
Lashes have been the core of Lola cosmetics since day one. Lola lashes come in three different types – 3D, Faux Mink and Silk with prices ranging from BDT490 to BDT550. The lashes can be used up to 10 times with gentle care. The 3D lashes are popular among brides as they give a more voluminous look, as they are double layered to provide a 3D effect. Lola’s customers usually go for the signature faux mink or silk lashes for party and everyday use.
