This site has limited support for your browser. We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.
how we develop products at saigu

This is how we develop every product at Saigu

When you see a product, either on the shelves of a store or on some online page, for sure you cannot imagine the path that brought it from someone’s imagination to your very own hands. In Saigu Cosmetics we often get asked “when is the eyeliner coming out?” “And the bronzer?” “I wish you made blushers”.... and here in the team we say: “man, if only they knew how hard it is to create a product!”. So we have now decided to tell you the tale of what’s behind each and every one of our creations. 

Starting from the idea

how we develop products 1

With much, MUCH time ahead, we start thinking about what products we want to create. As always, we aim for natural ingredients, but also for natural results; we don’t want a merely aesthetic effect, but active ingredients that take care of the skin. That’s why we look for oils that are rich in antioxidant vitamins, with nourishing and moisturizing properties. And, of course, we have a look at what’s fashionable, what’s on trend, and what hasn’t been created yet. 

Let’s start with the formula

how we develop products 2

We start with a traditional formula and search for natural ingredients that will substitute the petroleum-based ones that we don’t want to include. We start talking with suppliers, investigating whether they share our sustainability values, we ask for samples, and begin the trials. We try out different formulas until we find one that resonates with us, then we start testing it.

Looking for the best packaging

how we develop products 3

While we look for the perfect formula at the lab, we also search for the best packaging for the new product. This is a hard task, because we try to avoid Asia, where essentially every brand manufactures their packaging. We look for local, or European, suppliers. The prices are clearly higher (sometimes even 4 or 5 times higher!), and the minimum number of stock is huge (hundreds of thousands of pieces), so this is a very delicate phase of the production.

Improving the product until we fall in love

Tests to find out whether the product is good or not are carried out among team members, friends and family, but also through focus groups, so that people who usually wear this type of product can give us their opinion. So, depending on the feedback, we go back to the lab and make the necessary adjustments to obtain the formula that enchanted people the most.  

We perform safety and compatibility tests

Now comes the official testing phase, according to the current laws on safety and cosmetics; we also have to carry out compatibility tests for the packaging we have chosen. This means that we have to leave the product sitting in the package for at least 3 months, to make sure that no strange reaction happens and everything is in order.  

We order the ingredients and packages

how we develop products 4

Once we are sure, we order the packages and the amount of ingredients that we will need for the fabrication of all our products. Until now we have been working on samples, but things are about to get serious and we are feeling a little bit nervous: is everything alright? Is there any flaw? These orders, especially the packaging one, usually take about 3 months to be delivered, since the suppliers have to produce them. So, in the meantime, we work on other things.

We think of communication

When we have a clear image of the product, what it will look like, what will its properties be, our communication team starts to think of the best way to transmit these qualities and the effort towards sustainability that has been made so far. We feel the responsibility to share the work that our teammates have done till now, so we dedicate much time, love and reflection to this part.

We design the packaging

how we develop products 4

Initially we had to look for a local supplier that could provide us with cardboard boxes for our products, but now we have found one that we love, so we send them the measurements and design of the nex boxes and we order the pieces we need.

Time for pictures!

how we develop products 6

With these definitive samples, it’s time to start taking pictures, both of the products to post them on our webpage and of models that can show how they look. Two major issues here! The first one: depending on the light, the colors of products can change quite a lot, so the color in the pictures may look completely different than in real life. Because of this, we have to make adjustments and be extra careful to get the most realistic results. 

On the other hand, in Saigu we don’t want to transmit one beauty standard only, we look for people who can be as different as possible to show our products. However, it’s not easy, since most professionals in this field have a normative type of beauty, and, if we try with inexperienced people, photo sessions can be complicated because they get nervous in front of the camera, preventing us from obtaining the natural result we are looking for. 

Manufacturing and packaging

how we develop products 7

While all of this is going on, we have started the manufacturing and packaging process of the number of products we estimate will be sold, based on the number of messages we get on instagram such as… When is the concealer coming out? Are you gonna make blushers? eheh, just joking, we usually make the minimum number of pieces, and then we produce more depending on sales. In case you didn’t know that, the manufacturing and packaging processes are carried out in the province of Barcelona, everything is close by.  

We design the social media campaign

At this point, we have given much thought to how we’re gonna talk about the new product. Lately we have tried giving out clues, but we try not to be too naughty, because we don’t mean to create false needs or foster consumerism. But well, as you can imagine, after going through all the previous steps, we cannot wait to launch the product and see how you folks like it!

And finally…. the launch! 

Generally, before the launch we are extra nervous and think everything will go wrong, like when you are about to take an exam and start imagining that you know nothing… so we wait for the first comments with a lot of enthusiasm, and we share them among teammates, so that they can take a breath of relief. We read each and every one of the messages you send us, and we thank you people from the bottom of our hearts for dedicating a few minutes to texting these people who just sent you a makeup box. 

Also, thank you for coming and reading about the emotions and troubles that hide behind every product. If you found this article interesting, we will be sharing more details with you folks!

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

Use coupon code WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order.

Cart

Congratulations! Your order qualifies for free shipping You are €60 away from free shipping.
No more products available for purchase