It is estimated that over 100 million women use lip gloss daily in the United States alone. This beauty accessory enjoys a huge market base which should act as an incentive to start and run a business centered on it. The first idea that comes to mind when we mention a lip gloss business is opening a beauty shop that deals in different lip glosses, and even though that’s a good idea, there are other options worth trying too.
Our article will discuss different ideas you can explore to make money from lip gloss lovers worldwide. Remember, business is about offering something people want and don’t have, be it knowledge, a product, or even exposure. Let’s find out a few ideas that can easily become money-making ventures with the right execution.
1. Starting Your Lip Gloss Line
Even though this idea will require a sizeable investment, it is highly profitable in the long run. It is also a fun way of making money in the beauty industry. To get started, you must obtain all the necessary permits and licenses, depending on your location. You may need a general business license, sales tax permit, zoning permit, or an employee identification number, popularly known as EIN. You must also figure out whether you will be running a sole proprietorship, partnership, an S-Corp, or a limited liability company.
Once you have all the permits, get the right supplies and ingredients, such as color additives, the base, lip gloss tubes, and optional vitamin E capsules. Your base should be a natural substance such as coconut oil, Shea butter, or beeswax. For pigments, beetroot powder or a lip-friendly glitter will work. Once you have a few products, please choose the best name for your lip gloss business, which in this case, should make you outstanding. The last step is to market your product and find good channels to sell them, such as online stores.
2. Start A Subscription Box Business
A good alternative would be creating a subscription box business. This is an easy and fun way to make money since you get to curate some items and send them to your subscribers every month, depending on their preferences.
You’ll need an excellent strategy to run such a business. First, consider a great theme for your lip gloss subscription box, e.g., vegan or natural lip glosses, before figuring out where to source your products. Next, try niche e-commerce sites and other platforms such as Alibaba, where you can buy such products in bulk at a relatively lower price.
The next step is to work on your pricing and shipping. When starting your business, price your products slightly lower than others to build a customer base. You can make slight adjustments once you are known and people love your goods. Also, think about how regularly you will ship your products, which should be at least monthly.
Lastly, create an e-commerce store and sell your subscription box on a platform with a massive customer base.
3. Start A Youtube Channel
Lots of people and influencers are making money from YouTube. If you are confident enough to stare into a camera and talk or do demonstrations, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t be one of them. You can explore several YouTube video ideas, including creating how-to videos, discussing the latest lip gloss or beauty industry trends, and reviewing products. However, you must invest in a quality camera and good editing software. Your YouTube channel should also have a catchy name with which your audience will resonate.
Ensure that you regularly produce high-quality content, get the right keywords for your videos, engage with your viewers and optimize your content for YouTube searches to grow an audience, after which you can monetize your channel. Monetized channels make money through sponsorships where brands or sponsors give free products for mentions; affiliate sales by adding affiliate links in the description box, and the YouTube Partnership program involving ads.
4. Blogging
If you enjoy writing, starting a blog can be an excellent way to make money from beauty products such as lip glosses. You get to review products and voice your opinions to readers all over the internet, and if you do a good job, you can have a reliable source of passive income. You will need a good domain name related to the products you will be reviewing, which sell for as low as $20.
You must also find a good hosting platform such as WordPress and learn how to increase your page ranking on Google through SEO. Once your site gains enough traffic, you can monetize it by selling ad space, applying to an ad network, creating and selling digital products such as courses and eBooks, or including sponsored posts and affiliate links in your content.
5. Social Media Influencing
You can use your large social media presence on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to make money by promoting lip glosses and other cosmetic products. You can charge as you wish per post, with some beauty influencers charging as high as $500 for a single post. Brands may approach you, or you can reach out and offer them your media kit, which should have your engagement rate, follower count, demographics, best photos, and bio. An added advantage is that you can help brands market their products in the comfort of your home.
Alternatively, you can make money through affiliate posts, where you receive a commission on sales generated from your post. For this to work, you must include an affiliate link on your bio or a unique coupon for your followers to key in whenever they buy products. Some common affiliate programs for influencers in this category include BabeBox, Sephora, and MAC Cosmetics.
6. Open A Local Store
This is a common and obvious way of making money from beauty products. You can open a store in your locality or a nearby mall and sell lip glosses and other beauty accessories. However, this must be done right to make money. First, you must find a good, secure, and accessible location to build or rent your shop. You must also acquire business licenses and permits from your local government and set up a tax system.
Opening a store can be costly (but lucrative in the long run) since you have to pay rent and other utilities from the word go. The amount that goes on rent will differ from one location to the next, i.e.; prime locations are usually more expensive. You must also meet set-up expenses such as decor and display.
Your focus should quickly shift to marketing your store once it is up. Brainstorm an effective marketing strategy that will help you stand out from the rest. You can collaborate with local companies or participate in the activities of the local community to get your business out there.
7. Product Testing
If you love trying out different products, becoming a lip gloss tester can be an easy and fun way to make money. Most manufacturers and line owners want people who can try out their products and give them unbiased reviews before launching them to the general public. This is a common activity in other industries too, since testing is an important part of quality assurance.
You can reach out to brands and manufacturers to ship their products, after which you will test and offer feedback in the comfort of your home. You will examine these products and give detailed feedback regarding different aspects. Be ready to offer accurate responses without any fear since these brands depend on that to determine whether to make changes to their products.
8. Build A Homemade Vegan Lip Gloss Business
You ought to know all the trends regarding the lip gloss industry before making an entry. One of the most recent and profitable trends is vegan lip glosses. The good news is that you can operate such a business in the comfort of your home and make lots of profits.
As a vegan lip gloss manufacturer, you will develop not-so-common and animal-products-free recipes to make a range of high-quality lip gloss products. This business idea can easily generate a good income since vegan lip gloss products are sold at a relatively higher price. Many people are also switching to the vegan lifestyle, making this idea worth pursuing. As you make money, your clients will promote eco-awareness, live healthier lifestyles, and support animal welfare. Ensure that you find out everything you need to know about vegan lip glosses, including the good bases to use before starting such a business.
9. Sell Lip Gloss Online
You can also make money by running an online lip gloss business if you find opening a local or physical store daunting. Several marketplaces, such as Etsy or Shopify, can guarantee good returns if you open your business with them. An upside to this idea is that you won’t be limited geographically since online marketplaces such as Shopify enjoys a nearly-global operation. You can also try Amazon, one of the world’s most successful e-commerce platforms.
Remember, people are always looking for good and cost-effective beauty products such as lip glosses; therefore, with excellent branding and pricing, you can build a loyal customer base faster than you can tell. Also, remember that your product rating is important as it directly impacts your sale since the more positive reviews your item gets, the higher it appears in the marketplace.
It’s important to research the best marketplace for your products if you want to succeed. Certain platforms, such as Shopify, even help with product branding, a service you may need if you are just starting your business. Therefore, settle for the platform that offers you the highest perks.
10. Become A Consultant
This is one of the best ways to earn money if you are passionate about lip glosses. As a consultant, you will be helping people find what they need and make the best decision regarding different products. You can run such a business online, schedule client visits, or open a beauty consultancy shop. This job requires extensive knowledge about different types of products, including how they work and should be applied. Part of your job will include sharing helpful tips with your clients to help them get the most out of different products.
Alternatively, you can partner with brands or lip gloss companies and act as an intermediary between them and their customers. You will mostly work in their shops or retail stores, where you are expected to offer excellent customer service and maintain high levels of professionalism when helping clients find whatever they need. You can start by contacting local cosmetic shops or department stores to find out if such an opening exists.
The good news is that there are no formal educational requirements to become a lip gloss consultant, even though a course in cosmetology may be a plus. You only need to understand different products and be up to date with the latest industry trends, and you will be good to go. You can also take up an online sales course to improve your skills and techniques when it comes to dealing with clients.
Also, consider working on your personality since such a business requires a bubbly, outgoing, and patient person. If you can make people feel comfortable and help them find the best product for their needs, you will make money, and who knows, maybe start your own beauty consultancy service.
11. Start A Gift Basket Business
People are making lots of money by selling bundle gift packs. This is, therefore, not a new business idea that you will struggle with. All you have to do is find various assorted products, put them together in a bundle and sell them so that whoever wants to gift them to their friends, colleagues, or families will have an easy time.
To capture a wider market and drive more sales, consider having different options retailing at different prices so people can choose what they can afford. You can also allow customers to customize their gift baskets by requesting the types of products to include. If done right, you will easily build a flourishing business.
Lastly, note that you will need various products for such a business to succeed. Also, you can consider including other beauty products compatible with your lip gloss offerings in these baskets. Remember, the wider your catalog, the higher the profits you stand to enjoy.
Consider marketing your business online or partnering with local shops to help you easily widen your reach. A good alternative would be selling these gift packs in online marketplaces.
12. Become A Distributor
Alternatively, you can become a lip gloss distributor in your region. This business idea will take a considerable amount of capital to execute if you intend to go large-scale. However, you can start small with a small budget before expanding your operations later. As with consultancy, you must understand different products and be passionate about selling and marketing them. You can approach local shops and retailers and convince them to try your services and, to sweeten the deal, convince brands to offer discounts for those who buy in bulk.
You need good sales and marketing strategies to succeed as a distributor. You can either purchase these goods in bulk and store them or try drop shipping, where you first obtain orders and then plan with brands, product lines, or lip gloss companies to get them delivered for a commission. In fact, if executed well, you don’t have to spend a dime at first.
Building a distribution business can be difficult owing to the number of parties you have to convince, which explains why having excellent sales skills may be necessary. Start with your locality before you expand your operations to other areas. Once you win the trust of different customers, you will be unstoppable.
13. Join A Direct Sales Company
Our last option works for those who aren’t interested in making their own lip gloss but can help brands push their products. This business idea doesn’t require a huge capital investment since all you need is a starter kit containing marketing materials, a few products, and training from the company or brand of engagement. This kit can be purchased from the company; once you have it, your job will be to promote the products in different ways. You can set up a retail space where you live, host parties, or even organize webinars.
Joining the direct sales industry means that you will be representing an already established brand. You don’t have to spend much time convincing customers to trust the products or spend a lot of money on branding and marketing. With the right sales skills, it’s easy to make a fortune from such a business arrangement. Some of the direct sales companies you can check out include:
Arbonne
You can easily obtain a 35% commission by selling this company’s products thanks to its different income generation avenues for interdependent consultants. You will get to sell many plant-based products that cater to both men and women.
Younique
Younique has an outstanding inventory of lip glosses and cosmetic products you will enjoy selling. Its main mission is to empower women globally by allowing them to build their businesses. Check out their website if you are interested in working with them.
How To Brand Your Lip Gloss Business
Now that we have covered some ways you can make money from lip gloss, it’s time to find out how to make the best out of your lip gloss business. This section will apply if you decide to start your own lip gloss line, a distribution business, or a store. Walk with us.
Pick the Right Business Name
Excellent branding starts with your business name. Remember, a name gives your business its identity since it is all people share, remember and talk about. Pick a name that relates to your product that customers can easily memorize and remember. It should also be easy to pronounce for an easier referral. You can ask your family or friends for ideas or use lip gloss business names generating websites such as Namelix or Anadea. You will get a list of potential names, which you can then share with those closest to you to obtain their feedback for easier decision-making.
Get a Good Logo
Like the business name, your logo also matters. You can check other lip gloss businesses’ logos for inspiration and use your design skills to develop an even better one. Alternatively, you can use platforms such as Upwork or Fivver and find people who can design your logos cheaply. Another option is to use online logo-generating services such as Tailor Brands and DesignMantic. All in all, ensure that you create an aesthetically-pleasing logo that your future clients can relate to.
Create Labels for Your Brand
The third and final step is to create labels befitting your brand, which can only happen if you have a great logo. Remember that the size of your brand labels will heavily depend on that of the lip gloss tubes. We recommend using third-party services or ordering from renowned niche platforms such as Etsy. Alternatively, you can engage the services of a professional label-making company, which may be costly but assures you of high-quality labels.
Make sure that whichever company you choose to make your labels offers a free design service before printing and, subsequently, quick and high-quality printing. They should also be able to handle any size, shape, and style.
Conclusion
Beauty products enjoy a huge market you should consider benefitting from through different product offerings. We have discussed 13 of the most profitable lip gloss ideas you can execute, some in the comfort of your home. Take time to weigh all these options and only pick one that works for you. Also, remember to have a good business plan and marketing strategies, and you will be good to go. We wish you all the best in your endeavors.
