The Founder’s Formula: Each month, Cosmoprof North America profiles founders to learn more about their journey, why they attend Cosmoprof North America, and how the show helps their brand grow.
This month, we heard from Denise van Gulik, CEO and founder of Céleste Originals & Brands. The company initially developed private labels for international retailers, focusing on paper and hygiene products. The brand followed its passion for the world of cosmetics, branching into formula development, creative concepts, and brand incubation for the beauty industry. Last year, the company introduced Faeves, a collection of “beauty gems” that combine exciting innovations with the perfect blend of quality, efficacy, affordability and a touch of sunshine.
The Inspiration Behind the Brand:
The name Faeves says it all. After being in the industry for such a long time, we saw cool and exciting product opportunities that didn’t fit into our other businesses. We are a team of nine women, and we test everything. Sometimes we love a product so much, and we’re disappointed when it doesn’t get launched. We said, Why don’t we launch it under our own brand. That was how Faeves was born—it’s a collection of team favorites. We try to think of ways to differentiate our products—for example, there are many light therapy masks on the market, so we took a fun angle and made ours in the shape of a cat. It got a lot of highlights at Cosmoprof North America in Miami.
We practice Pilates with our team every Tuesday, and we are aware of the benefits of LED light on the body. So, we created a red-light yoga mat that attracted people to us in Miami.
The Road to Cosmoprof North America: Strategies for Success
I attended my first Cosmoprof in Hong Kong 14 years ago. I had a booth for Céleste, and I came in contact with people there I still talk to. My first Cosmoprof Las Vegas was 10 years ago, and my first Miami was in 2024. What I like about Cosmoprof is that it is a get-together with our suppliers, customers, and retailers. All of our networks come to the same place.
We had two booths in Miami, one for Céleste and Faeves in Discover Beauty. We thought Faeves should have its own place so that people could discover us outside of Céleste. It’s nice to be surrounded by new brands, and we know that people come specifically to this area to discover new items.
The Cosmoprof team is all super helpful. We try to think outside the box, and we appreciate that they are always willing to work with us.
The Pay Off:
Cosmoprof is great for meeting new customers. For Faeves, we wanted to meet not only traditional retail, but also e-commerce and subscription boxes. We got multiple retail deals from Cosmoprof, including Urban Outfitters and Thirteen Lune. We also received a lot of press from the event, and walking the show was great to see new products and innovations that could be perfect for Faeves. And it’s great to be with your team in a different spot than the office!
Categorized in: Founder Focus