Oskolab: Behind the Brand are People who Create Everything out of Passion

What was the moment of entry into the market like? What obstacles did you encounter in the beginning?

- It was very difficult at the beginning. The whole process of setting up the company took almost two years. We had to find collaborators, technologists, packaging manufacturers, the right printing house. There were a lot of obstacles, but somehow we managed. We wanted the products to be effective, so they had to pass a number of tests. Before that, we had to find the right raw materials. There was a small problem with one ingredient at the last hurdle, when we found it had been withdrawn. We had to replace it with something, but it actually worked out for us because we found an ingredient that is much better.

How did you get the idea to start your own business? Did you have any experience before?

- You could say that this is my first business. I previously worked in a beauty salon, so I had experience with cosmetics. My husband, on the other hand, works for an internet company in the sales department. Therefore, the current division of responsibilities at Oskolab is quite obvious. He deals with technical matters and I make sure that the formulas are effective and that everything is fine-tuned in terms of content - we complement each other.

There are many cosmetic brands on the market. How do you surprise the customer and how do you stand out?

- I think it is important to show one thing: there are people behind the brand who create everything out of passion. I know that there are a lot of brands on the market whose creators we don't know. Then it's harder to trust, so it's good if people show that they care. I believe that if someone has a good product, it's nothing to be ashamed of and they should be proud of it. In our Oskolab, every process was created with the idea of making the recipient curious about something, to arouse their interest and emotions. I think we have succeeded to some extent, because people are interested in our brand. We have interesting packaging, our recipes are fortified with birch sap instead of distilled water. This is different from most companies on the market.

Who were you targeting in the beginning and who are you targeting now with your cosmetics?

- I think they are aimed at everyone. There is no age or gender distinction. They can be used by both men and women. We have not defined a target group in this respect - these cosmetics can be aimed at people who are aware and may already know something about the ingredients in them. Then it generates even more interest, because if someone looks at the composition, they know that we are providing really good quality.

You talk about awareness, but I have the impression that there are still many women who reach for random cosmetics from the drugstore shelves. How do you convince them to consciously use natural products?

- I don't think drugstore cosmetics are bad, it's just more a question of whether the people who buy them are paying attention to their skin's needs, or whether they are driven by what's fashionable now. I encourage people to look at their skin so they don't use too many cosmetics unnecessarily. For example, if someone has dry skin, has a damaged hydrolipidic barrier, their skin is irritated, and they see that retinol or active ingredients are popular now, they choose what is fashionable. Meanwhile, the focus should be on minimalism, basic, gentle cleansing, moisturising, regeneration, and only later reach for stronger active ingredients. This is what conscious skincare is all about. You should first know your skin's needs and then choose cosmetics that are tailored to your specific needs.

How are vegan cosmetics better than ordinary cosmetics?

- I don't quite think they are better. Vegan cosmetics do not contain animal raw materials. I think both zoonotic and plant-based raw materials are effective. It's more about values, philosophy etc. We respect people who choose cosmetics even with animal ingredients, and we also respect vegans. At Oskolab, we are guided by our values and I decided that we would run a company based on vegan cosmetics.

On your website under the MIKROSKOP tab, there is substantive, advisory content. Do you have a team responsible for this or do you create it yourself?

- I do it myself. Microscope was created before our website was even launched. I even remember making my first post about the allergy test. I'm a bit short on time for now to be honest, but I plan to develop it. I think there's potential there - these will ultimately be guides based on scientific sources, so it will be useful for people who are interested in these particular tips.

You mentioned social media posts. How do you operate on this level? According to a planned strategy or rather intuitively?

- I must admit that it is difficult for me to plan something, so it often comes out spontaneously. Of course, there are plans, but sometimes I just think of what I am going to write about, sit down in the morning and prepare it. The next day it's published. But we always put our hearts into it, we get involved, we want the posts to be unique and original. So I look for the right articles, I read books, I find descriptions. I try to make it appealing to the customer so that they find something attractive on our profile. I think people like it because they often write to us that everything is consistent.

How do you promote your products? Are your customers regulars who recommend your cosmetics to their friends?

- We use sponsored posts on both Facebook and Instagram. It's hard to do without that these days when it comes to an online shop. I can see in the orders that they're by referral because they're from the same street, the same town, so in that respect this community is effectively formed.

Do you undertake collaborations with influencers?

- It happens, because a lot of people write to us. I usually try to check the profile of the person who wants to collaborate with us. I would like this person's profile to correspond with our brand values. We will be looking for female ambassadors in some time and we will probably develop this more.

So you don't have to look for influencers yourself, the influencers apply themselves?

- I'll be honest, I didn't know how it worked in the past and I was convinced that I would have to look for someone myself. However, when we launched, we had a lot of people sign up almost immediately and we still do, so it follows that something is attracting these people. I'm glad that this interest is not waning. For the time being, there aren't too many of these collaborations, perhaps this is because we need to replenish our stock. Then we will start the phase of creating a group of ambassadors.

In your social media marketing activities, do you use the expertise of experts, do you work with a photographer or do you do everything yourself?

- As far as the photographer is concerned, we have one in place and we work with him. We get a lot of photographers back, which is probably because we have a nice product in terms of visuals. We happen to work together on a barter basis. However, when it comes to marketing, we do everything ourselves. Of course, we train ourselves, we buy books. Some things are difficult at the beginning, but as time goes by they become easier and easier.

In what three words would you describe your brand?

- Transparency, unconventionality and commitment.

What kind of reception do you get on social media? How often do you get questions under your posts?

- Questions do happen. I think the reception is positive, people call us and say that we probably use a marketing company. This is nice because we are doing it ourselves and it appears to be successful. They say our profile is consistent, everything is polished. It hasn't happened to us that someone has written that they don't like something. Certainly if they did, I would like to clarify any objections to our cosmetics or posts. As I mentioned before, everything is based on scientific sources, so there is no reason why someone should not like it. We haven't encountered an unpleasant situation yet, so it's fine for now.

How many employees does your company have and what is essential in running your own business?

- When it came to getting colleagues, it was a very long process in which you had to learn patience. I am generally not a patient person, but this company taught me that. You definitely need a bit of luck. You can look for these collaborators on the internet, you can go to trade fairs, you can check reviews. We are currently working with companies from both Poland and abroad. So far we are satisfied, everything is going in the right direction and I hope that no changes will be needed.

In the future, would you like to open a stationary shop or will you rely solely on online business?

- Perhaps one day I would like to have a stationary shop. We come from a small town, so I think it certainly wouldn't be here, but a showroom of some kind would definitely be useful. Although we're not looking that far into the future yet.

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