We spoke with founder of Cake Beauty, Heather Reier about her reasons behind the business of clean bath and body personal care. Talk about delicious!… “Cake [Beauty] is about being playful and girly with a hint of nostalgia. It’s decadent, sweet and buttery fragrances have undertones of warm vanilla.” says Reier.
CANADIAN HAIRDRESSER MAGAZINE: Tell us why you created Cake Beauty?
“I saw a niche in the market – to combine natural cruelty-free raw ingredients with a fun girly sensibility. I thought why are all natural products so boring looking in brown, drab packaging? I loved how my idea was so different and decadent.”
CHM: How long have you had the business?
“I started over 15 years ago in the kitchen. I was home based back then in a small 500 sq ft studio. It was very grass roots and organic. There wasn’t a lot of brands out there that were natural at the time. Where I grew up in Kitchener there was an exposure to natural when we shopped at the Mennonites farmers market.”
CHM: Tell us about the challenges of starting a beauty brand?
“One of the big challenges of starting a brand is starting small. You don’t have access to resources and money as the big brands do. It’s important to stay strong to your brand and understand what makes your story special. I went with the homemade story route which was a home based kitchen out in rural Ontario. That became my PR story.”
CHM: What was your big break?
“My big break was when I started working with Sephora. It was successful there. I learned a lot by going into the stores which gave me a human connection with the staff and customers which helped me develop products.”
CHM: Tell us about the cruelty-free factor of your business?
“Our formulations are certified as both cruelty free and vegan by PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies. We don’t buy ingredients from any supplier that tests on animals or sell products in any environment that requires us to conduct animal testing.”
CHM: What sweet new products are coming our way?
“Right now we have 40 skus and we are launching a Sulfate Free Swirl Shampoo and Soft Serve Cream Rinse Conditioner that contain a micro protein from the sea to repel dirt, oil and pollutants. This will help extend your wash a lot longer. We also have a flexi-hold hairspray that has style memory to add shine and hold without build up.”
“I started 15 years ago in my kitchen and used that as my PR story.”
CHM: What’s next for the Cake Beauty Brand?
“In an effort to scale the company internationally, Cake Beauty partnered with Marc Anthony in Jan of 2018 combining our resources of sales, distribution and R&D. We are looking forward to a great future!”