Freck Beauty almost failed pre-launch. Founder Remi tells us how she turned defeat into a beloved community-driven brand.
Remi has always been obsessed with freckles.
And for a while, she felt like the only one. Growing up, everyone else was trying to get rid of theirs. She can’t remember a time where she wasn’t drawn to the idea of freckles. “My childhood drawings were freckled – the dogs, the sun, the houses, the plants,” she says. This childhood fascination would eventually brew into something big and bold that even a young Remi couldn’t have drawn in her wildest dreams.
SEE ALSO: Why is no one talking about Freck Beauty’s secretly good skincare line?
In 2017, Remi’s love of freckles led to a new purpose in her life. After nine years of LA-living and a couple of career changes, Remi launched Freck Beauty. Their hero product? Obviously, a freckle pen named FRECK OG ($22). It was the beauty industry’s first cosmetic freckle product and quite frankly, it’s still the best. OG means business. In the past four years, Freck Beauty has quickly grown into many categories.
They’ve expanded the cosmetics line with their perpetually sold-out Lid Lick Eyeliners ($16) and coined cactus as the hero ingredient in their skincare line, which is a hidden gem. The Cactus Water Toner ($28) and Rich Bitch Moisturizer ($32) are ultimate complexion renewers and total must-have products.
Besides having skincare worth obsessing over and unique colorful cosmetics, it’s obvious just how important originality and creativity are to Freck Beauty. “We are the bold, clean beauty brand for anyone that cares about ingredients, respects the process, and doesn’t care about the rules,” says the brand’s website. One look at their Instagram and it’s clear they care about showcasing creatives and real people using their products more than pretty product shots. Freck Beauty is an attitude – it’s bold and brave yet humble.
If there’s one thing Remi wants consumers to know about Freck, it’s that “the products are meant to be fun and help you experiment with your self-expression – whatever that may be!”
The backstory
Remi started her career as an interior designer after going to college for branding and marketing. Her non-linear career trajectory is a perfect example that your path in college or at the beginning of your career doesn’t have to be your journey forever, but it can certainly influence it.
“I love how all the seemingly unrelated skills in your career come together toward starting your own business,” says Remi. “Freck Beauty’s brand voice and packaging really stem from my design background.”
Remi’s first mentor had decades of experience in cosmetic manufacturing. She notes this as her “lightbulb moment.”
“She was the first person to say ‘this is actually a really interesting idea,’ and her support inspired me to begin formulating,” says Remi.
Leading with the idea of creating bold products for anyone who cares about ingredients, respects the process, and doesn’t care about the rules can seem intimidating, but Remi was headstrong on this concept.
Remi says Freck Beauty actually had a bit of a bumpy start. In 2015, she launched a Kickstarter campaign called “Freck Yourself,” which was the original brand name pre-launch.
“We missed our goal and somehow became the butt of a “Jimmy Kimmel Live” joke which went viral and led to some nasty bullying,” she says. “It was a total kick in the gut! But looking back now, I wouldn’t change a thing. Failures force you to rethink what you’re doing and create something better – and that’s exactly what happened with Freck Beauty.”
The brand
Remi admits she never thought she would be where she is today. She always loved design and fashion and often turned to beauty as a form of self-expression. “I was unfamiliar with it as an industry. FRECK OG came into the world as a puzzle to unlock the perfect freckle,” she says.
Inspiration and community are important elements of Freck Beauty. Their Instagram contains a wealth of beautiful people showcasing many forms of self-expression through Freck products. Scrolling through the comments, you’ll also see fellow Freck lovers hyping up who was featured or exclaiming how much they love the same product. The brand has a cult-following that feels inclusive and safe, with Freck Beauty lovers all championing one another.
Remi’s team is 100% woman-led and operated. “I LOVE being a woman in business!” she exclaims. “Any hardships are really just proof that we need more representation as a whole, not just related to gender. We’re such a rad group of creatives, and everyone really comes together with the same goal – to constantly push the envelope and produce the best clean, high-performance products that we possibly can.”
When it comes to building a brand, Remi has some sage advice.
“Don’t be afraid to forge your own path,” she says. “Freck Beauty came to life in the least “traditional” way and that’s definitely why it resonates with our community. We never follow trends and we always have a lot of fun with beauty – screw all the rules!”
The products
The entire skincare line shares something in common: cactus! All of the products have cute names too, like So Jelly, Lil Prick, and Foreclay. Freck Beauty truly sees cactus as a “do-it-all” ingredient because it’s soothing and hydrating.
“When you think about cactus as a plant, it’s everything we want for our skin. [It’s] able to pull moisture in and store it within their cells for weeks or months at a time. It’s also a hearty plant that’s drought resistant and grows quickly enough to avoid species depletion, which is something we’re always considering as an LA brand,” says Remi.
All of the Freck products have become staples in Remi’s routine, but if she has to pick a favorite one, she would choose Cactus Water because of its formulation journey. “I really had to fight to get this one made! Most of the people I talked to, including my business partner, didn’t think anyone was interested in a toner. The genius of this product is the 1% lactic acid which makes for a squeaky clean—but not drying—result and it’s safe for morning and night use. I can’t live without it, and now Des [Freck’s COO)] agrees,” says Remi.
TLDR;
– Freck Beauty is a beauty brand that prides itself on self-expression
– Small but mighty, the brand launched just four years ago and has gained a cult following ever since
– Their skincare line utilizing cactus as the main ingredient in all its products
– Women-led and operated, Freck Beauty makes products that resonate with their community
Check out Freck Beauty on Instagram to get involved in their community. To buy, head to their site and be sure to dive into their blog, The Ooze.