We all know that kids love to get creative, and Oh Flossy, the Australian brand creating 100% natural kids’ play makeup, nail polish and face paint, let’s them do just that with no added stresses for parents. Each product is safe for sensitive skin, cruelty-free, and completely non-toxic and can be easily washed off with water alone.
The brand, a proud member of the Australian Toy Association, creates everything from sprinkle makeup brush sets to glitter lipsticks and more. Owner and director Vanessa Neyman opens up about taking over the brand in the middle of the pandemic and the things she wish she’d known before diving in.
“I made the decision to leave my comfortable corporate job in the middle of a global pandemic and have a go at relaunching a children’s makeup line. If I said I wasn’t nervous I would be kidding myself. But I had to give it a try. As a past customer and mum of a littlie with sensitive skin, I knew there was something special about Oh Flossy. And I had a clear idea of where – in time – I needed to take this little cutie so it could reach its potential.
"I know that if your mission is clear and authentic and you have a passion to deliver to that mission, then everything else becomes a whole lot easier! Our products solve a problem for parents, grandparents and other important people in kids lives, who are looking for a gift for little one’s who want to start role playing with makeup. They may be concerned about the ingredients that they are putting on their skin while also looking for an age-appropriate product for them to play with. Oh Flossy offers a safe alternative for their kids without sacrificing their precious sensitive skin with harmful chemicals which are often found in mass produced products.”
“Not long after we first re-launched we received a video from a mum whose 5 year-old girl had received Oh Flossy makeup, brushes and a headband as a birthday gift. Her daughter had recorded herself playing with her makeup and in it she showed her friends how to apply Oh Flossy makeup. Throughout the video she commented on the beautiful colours and the cute icon faces on the lids and how they helped her to know where to use the products. The pure look of happiness and joy on her face was precious! This was a pinch myself moment! A product that we created and had put so much time, care and passion into, was being enjoyed by a little one in just the way we had hoped and this makes it all worthwhile! Seeing the way kids react to our range when we meet them at markets or seeing photos and videos of kids using our products is truly our favourite part of the job!”
“I wish I knew that I should back myself more! If we started again we would definitely adopt a more agile approach - test ideas on the go, look for value and make quick decisions, fail fast (light and inexpensively) learn and pivot.”
“You can’t be what you can’t see right? For us, we believe that by supporting female-led businesses, we are forging a path for the next generation to believe that they can do anything that they want. The more that we support female-led businesses, the more we will see thrive!”
