“We are trying to reinvent the simple beauty roller,” says Marta Pichlak-Miarka, who founded new beauty device brand Carbonnique with dermatologist Monika Konczalska. “We looked at all the tools on the market, and we both felt we couldn’t find a tool that was on par aesthetically with our favorite beauty products. They all looked the same, and some of them looked like torture devices. Nobody was looking at beauty tools from a design perspective.”
Pichlak-Miarka and Konczalska began developing Carbonnique in May 2018 with a design perspective from the get-go. Drawing inspiration from calligraphy pens that rest comfortably in people’s hands, they worked with Chiara Orlandini, previously a footwear designer at Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani, to craft a roller from scratch. Manufactured in Italy in small batches, it’s set to launch Thursday on Onda Beauty’s website, and at the clean beauty retailer’s Tribeca and Sag Harbor stores in New York.
Priced at $129 and packaged with pure rosehip oil, Carbonnique’s roller has two heads shaped to fit facial contours. “We started with the idea that we wanted to replicate the movement of aestheticians,” says Pichlak-Miarka. “The two massaging heads, which make us different from most tools, are trying to imitate the knuckle movements of aestheticians, and they’re uniquely designed for the jawline and cheekbones.”
The heads are made from alumina ceramic, a strong material known for its biocompatibility that’s put in hip and knee replacements. Pichlak-Miarka points out ceramic is well-suited to sensitive skin. “I have very sensitive skin myself, and I can’t use a multistep beauty routine,” she says. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted a tool because I wanted an elevated beauty routine without applying too many ingredients on my skin.” The heads in Carbonnique’s roller are placed on a handle constructed from sustainably-sourced walnut wood. Pichlak-Miarka says, “Sustainability is at the core of everything we do.”
Onda Beauty will be incorporating the tool in a facial. “It’s exceptional for massaging the face and neck, stimulating circulation and toning muscles with a gentle inward cradling action,” says Onda Beauty co-founder Larissa Thomson. “Reducing visible signs of aging, wrinkles, sagging and increasing elasticity is just some of what this unique tool can achieve. We can’t wait for our customers to experience it!”
An account director at media agency OMD, Pichlak-Miarka conducted focus groups and market research to understand what role Carbonnique could and should play in consumers’ lives. She learned they’d only embrace it if it wasn’t overly onerous. Carbonnique’s roller isn’t meant to be difficult. Consumers with sensitive skin are instructed to glide it smoothly over their neck and face for five minutes or less. Others can do so for up to 15 minutes. For normal skin, the roller can be employed daily. Carbonnique’s site has a skin quiz that directs consumers to a face-rolling regimen appropriate for them.
“We are trying to reinvent the simple beauty roller.”
“Women told us that they don’t want more complex steps in their beauty routine. They were looking for something simple and effective that they could do while sitting on the sofa,” says Pichlak-Miarka. “We had the Netflix test. The Netflix test is: Can you do it on the sofa while relaxing and watching a movie?”
Carbonnique’s history predates the pandemic, but the pandemic has been a growth driver for beauty devices as spa disruptions have forced consumers to turn to DIY at-home treatments. Pichlak-Miarka believes that, even when the pandemic subsides, they’ll be interested in devices to prolong the results of professional services and rely on in between them. She also suggests that there’s a burgeoning group of consumers, particularly in the clean beauty set that’s a target of Carbonnique, drawn to natural alternatives to plastic surgery and Botox.
“What I see in the beauty industry right now is women are so tired of meeting beauty standards. I think beauty is going in the direction of it being more important how you feel than how you look. We are looking for products that make us happy and feel pleasure,” says Pichlak-Miarka. “So, our rolling experience isn’t a chore. We want this to be part of your routine, but we don’t want this to feel like a routine. It should feel like a gift you’re giving yourself and a moment of pause.”
Self-funded Carbonnique took about $60,000 to bring to fruition. For its first six to 10 months of availability, Pichlak-Miarka’s goal is to sell 500 pieces monthly. After that, she hopes its sales will increase to 1,000 pieces monthly.
“We want this to be part of your routine, but we don’t want this to feel like a routine.”
In June 2019, Pichlak-Miarka introduced Carbonnique to Thomson with a prototype of its roller, and the Onda Beauty co-founder encouraged her to keep going. “She gave me confidence that there is a niche in the market,” says Pichlak-Miarka. “There are so many beautiful clean beauty products, but you can’t find something on the beauty tool side.” Carbonnique is premiering exclusively in retail at Onda Beauty. Following its debut there, Pichlak-Miarka plans to build its direct-to-consumer presence. She says it will invest in social media advertising, and mentioned Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest as the social media platforms it will concentrate on. Educational content will be big priority for Carbonnique.
Pichlak-Miarka’s objective is to eventually broaden Carbonnique’s distribution at clean beauty retailers such as Follain, The Detox Market and Shen Beauty. “A product like ours really requires someone to show it and explain how to use it,” she says. “Indie beauty retailers really have an advantage in doing that over big retailers. They can really engage with the consumer.”
The heads on Carbonnique’s roller are removable for sanitization. The removal enables the possibility that heads of different sizes can be placed on the handle. The brand intends to offer a range of heads for various purposes in the future. A body roller is slated to be its second product. Down the line, Pichlak-Miarka’s ambition is to remake LED devices with sophisticated design in mind.
She acknowledges convincing consumers to purchase beauty tools isn’t without challenges that Carbonnique will have to confront in order to be successful. “A lot of women have concerns that they will buy the tool, and they will never use it again,” says Pichlak-Miarka. “So, I think the challenge is to convince them that it’s so easy to use, and it’s not something that will complicate their beauty routine. It will just make it more enjoyable.”
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