Price and quality are often correlated in beauty consumers’ minds, but Heather Jones is out to convince them that correlation isn’t reality, at least when it comes to Luci. Her new brand vows to deliver products that pack a punch without prices that pack a wallop.
Luci, which is the Italian word for light and pronounced lu-chi, is starting with a single product, Metalit, boasting four uses and a price of $12.95. Jones describes it is a highlighter, moisturizer, treatment and sleeping mask. It will be available in a gold revitalizing option with acai, calcium and potassium; a bronze nourishing choice with sweet almond oil; and a silver detoxifying variant with vitamin C and moringa oil.
“I like products that are multifunctional, fun to use, can grow with my routine and adapt to what I need,” says Jones. “The most important thing is I don’t want consumers to have buyers’ remorse. I want them to feel confident knowing they’re getting a quality product with a lot of benefits that isn’t going to break the bank.”
Metalit has a gel consistency, and Jones details that it leaves a soft, dewy glow when wiped from the skin. Unlike her experience with gold masks that predate Metalit, she underscores its formula doesn’t dry out and isn’t tough to remove.
Luci’s packaging relies on a black-and-white color palette that provides a stark counterpoint to the shiny colors of the Metalit recipe. The product’s jar container is white with Luci written in black vani bold font on the top. It comes encased in a white box with metallic sparkles and glossy black on the inside.
Jones, who’s career has largely been in real estate branding and marketing, invested $30,000 to create Luci. In the first year the brand is on the market, her goal is to register around $60,000 in sales. “None of that is going into our pocket. It’s going toward new products and marketing,” she says. Jones elaborates that the brand is intentionally starting small and will tweak merchandise according to feedback it receives from customers.
Luci is targeting millennial and gen z customers. Jones aims to reach them through its direct-to-consumer platform to keep pricing low. “She’s savvy, and she knows that beauty companies often use contract manufacturing facilities,” she says. “They’re catching on to the fact that luxury products don’t always equate to a luxury price tag. She deserves a luxury product at an affordable price.”
To assist with the development of Luci, Jones turned to 10 members of Temple University’s Fashion and Business Club. They’ve modeled for the brand and produced content. One student, Monique Jones, is honing Luci’s Instagram style evoking Italian sophistication and relaxation. Seven students participated in a shoot for Luci that resulted in photos for its website and social media channels.
Metalit is produced in Italy, and Jones says one of the biggest challenges in getting Luci off the ground has been dealing with lead times and logistics. “It’s definitely difficult to work in international markets. I probably need to be more patient,” admits Jones. She says Luci has hired a shipping company to oversee the delivery of its products from port to port, and that has eased the process of bringing the merchandise to United States.
In the fourth quarter of this year, Luci plans to release two additional skincare products that are also made in Italy. In general, though, Jone’s objective at the outset of Luci is to lay the foundation for the brand to be bigger than individual items. “I hope we transcend being a product company. I really want to build a brand that’s even more than a brand,” she says. “I’m constantly inspired by the input of our consumers. They’re like family to me, and I want to have the consumers really be a part of the brand.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.