The pandemic has really provided many people with an opportunity to reflect on their purchasing decisions – a trend that had already been gaining momentum for several years, but accelerated during the pandemic
The road to convenience is paved with great ideas; just ask Selina Ved, a young entrepreneur who came up with the idea of launching her own brand while shopping online and having some issues.
“When I was shopping for beauty products online, I realized that I had to go to several different websites to get all the products I wanted to achieve a look,” she recalls.
“This is what struck me: I was reading reviews on a website; watch one tutorial on another; and buy the products on several others – on average I had more than five tabs open on my browser.
Selina realized that unlike fashion brands, there was no “one stop shop” for beauty. She thought how much more convenient and fluid it would be to have a destination that not only lists all the products a person wants, but also offers knowledge on how to use them. Armed with an idea, she traveled to the one place many entrepreneurs go to turn their ideas into reality.
“I was operating in my parents’ basement,” she laughs. “I’ve always been told that the success of an idea depends on your conviction, and I have great faith in Nessa.”
Selina launched Nessa earlier this year to be a one-stop-shop beauty platform that inspires and educates the average beauty lover by offering an all-in-one technology solution for purchasing makeup and skincare products. skin. The platform offers the whole beauty experience, encouraging all stages, from product discovery to final acquisition.
From the start, Selina has said that Nessa will represent the full “authentic” experience. While she recognizes the role influencers play in a product’s popularity, she wanted to make sure that all content shared on Nessa was created by beauty and skincare enthusiasts.
“At the end of the day, a lot of influencers get paid to promote certain products. We want people to vouch for a product because they actively use it, and that’s something that only comes with time.
Asked about the decision to launch Nessa amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Selina said she had observed how beauty was changing in the region at the time, and decided it was time to “push on the accelerator pedal “.
The pandemic, she said, was truly a time for many people to reflect on their purchasing decisions – a trend that had already gained momentum for several years, but accelerated during the pandemic. “The blockages have seen many DIY skin care routines shared on social media; people made face masks using ingredients they had at home and using techniques shared by beauty experts, and even their mothers and grandmothers. We’ve seen a lot of emphasis on green beauty, clean beauty, and even halal beauty. “
It was in this direction that Selina saw Nessa take. “We want to be the social media for beauty with a platform focused on content and education. Before Covid-19, we were told that 50% of decisions made are made online but executed offline. This is the void we want to fill. Our goal is to truly disrupt the beauty industry with our AI and other technology solutions. Already, we’ve seen a lot of curiosity for the brand since our launch, and we’re seeing quite a few people downloading the Nessa app and visiting the Nessa website.
Highlighting her plans for Nessa, she said it’s important to monitor what customers are looking for in the market at all times, but also to see where innovation takes you. “In the future, we believe that clean beauty, Ayurvedic products and halal beauty have enormous potential in this sector. We are also looking to add more brands to our portfolio; currently we have over 150, but we want to add more, including luxury brands. These include well-known global beauty brands, but also independent brands that are not so well known. There is already a lot of talk about Korean beauty and skin care brands in the industry, but what about Scandinavian and Japanese brands? “
Going forward, she says she intends to officially launch Nessa before the end of this year. In addition, Nessa will also play a key role in expanding her offline presence by hosting masterclasses with famous beauty gurus, specialists and makeup artists. “The misconception that beauty revolves around cosmetics is long gone; it’s about hygiene, skin care, body health and more. Today’s consumers are more engaged and seek to learn more about the products they use. Our vision will always be to inspire and educate our customers. People passionate about beauty and skin care will feel right at home.
