Graduate spotlight: Ouli’s Ointment – raising a family and a cult beauty brand

Before Stephanie Gannon Malcom met Formula Botanica, she had already decided on two things. As a new mother, she wanted to create more time for her family; and she would do this by starting her own business developed from an idea gleaned from her career as a makeup artist.

Enter Ouli’s Ointment – Stephanie’s brand inspired by her Greek heritage and her family’s olive groves. During her 15-plus years as a makeup artist, she regularly saw models with skin inflammation caused by continuously applying a high makeup load. That’s when the idea struck her: Stephanie needed a product that could soothe skin fast, but had the right texture to act as a primer under makeup – and ideally, she would create this product herself.

Stephanie thinks of herself as an “accidental entrepreneur” because although she wanted to start a business, the idea for her product came to her spontaneously rather than from a defined plan. Also, she didn’t know enough about formulation or what it took to run a beauty business. “I needed to understand more, and the best way to do that was through a course,” she says.

She came across Formula Botanica and enrolled in the Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation programme, graduating two years later. What was originally a plan to create one product – an all-in-one beauty balm for all skin types – bloomed into a brand with a full product line. Through her diploma programme, Stephanie gained the skills to formulate different types of products and she found the Formula Botanica community to be a crucial part of her learning experience.

Her line now includes that perfect multi-use balm that she dreamed of (plus a vegan version), her all-in-one “Ola Oil”, and massage candles along with food-grade, extra-virgin olive oil from her family’s groves in Greece – the same nutrient-packed oil uses in her skincare.

Stephanie now has the freedom to focus on her brand full time and enjoys ample time with her kids – which was the original goal of owning a business. If you’re considering entrepreneurship, Stephanie offers this advice: “If there’s a feeling in your heart to do this, follow it. You’re always going to be learning – there’s no ‘right’ time, so jump in.”

Interview highlights include Stephanie talking about:

• Balancing motherhood with launching a beauty business;
• Why she chose to create a sustainable brand, from ingredients to packaging;
• Her learning experience with Formula Botanica; and
• Why you shouldn’t wait to start your beauty brand.

Find out more about Stephanie and her beauty brand:
Website: Ouli Ointment
Instagram: @oulisointment

Inspired by Stephanie’s story? Join us

Formula Botanica has the blueprint for the kind of life-changing transformation Stephanie achieved. Our flagship International Organic Skincare Entrepreneur Program opens for enrolment soon. This program takes you all the way from learning how to formulate and create beautiful botanical products to giving you a road map to start the beauty business of your dreams, whether you wish to stay local or take things further afield.

Sign up for our free Masterclass in which we teach you how to make a botanical eye cream and then show you how you can turn that formulation into a business. Get your free ticket now and join our Masterclass to get you started in formulation and your own entrepreneurial path.

Take a look also at these related articles on starting a beauty brand:

How to Start a Beauty Brand on a Small Budget
10 Steps to a Beauty Brand Business Plan

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Lorraine Dallmeier

Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetic science school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.