Local skincare entrepreneur fulfils childhood dream
Determination combined with a long winding path led Claire Auis to create Auolive
Singaporean entrepreneur Claire Auis the founder of beauty brand Auolive, but the path towards fulfilling her dream was a winding one.
Behind the range of premium multi-functional skincare products - launched in May last year - is the story of a young girl's aspiration to start her own beauty line one day.
The 35-year-old, who has a four-month-old son, told The New Paper: "When I was young, I'd see my mum taking a lot of time putting on layers of cream...
"So I wanted to come up with something that is fuss-free and effective, yet saves time."
It took Ms Au more than 10 years to get to where she is.
In 2004, after graduating from the Singapore Management University with a degree in business management, she ventured into the luxury goods industry.
But because the "entrepreneurial bug was calling", Ms Au took a shot at being a hawker in 2007, selling fish soup with her businessman father.
She said: "I wanted to try my hand at running a business, and we had a good family recipe."
After she sold the business in 2010, she returned to the corporate world as an account manager, which she left in 2014 to focus on growing Auolive.
She said: "Both are customer-facing businesses and I know I have to be good with people to succeed.
"I have to learn how to properly serve customers while managing my own staff."
Auolive's four key products, priced between $58 and $138, are Swiss-formulated with natural active ingredients and manufactured in Singapore.
It comprises the Day Glower (moisturiser, sunscreen, anti-ageing serum and make-up primer all combined into one), Night Booster (collagen moisturiser), Eyes Lifter (eye serum) and Radiance Revealer (superfruit exfoliating gel).
PRO-LOCAL
Ms Au said: "One of the current beauty trends is that people are more into natural, active ingredients, and there is also a strong pro-local movement... Auolive is a combination of that."
Auolive is available at Naiise at Katong I12, Shaw Centre, The Cathay, Tangs VivoCity and online.
Ms Au spent two years on research and development to test the products' efficacy and texture, working with dermatologists and cosmetic scientists.
She said: "Especially with our (humid weather), I wanted to make sure the products absorb quickly without feeling sticky."
She added: "Women are getting busier and having to multi-task, be it at work or as mums, so I want to help them with their multi-step skincare regimen (by cutting down the number of steps)."
Since Auolive's launch amid an ultra competitive industry, the response has been "encouraging".
Said Ms Au: "As Auolive is an anti-ageing skincare brand, I notice many of our customers are mums and women in their 30s."
She added: "The e-commerce market moves quickly, so sometimes it can be a challenge trying to keep up to date, and there are so many beauty brands in other parts of the world...
"So I focus on Auolive's unique selling point, which is understanding the local market, the climate we live in and being able to cater to (women here)."
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