Cosmetics: Arithmetiq bets on the popularity of “homemade”

With growth estimated in France at nearly 20% per year, the boom in organic and natural cosmetics is not going away. A trend due as much to consumer enthusiasm as to the proliferation of players entering this niche. Among the latest brands to try their luck, we find Arithmetiq, whose online store has been operational since 1^er October. Will it emerge in the middle of an ocean of offers? Perhaps this new “digital native vertical brands” (DNVB), founded in solo by Maxime Lasplanchas in August 2019, found a way to stand out. Its range of three shampoos is indeed offered in the form of a kit. Sold for 25 euros each, each box is made up of four ingredients, packaged in bottles and pre-dosed vials. It is up to the user to make the mixture himself to obtain the final product, 95% of which is of natural origin.

The example of Feed

According to a study carried out last summer by Toluna for the I Make platform, a third of women claim to have already concocted themselves at least one hygiene-beauty product. Nearly one in ten French people even do it regularly. Thus, the creator hopes to ride the wave of DIY (do-it-yourself) which accelerated during the confinement “ by bringing its touch of difference with the kit, an original format “.

The advantage of the formula is the ease of use, since there is no need for equipment, which opens up a very wide target. ” It is not the fanatics of home cosmetics who are targeted, but all those who hesitate to take the plunge due to too much complexity of development », Explains the young manager, who cut his teeth at L’Oréal, Carrefour and more recently at Feed. (meal in powder or bar). Maxime Lasplanchas does not hide his inspiration from this last employer. ” Cooking and preparing cosmetics yourself is a bit the same thing and Feed., Like us, makes these processes simpler. », He says. Abroad, similar activities, such Coscoon in Germany got off to a good start.

Will this be enough to get the young shoot off the ground? The future will tell, but the crowdfunding campaign, carried out on the Ulule platform in December 2019, is an encouraging first indicator, with 305 presales out of a target of 150. In the process, to have the first series produced, the start- up benefited from a honor loan of 20,000 euros by Hauts-de-Seine Initiative. With a merchant site now operational, the challenge for the next few months will be to grow sales very quickly by relying on the Facebook and Instagram networks. In the event of convincing results, demonstrating the existence of a real market, a fundraising is considered.