Enterprise: MUSE The Skin Company
Why they stand out online: In the last six months, Tan has sold over 5000 bottles of her signature Butt Gloss Oil worldwide.
MUSE The Skin Company was launched in 2019 by Tan Boonsirisuk, a passionate businesswoman and committed advocate for female empowerment. “After experiencing post-pregnancy body changes, I searched tirelessly for effective skincare solutions that were formulated specifically for the issues,” Tan says. “This struggle drove me to create Butt Gloss Oil – a product tailored to tackle stretch marks, cellulite and hormonal spots, empowering women to embrace their bodies and challenge beauty norms. I want to boost women’s confidence and normalise the ‘b’ word in skincare – ‘Be your own muse’ is my motto.” Tan designed the Butt Gloss specifically to celebrate and address the unique needs of the feminine body, allowing women to reclaim their power and practise self-love in “ways they never thought possible”.
Infused with naturally nourishing ingredients such as Juniper berry oil, avocado oil, mandarin oil and sea buckthorn oil, the product Tan describes as a ‘skincare saviour’ is used to hydrate and replenish whilst helping eliminate unwanted skin concerns, including acne, bumps, stretch marks, dark spots and cellulite. It can be used as a correcting treatment or as a butt skin hydrator.
“Digital access granted us the freedom to showcase our products with flair.”
The brand is also dedicated to adopting sustainable processes. The Butt Gloss Oil is built on plant-based and cruelty-free foundations. The product has been a big hit with consumers, especially in the Asian market. “The feedback has been overwhelming, with women expressing newfound confidence and self-assurance after using Butt Gloss,” Tan avers. “In the last six months, we’ve sold over 5000 bottles worldwide and just landed MUSE in Wolf & Badger, one of the world’s biggest retail stores.”
All Tan’s products are hand-bottled and packaged, made in small batches at her boutique factory, which the brand owns and runs itself. Passionate about supporting local producers and suppliers, Tan makes it a priority to formulate her products with local ingredients whenever possible. “We are all about supporting fellow small-business owners within our community,” she explains. “Collaborating with local suppliers not only ensures the finest quality but also nurtures meaningful connections.”
On the packaging front, over half of MUSE’s bottles are made from recycled materials and the brand has partnered up with Hero Packaging – all its mailing boxes are home compostable, recyclable and biodegradable. Tan is working towards formulating exclusively with sustainable sources so that she can continue to minimise the company’s impact on the environment, ecosystems and communities, while also championing sustainable native ingredient sources. Her ultimate aim is to transition MUSE into a zero-waste company in the near future.
Tan’s decision to set up MUSE as an eCommerce venture was an easy one for her. “It opened doors to connecting with a diverse audience worldwide, sharing our vision of empowerment directly with customers,” she says. “The digital access granted us the freedom to showcase our products with flair, sharing our brand’s story with smart strategies across multiple online platforms.
Tan sees the future for MUSE as an exciting journey of growth and empowerment. “We are introducing three more products by the end of 2023,” she enthuses. “Our aim is to forge strong partnerships with major online retailers, including those in the US and UK. We are part of the EMDG [Export Market Development Grants Scheme] funded by AusTrade to help launch our Australian-made products into the international markets.
“Above all, we plan to inspire women worldwide to embrace their unique beauty and feel confident in their own skin – a vision that drives us every day,” Tan concludes.
This article first appeared in issue 42 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
