Crowdsourced beauty brand Volition Beauty has launched a new Beauty Accelerator Program to support beauty creators in developing their brands. With this program, Volition Beauty’s new division, Creator Brands, offers creators infrastructure support and market access while enabling them to retain control over their brand identity.
The program will impact a wide range of industry players, particularly manufacturers, contract labs, packaging vendors, and other suppliers who will support product development and production for these new brands through the introduction of a support model that seeks to capitalize on the growing trend of creator-led product lines in the beauty industry.
CosmeticsDesign spoke to Paul Deacon, General Manager at Volition Beauty, who shared that “creators are looking for businesses to support the back-end of their businesses, while maintaining complete creative control,” and explained that the program both publicizes the new Creator Brands division and invites creators to develop unique beauty products as part of Volition’s portfolio.
Industry opportunities for beauty suppliers and manufacturers
Volition’s Accelerator Program aims to create opportunities for beauty suppliers and contract manufacturers who meet specific criteria, including flexibility in production and a willingness to innovate. The program allows participating creators to access Volition’s existing contract labs and packaging vendors network, and the structure can help streamline development while giving suppliers access to a new wave of creator-led brands.
Deacon noted that the program will start with lower minimum order quantities (MOQs) for initial production, making it accessible to newer brands that may not yet have large-scale distribution but plan to scale over time. “Our business model allows us to gauge demand,” he said, and then “build to bigger production runs. ” This approach benefits suppliers who are positioned to accommodate variable production volumes while aligning with the flexible demand of emerging brands.
Transparent partnerships and long-term growth potential
“The principal benefits [for manufacturers and suppliers] are complete transparency with how we operate and flexibility as we build and scale new Creator Brands together,” said Deacon. The program has been designed to encourage suppliers to become strategic partners in developing emerging brands that could have significant growth trajectories and facilitate long-term business relationships.
Deacon highlighted that the goal is for some of these creator brands to grow into substantial businesses over time, potentially yielding high-value relationships for the vendors participating in their early development. “We have every hope that some of these new Creator Brands will be huge brands in years to come, and for some vendors, being part of that journey can be very exciting,” he added.
Strategic approach to product development and demand forecasting
Volition Beauty’s Accelerator Program introduces an element of demand forecasting by involving consumers directly in the development process for Volition-branded products. Through a model similar to crowdfunding, creators will gauge interest and potential demand by allowing consumers to pre-order, providing early insights into market potential.
“The creators’ audiences essentially vote with their credit cards,” Deacon explained, noting that this approach allows Volition to identify high-demand products and adjust production accordingly.
This demand-driven model benefits suppliers by reducing the risks associated with untested products, as the demand is assessed before scaling production. For contract labs and manufacturers, this consumer-backed model can lead to a more stable production outlook and increased efficiency in forecasting demand for new product launches.
Potential for expanded product categories and diversification
While the Accelerator Program’s initial launch is limited to North America, Deacon clarified that moving forward, the program could eventually support a wide range of product types beyond the initial Volition-branded lines. According to Deacon, the program allows creators to move beyond limited-SKU products, potentially expanding to more complex lines as their brands grow. This could require suppliers that can diversify and manage a broad portfolio of products, especially as creators look to expand their brands beyond the Volition label.
In addition, Volition’s infrastructure support, which includes formulation, packaging, regulatory compliance, and distribution, will be crucial for suppliers and manufacturers as these brands expand. Deacon specified that Volition Beauty supports “formulation, packaging, testing, regulatory, legal, warehousing, and building a go-to-market plan,” which are essential steps for brands aiming for rapid and compliant market entry.
Paul Deacon, General Manager at Volition Beauty
