We're always on the hunt for the best beauty products to try, so we were super excited when Tara, Founder and Director of Rococo Body Oil, agreed to chat to us about her incredible line of body oils! We asked her about her beautiful products, the story behind them, and how she got to where she is today. Read below!

 

Tell us about your brand.

Rococo Body Oils is a clean beauty and skincare company based on Sydney's northern beaches. I started the concept for Rococo in 2016. I always knew I wanted to do something with oils because I knew the amazing benefits of them and loved them myself. However, I only got so far with it because it felt like there was an element missing. In late 2017, I fell pregnant and I wasn't happy with the body oil offerings on the market—nothing deemed "clean beauty" felt luxurious and everything in the luxe category was expensive and not really clean, so I started to redevelop my initial body oil idea.

From there, Rococo Body Oils was born and it felt authentic—it was a product I could truly believe in. That's most definitely what I enjoy most about running my own business: creating a product and brand I believe in and that others believe in and want to be a part of. Falling pregnant and being more in tune with what goes in and on my body really gave me the drive to create the products.

What makes Rococo Body Oils so unique from other oils on the market?

The Crystal Infusion element to the products! We were one of the first skincare companies to do this. We pride ourselves on being a modern, inclusive, luxury brand that is clean and conscious. We really think about our packaging, manufacturing, diversity, sustainability, and the environmental and social impacts of what we are creating. We want to do better for the planet, for ourselves, and for the industry. 

What's your favourite Rococo product?

My favourite RBO product is the Baby Body Oil—it is so gentle and soft on the skin, but still super nourishing. And it's infused with lavender essential oil, which is just so dreamy. Our best selling product is our Rose Quartz Body Oil, which is also a favourite of mine!

What have been some of the highlights of running Rococo Body Oils?

One of the biggest highlights is that in October we will be celebrating our 2nd birthday! We as a brand continue to go from strength to strength, which I've loved seeing. Having people like Bianca Cheah from Sporteluxe and celebrity makeup artist Max May love our product and some of the press traction we've gained have been great. There are some exciting collaborations coming up this Christmas, which I can't talk about just yet, but it's definitely top of my highlights list!

How did you get to where you are today in your career?

My first paid industry job was as a Showroom Assistant for AWPR in Sydney. From there, I worked my way up to the position of Junior Publicist after about a year and a half. I then moved to Assistant Accessories Buyer for the Equip, where I was able to develop my own capsule collection of accessories. This taught me so much about product development, trend forecasting, supplier negotiation, and costings, which I now can apply to RBO—the knowledge is invaluable. Following Equip, I moved into the beauty industry with Australian skincare company Plunketts. I was involved in everything from concept and product development to liaising with retailers and marketing.

What is your advice to someone wanting to start their own business?

Know your market, research, trend forecast, look at who you see as your competitors, and make sure you have a clear picture of what your products and brand is all about. Keep pushing, even when it feels impossible, and if something isn't working, take a step back and look at it from all possible angles. To achieve the outcome you want, sometimes the path will be different from what you had planned. Go with it and be flexible!

What advice would you give to students interested in the beauty industry?

Find what niche really interests you and then get as much experience as you can across the entire process. Research, involve yourself with as many opportunities to learn as possible, and don't dismiss your ideas—even if the timing isn't right, you can continue to develop the idea and have it evolve into something amazing as you continue to gain knowledge and experience.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the beauty industry? Check out our beauty courses here.