THE HEAD OF INDEED LABS SWITCHED CAREERS TO CHASE HER DREAMS, AND TEN YEARS LATER IS BLAZING BEAUTY INDUSTRY TRAILS
by WAHEEDA HARRIS
THE FUTURE IS shining bright for Indeed Labs, with a milestone for the Canadian skincare company to celebrate in 2020: their 10th anniversary.
Launching the company with just three products, Dimitra Davidson was attracted to the opportunity to work on the development of a new brand that wanted to offer luxury skincare without high costs.
Instead of spending big money on celebrity endorsements and overly air-brushed models, she focused on quality ingredients, and informing potential customers on the real benefits of results-oriented skincare through word of mouth.
“We were focused on creating great products, based on the latest research and free from pthalates, fragrance, sulphates, colourants, mineral oil, parabens and drying alcohols,” explains Davidson. And with the power of using real people for advertising campaigns, Indeed Labs started being noticed by consumers and beauty editors, especially because of one of the original three products: Nanoblur. Containing light-diffusing and optical blurring technology, this skin cream is still one of the company’s best-selling products.
From an early age, Davidson has been dedicated to her beauty regime, and as a 20-something invested her hard-earned dollars into expensive skincare. When the opportunity came along to work on the development of a new skincare brand, Davidson was happy to put her personal experience and finance background into a new to her industry.
“Indeed Labs examined the market and identified what was needed in the skincare industry. “Focus groups with customers became one of our best investments,” explains Davidson. Working with consumers has been an ongoing benefit for the company, as they continue to look at the latest research. “Retinol has been very popular, so we’ve now introduced Bakuchiol (one of the hottest skincare ingredients of the moment) reface pads, a plant-based alternative for those who want results but not the skin irritation that is often the side effect of using retinol.”
All ingredients used in the Indeed Labs product line are detailed and explained on the company website, insuring transparency about what is used in their skincare. “Sharing our knowledge with our customers has made them into advocates for us,” says Davidson. It has also led to 25 awards for the company, reaffirming Indeed Labs’ focus on formulations that are effective, based on active ingredients with copious clinical research.
Indeed Labs currently has more than 20 products, and is proud to have been one of the first brands to detail ingredients and print them on their product packaging. Davidson is now President and COO of Indeed Labs, after the previous years of working with partners. Like many women in business, Davidson is proud to be a mother of three, as well as being focused on her company. “When I present to my board of directors, all who happen to be men, I’m not intimidated. I know all the inner workings of my company.”
With a background in human resources management, she’s benefitted from finding employees who are as passionate as she is and knowing how to encourage their skills to create a thriving company of mainly women. “I wake up every day, excited to be successful. It’s extremely difficult overseeing a global brand in a competitive fast-moving market, but we’re up for the challenge.”
Despite the fast-moving cycle of the industry (launching a product two months ago is now considered old news) Indeed Labs is holding its own as an independent Canadian skincare company. Sold across Canada in Shoppers Drug Mart, at Boots in the United Kingdom and Priceline Pharmacy in Australia, Davidson is proud to boast her company’s products will soon be available across the United States at Ulta Beauty, and there are six new products soon to be launched.
“This brand is my other baby. And I’m grateful for the tremendous opportunity to educate consumers and see how they respond to the distinctive products from Indeed Labs,” says Davidson.