Next Gen Skincare

Why China?

After finishing my pharmaceutical studies in France, I followed a dermo-cosmetic career with French brands such as Pierre Fabre, Bioderma and Nuxe. For over 20 years now, I have been abroad, first in Latin America, then the Middle East, Hong Kong and now China.

Are you staying?

Yes, our plan is to stay here. Since Covid broke out, it has not always been easy, but our life is here now. Our three kids are happy, they have their friends, they love their school, my husband’s work is stable, and I have founded a company here, which now has five employees.

Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, it was never my ambition. Besides my fulltime job in the skincare industry, my passion was always education. I have been giving branding and international marketing courses in business schools, and my idea was to launch a marketing programme to invite foreign students to discover Asian health practices and cosmetics here. Entrepreneurship was purely by chance!

How did Doucéa come along?

My inspiration to create Doucéa came from my little girl who was suffering from eczema. I bought many different products for her, all were efficient for a little while, but she would reject them as she did not find them ‘pretty enough’. Most of the packaging was too ‘medical’, so I tricked her into putting the cream in a nice pink pot I bought in Korea. She was immediately into it. This is how the idea of Doucéa was born: a skin care product combining natural, efficient high quality formulas to reassure parents and fun, pretty and ecological packaging for children.

How did you come up with the concept of kid-friendly skincare?

I guess it was a combination of my experience in the cosmetic industry, my marketing knowledge, and motherhood! I am particularly proud of the fact that Doucéa is a brand which is created by children, for children. We are also involved in charity, providing hygiene kits to children in need.

To understand children’s needs and wishes, over the years, we have organised workshops with over 400 children and their parents. Doucéa products were created based on their feedback about packaging, texture and colours.

Can you pinpoint key turning points in your life?

I had a few turning points, but the main one was the arrival of my third child.

While struggling between full-time job and being a full-time mom, I found it extremely difficult to combine the two. I know people who manage, but I was really struggling. So, I put aside my career, to devote myself to my family. When I look back today, I don’t regret it at all, I believe it had to be this way. This time allowed me to create my own company and even though being an entrepreneur is not easy, it gives me the possibility to manage my time differently.

Any words of wisdom?

Being an entrepreneur taught me a lot. I did not have big investors backing me and I did not want them, simply because I wanted to check if my concept worked, to see how clients received the product, and listen to feedback. My approach is entirely customer-centric. It is important to be there, more than 100%.

How is life in China now?

China has changed greatly over the last 10 years. It is a fast-paced country, everything is quick, and everything is possible. People are motivated, and always eager to do things; many ideas are born and quickly developed. At times, you need to control this eagerness but it is working. Costs are still quite reasonable here therefore production here still makes sense.

Expat or local?

We are not considered expatriates anymore but locals. So just like residents, we are encountering all kinds of things, good or bad. It is not easy nowadays. Travelling is a big issue, and there is no government support for companies. Nevertheless, our family is happy here, and we are waiting for better days, as I am sure they will come.

The positive thing about expat families in China, as I assume it is with expats all over the world, is that we create strong bonds with friends here. Your friends become your family and we are there for each other.