CAN'T MAKE IT UP
My make-up side hustle is set to make thousands this year – here’s how
A WOMAN has made thousands from her makeup side hustle - here's how you can do the same.
Zoe Trigwell's business skyrocketed in the last year after her powder puff product went viral online while it has also been used by celebrities
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29-year-old Zoe quickly became TikTok famous after changing the everyday makeup routine for thousands of people.
The viral "TikTok made me buy it" product aims to minimise the appearance of pores and shine.
It has been praised by fans as a “miracle product” after leaving users feeling airbrushed.
And the powder puff is even used and recommended by the likes of US music star Lizzo's makeup artist.
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Having been in the makeup industry for more than eight years, Zoe launched her new business venture during the pandemic with the last of her savings.
Zoe told : "I always wanted to start a makeup brand and I thought: 'Now is the perfect opportunity to do this.' I had so much time so I thought: 'Now let's just go for it."
During lockdown Zoe decided to close her makeup training academy and her family were living off 80% of her husband’s income.
She said: “It was the last bit of money we had and we did have big arguments about it but now it’s paid off. I’m a true believer that you have to go for it and take risks to have that payoff."
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Under Trigwell Cosmetics Zoe first launched 1,000 sets of false eyelashes called 'harmony lashes' in May 2020.
She added: “I already had a good following on social media and a nice community where I had been doing makeup for such a long time.
"I just promoted it to my clients in and around south Wales. We sold out within three to four days, which was absolutely amazing at the time – I couldn’t believe it.”
The idea to bring the powder puff back as a makeup staple came to Zoe in 2021 and she launched her new product on March 31, 2022.
After seeing "the cheap as chips" powder puffs that were available on the market Zoe decided that she could "improve" the product.
Since launching the microfibre powder puff her once-small business went viral leading to thousands of orders over night.
Almost a year later her business has skyrocketed and she now has a team of seven.
'MIND-BOGGLING'
Zoe said: “It’s crazy because no one was really using them and now the whole of the beauty community use a powder puff in their makeup routine – it’s mind-boggling.
"It changed my life completely – it went from zero to 100 really quickly. Until early August last year it was just myself running the business from my garage and house.
"I’ve gone from just myself to now a team of seven and into a warehouse within the space of three to four months. Financially the business is more stable and I’m able to buy large amounts of stock.
"My partner has just quit his job to come to work for the business, which for us is incredible. It's a huge decision as we have two young boys but it means we’re more flexible with our time if one of us needs to look after the kids and for family time."
Zoe said their best financial month was in November 2022 as the company turned over six figures, which she said was "absolutely incredible".
She added: "We’re set to turn over £1m this year. It’s crazy to me because we were in a totally different position six months ago so the business has skyrocketed."
The tipping point in the business came in June 2022 when Zoe would hope for 100 orders a week but soon turned into thousands.
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She added that was the point that she needed to invest in staff as she "couldn't keep doing all-nighters trying to pack them”.
Zoe said she and her team have big plans for 2023 and hinted that she is working on three new products with one set to go hand in hand with the powder puff.