The beauty industry had grown complacent — luxury mascaras demanded $35-50+ while offering little innovation beyond pretty packaging, leaving everyday women choosing between overpriced formulas or drugstore compromises. AURELIA MAE emerged from founder Aurelia’s frustration with this false choice, determined to prove that premium quality didn’t require premium pricing through thoughtful design and authentic brand building.

Our mission:

• Create premium mascara brand that delivers luxury performance at accessible pricing
• Develop sophisticated visual identity that resonates with conscious beauty consumers
• Design innovative packaging that reduces costs while enhancing user experience
• Establish authentic brand foundation for future color cosmetics expansion
• Prove that startup innovation can compete with established beauty giants

AURELIA MAE’s opportunity lay in combining cutting-edge formula technology with emotionally resonant branding and efficient manufacturing. We created a brand that celebrated both performance and authenticity, proving that premium beauty could be both luxurious and accessible.

Key strategy elements:

• Sophisticated Minimalist Identity Developed refined brand system using soft gradients, elegant typography, and champagne gold accents that conveyed luxury without overwhelming femininity. Visual language balanced warmth with sophistication, creating versatile foundation for future product expansion.
• Revolutionary Packaging Innovation Designed modular packaging system using sustainable materials with innovative click-lock mechanism that eliminated complex spring systems. Engineering approach reduced production costs by 42% while providing satisfying tactile feedback users associate with premium products.
• Performance-Driven Product Design Collaborated with cosmetic chemists to develop dual-fiber brush system delivering both volume and definition in single application. Ergonomic design reduced hand fatigue while ensuring precise control for detailed lash work that professionals and everyday users could master.
• Direct-to-Consumer Strategy Established small-batch manufacturing partnerships with certified facilities, implementing direct sales model that eliminated traditional retail markups. Cost savings passed directly to customers while maintaining rigorous quality control standards.

• Constraints drive innovation. Working within startup budget parameters forced creative solutions that became competitive advantages, proving that limitations can spark breakthrough thinking.
• Authenticity builds lasting relationships. Transparent communication about ingredients, manufacturing, and pricing strategy created trust that translated into customer loyalty and organic brand advocacy.
• Design must serve function. Every aesthetic decision was evaluated for both beauty and practicality, ensuring gorgeous packaging also improved functionality and manufacturing efficiency.
• Direct relationships create value. Eliminating retail intermediaries enabled better margin control and intimate customer feedback loops that informed continuous product improvement.

Through thoughtful brand development that prioritized both performance and authenticity, AURELIA MAE successfully challenged the beauty industry’s premium pricing paradigm. By combining innovative packaging design, superior formulations, and genuine brand storytelling, the startup proved that conscious consumers would embrace premium quality at accessible prices, establishing a foundation for sustainable growth in the competitive beauty market.