Support Indie Beauty Brand FRENCH GIRL

FRENCH GIRL, an independent, woman-owned beauty company that creates organic, sustainable, and vegan products needs your support. Our company has been in business for thirteen years, beginning as an Etsy shop in 2010. The last three years have been challenging for many small companies, ours included, and we have struggled to retain our staff and still manufacture the high-quality products that are the cornerstone of our business.

Our launch of a refreshed skincare line of six products which was planned for 2021 and expected to increase our revenue was significantly delayed for over two years due to the effect of the pandemic. This has left us in a very difficult position with our resources drained and at a critical juncture in our development. We are seeking to raise funds to help us cover the myriad of expenses we have incurred in this project, including:

Plant-based organic ingredients - high-quality ingredient prices have soared since the pandemic with related supply chain issues.

Sustainable packaging - the glass bottles and jars we use are significantly more expensive than plastic packaging.

EU testing/approval & distribution - our products have passed stringent EU/UK compliance which enables us to sell in the EU/UK. This is a costly process but will produce a significant revenue stream.

Operating & labor costs - We are dedicated to manufacturing locally in Seattle.

FRENCH GIRL is unique in the beauty space on many levels, the foremost of which is that we are one of the few beauty companies that manufacture in-house. This allows us to have complete control over every phase of production - from sourcing high-quality organic, European ingredients to designing our packaging. We have seen the result of smaller businesses being acquired by the 5 or 6 mega-companies that control most of the brands in the global beauty space: ingredient changes, lower quality and lack of oversight.

We seek to remain the independent company we have always been – one that our loyal customers know and trust. This comes with a cost. We do not have the buying power or the deep pockets for massive marketing campaigns that drive brand awareness and sales. What we do have is integrity, a thoughtfully made product, and a desire to continue producing our artisan-made goods for our customers.

When we launched on Etsy in 2010, FRENCH GIRL was an innovator in the green beauty market, and was one of the first small beauty companies to offer clean, vegan, and organic skincare. Our company’s journey began in a humble way - with the first products that we sold being created in our home kitchen with labels we hand-printed. Our founder Kristeen’s background in botany & herbology and love of organic gardening initially fueled her desire to create the FRENCH GIRL line. While she was researching her heritage in France, her eyes were opened to the European focus on quality-made goods and the importance of creating a beautiful, artful product that would have longevity. Fueled with the desire to bring her vision to life, she set to work refining formulas she had been making for years for her family and began offering them to our customers.

The playing field then was much smaller and less competitive than it is now. With the oversaturation of new beauty and skincare brands in today’s market, paired with the rise of celebrity lines and big budgets to fund them, it’s become much more competitive to stand out in a crowded space for an independent company like ours. Over the years we have built a reputation as a company that makes products with the utmost attention to quality and sustainability and which we are proud to stand behind.

Our company is also firmly committed to charitable giving in support of environmental and women-centric causes through our French Girl Gives program. Throughout the years we have provided donations to local & global organizations such as World Central Kitchen, Puget Soundkeepers, and Rain City Rock Camp.

We deeply believe in the exceptional quality of our products and have not wavered from our dedication to producing them in the most mindful, authentic manner. We have poured our hearts and souls into French Girl and would be so grateful for any support you could offer.

We want to thank you in advance for your donation. Merci Beaucoup!

Kristeen & Phil

Co-owners FRENCH GIRL