In 14 years, the founder of the Filipino beauty brand reveals her secret to success: daring to venture beyond the visible
Much has been said about how Rhea Anicoche-Tan founded Beautéderm in her home base of Angeles, Pampanga. From a modest capital of PHP 3,500 to only considering selling beauty products as a hobby, Beautéderm became a consistent presence in malls, even finding foot in international locations such as Singapore and New Zealand.
Cutthroat as the beauty and cosmetics industry may be, Anicoche-Tan’s training in sales and marketing started with her mother, Pacita, who also moonlighted selling a variety of home merchandise while teaching. Since her university days, Rhea jumped at a chance to help at home from being a DJ at a local FM station in Baguio to training a sales team at a global beauty company, and eventually transitioning to a higher position as a vice president and director of marketing at an appliance company in her late 20s.
Reflecting on her early days before launching the brand at the age of 30, she remembers the critical questions she posed to herself: “‘Is this the right thing? Is this my path?’, I find that it’s important to ask yourself in anything you wish to do if you’re doing the right thing,” she recalls. “Whatever path you are taking, as long as you feel it is the right thing, go for it. You will feel it in your gut.” As she approaches the 15th anniversary of Beautèderm, it’s clear that her instincts are spot on.
Of dreams, reality, and blooming confidence
Anicoche-Tan started selling kojic soap and expanded them into sets called “Beauté Set,” which included both trial and regular-sized sets designed for Southeast Asian skin. The FDA-approved sets, aimed at improving Filipino confidence, are designed with sequentially numbered items for an easy skincare routine, formulated to minimize pores, diminish dark spots and scars, and enhance skin luminosity.
However, the founder’s rise was also met with traditional skepticism that often shadows women in business wherein companies were mostly dominated by men. It was also coupled with apprehension surrounding the necessity of skincare, an unfamiliar territory before the rise of social media influencers and the boom of the beauty industry.
In response to such skepticism, she asserts, “The world needs female entrepreneurs. We’re compassionate leaders and we’re truly dedicated. Look at the mothers who also are entrepreneurs. They teach their children, they do their job as mothers while running [an] empire. How impressive is that?’” Anicoche-Tan also adds that women provide distinct viewpoints and abilities such as empathizing and collaboration. “We prioritize social impact and that’s the future.”
Aside from dreaming of becoming a CEO at age 43, the Beautéderm founder also had one wish when she established the brand: to secure endorsements from the country’s A-List celebrities. To date, her brand ambassadors consist of Piolo Pascual, Maja Salvador, Bea Alonzo, Marian Rivera, and Darren Espanto who call her fondly as “Mommy Rei.” They’re among the hundreds of endorsers under the Beautéderm umbrella: A-list Avenue, Beautéhaus Skin Clinic, Beauté Beanery, AK Studios, and Blanc Pro, a diverse ecosystem centered around beauty and wellness.
The Vigan-born businesswoman’s philosophy is simple yet profound: “Dream big, stay humble, and always give back.” Anicoche-Tan’s leadership has not only scaled Beautéderm to a successful venture but also made it a platform for social change, offering scholarships and supporting community initiatives.
“We are a brand that goes beyond what you can see. Beautéderm gives confidence, helps people, and shifts lives. We believe in making a positive impact and creating opportunities for a brighter future. That’s the legacy.”
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