Suitable for young skin, the mineral-based make up collection is providing a range of bright and funky products that kids will love. From mascara to lip gloss, liners and lipsticks, as well as body shimmers, pop-colour nail polishes, and bath care products, Kooki U has a product for every child to have fun with!

 

Founder of Kooki U, Kelly Ferguson, a mother of three, created the brand after finding it hard to keep her two young daughters out of her make up bag. Kelly said, “I was tired of finding my favourite lipsticks broken and eyeshadows smashed, and I thought other mothers would feel the same.”

 

“The girls were excited about having their own makeup kits for dancing, so I started to look around for an Australian made range.”

 

“Women’s makeup tends to be heavier, darker and more expensive.  I just wanted something light, healthier, and appropriately priced for my kids, so that’s why I created Kooki U,” says Kelly.

 

Kooki U sources its cosmetics and body products from reputable Australian manufacturers and the products are produced locally to stay in line with rigorous testing and Australia’s high consumer standards. Kooki U is proud to be a local brand that does not test on animals and is completely cruelty-free.  The range is aimed at 5 to 16-year old’s but it’s perfect for all age groups (even mums!) 

 

“One of the other problems I found was the mess created by dropped powders, so I’ve included cream-based options in the range to help reduce the clean-up process,” says Kelly.

 

Kooki U’s mineral makeup and products are made using natural ingredients, with many of their formulations based on natural Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Juice, Vitamin E, Beeswax, Oils (Almond, Avocado, Rosehip, Pumpkin, Apricot Kernal), Green Tea and Kakadu Plum Extract. Products start from RRP $7.95 up to RRP $24.95.

 

 

 

A mother of 3 plus a businesswoman, what does balance mean to you?

 Balance to means that after I’m on top of everything at home and at work and I switch off mentally at the end of the day and just have time out.

After managing the kids, the house and the business I think an occasional massage or facial every few months is a must and keeps me feeling balanced.

What was the inspiration behind starting Kooki U?

 I wanted to work for myself after years of Corporate life, and I wanted the freedom to be able to manage my time.

My girls were involved in dancing from a young age which led to the constant use of my makeup.

I was tired of finding my favourite lipsticks broken and eyeshadows smashed and I thought other mums would feel the same. The girls were excited about having their own makeup kits for dancing so I started to look around for an Australian made range.

As I couldn’t find one I decided to create one.

 What have been the 3 key elements to the success of Kooki U as a startup?

 Knowing the market – we know our market is kids to tweens, we know they dance and perform, we know they love the stage, we know they love to play and have fun with makeup.

Creating the right range – we have products for fun, products for play and products for the stage.

Brand Alignment – Kooki U launched with the VAMFF Run Event in Melbourne, we align with the right business partners to make Kooki U successful.

 What would be your advice for any mum or young business woman wanting to start up their own business?

 Do your homework and research well. I know that in the excitement of a new business idea you just want to make it happen, but it pays to put things into place properly from the get-go and make sure your processes are going to work before you go public. It took me two years of preparation and I still felt as if another 3-6 months would have been a good thing, but there is a balance of timing in play.

You do reach a point where you must push the green light, move to the next level, and trust that the work items not finished will fall into place along the way. Which they have.

Get your support network in place. No-one is a master of everything in business so it’s necessary to have the support crew there to advise and assist you in the journey. Being able to identify your strengths and weaknesses is important.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and a new business isn’t much different!

 Do you have any mantras or quotes you live by?

 “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”  – Dr. Seuss

“There is no elevator to success — you have to take the stairs.” – Anonymous

Tea or Coffee? How do you have it?

 Latté and black tea. Both have to be super hot!

 Favourite Product from the Kooki U range?

 The Gold Shimmer Finishing Powder. I love this on the eyes as it’s luscious especially over a Smokey brown eye.

 Do you ever steal from the Kooki U range and add it into your own makeup bag? If so what

Product/s are likely to be found in your own makeup bag?

 Yes, I have and it’s usually a lipstick or gloss. I love the Shimmery Nude Lip Tint for everyday wear or the Rose Petal Mineral Lipstick. These are my handbag staples!

 What inspires you to come up with new products?

 I see new colours and ideas all the time and think of adding them to the range, the trick is not to fall in love with everything.

Looking at what the kids like and are drawn towards inspires new ideas and product lines.

 What’s next for Kooki U?

 We want to explore other sales channels other than purely e-commerce. At the moment though we are focusing on our domestic customer, but there are endless possibilities.