Charlotte Seijerlin
When Charlotte couldn’t find skincare products that had natural ingredients and were effective, she took it into her own hands and created Comme Ça Skincare, a line of luxury skincare that’s made in Amsterdam and delivers the results you want to see.
Read on to learn more about Charlotte, her business, and how she turned her passion into a career.
Hustle Amsterdam (HA): Where are you from? And what brings you to Amsterdam?
Charlotte Seijerlin (CS): I lived in Zoetermeer until I was 8 years old and moved to Tilburg, where I lived until I was 19. I then decided to move to Amsterdam to start my studies — Media en Informatie Management at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. I stayed and lived in Amsterdam for 14 years.
Unfortunately, two years ago, I had to make the very hard decision to temporarily move out of Amsterdam so I could invest all my money in setting up my business instead of spending it all on rent. It felt like a painful sacrifice because I absolutely love Amsterdam and it is the only city that feels like home to me.
I now live in a big and beautiful apartment in Tilburg for half the rent that I paid in Amsterdam. As soon as I’m able I will move back to Amsterdam, the city that I call home and love.
HA: Tell me about your business? What is your mission?
CS: Comme Ça Skincare is a luxury, 100% natural, and high-performance skincare brand with the mission to create all-natural skincare products that deliver visible results.
I started Comme Ça because I couldn’t find skincare products that were gentle to my skin, smelled nice without the distinctive herbal scent, and had high-performance ingredients that would help reduce the first signs of aging. I couldn’t find a brand that did all those things so I made it my mission to create it myself.
HA: How are you handling our new “normal” due to the coronavirus outbreak? What impact has it had on your business? How has the transition to working remotely been for you? Are you being strict with a routine or taking it day-by-day?
CS: I launched my business two months ago, just around the same time that coronavirus showed its face in the Netherlands.
At the beginning, I wasn’t really thinking about the negative effects the outbreak could have on my business, I was more thinking about opportunities. The fact that most people can’t go to the office and have to work from home means that they are spending more time on their phones and computers. This is a great opportunity for me to reach my target audience by advertising on social media.
The most important goal for me at this moment is to create as much awareness around Comme Ça as possible so people can get to know the brand and products. So far, I really can’t complain.
As far as my work routine goes, it hasn’t changed that much since the outbreak. I was already working from home and I have a very strict schedule which I try to follow every day.
HA: Why Comme Ça Skincare? What brought you to skincare?
CS: My journey started 2 years ago, when I was disappointed in the regular skincare products I was using, because of the allergic reactions I was so often experiencing. Coming to realize that all of the products that I was using were packed with synthetic ingredients, I decided to look for alternatives and started making my own skincare products with only natural and clean ingredients that are highly-effective. Quickly after using my own products, I noticed that my skin was changing; instead of dry and irritated, it became hydrated, softer, radiant, and looked more beautiful than I ever thought possible. Skincare immediately became my passion.
This meant the end of my corporate job and life. Chemistry won my attention, and I submerged into studying, creating, testing, and improving. I got my degree in Natural Skincare Formulation, and two years later, Comme Ça Skincare was born.
HA: What is the current state of Comme Ça Skincare? Do you have six and 12-month goals for your business?
CS: As I launched only two months ago, it is all fairly new to me. I mainly focus on brand awareness and growing my reach on social media. I do everything myself, except for manufacturing and packaging. At this time I’m learning to prioritize and get as much work done as possible within a limited time.
My 12-month goals are to be sold in at least 10 to 15 stores, have an office in Amsterdam, have released at least one more product, and hire someone who can help me with social media. I’ve really underestimated the time it takes to create content for social media. It consumes most of my time at this moment, that is why it would be the first thing that I will hand over to someone else so I can focus more on product development and expanding my business.
HA: What kind of obstacles do you face in your company? How do you handle them?
CS: At this moment I’m figuring out how to prioritize everything I have to do. Like I said, I really underestimated the time it takes to create good content for social media. It takes so much time, I rarely have time to focus on other stuff. That is something that really has to change. The plan is to give myself one and a half days each week to create new content so I have the rest of the week to focus on other things.
HA: What has been your most successful moment so far? And how do you celebrate your wins?
CS: Getting contacted by Vogue with the question if I wanted to advertise in their magazine. When I first read the email I thought it was a scam. I couldn't believe that they noticed my brand and that they were asking me if I would be interested in advertising in their magazine. It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to be featured in this magazine so it was evident that I said yes. This made me really proud of what I’d accomplished so far. Once the first issue is out with the showcase of Comme Ça Skincare, I will celebrate it with my boyfriend by taking him out to dinner. To top it off, Vogue also included me in this roundup of the best facial oils that will help your skin through the summer.
HA: How have you accomplished what you have? Did you go to business school? Did you wing it? Fake it till you make it? Get really lucky?
CS: I got my bachelor’s degree in Commercial Economics and worked at a dating site for 9 years. During my time at that company I had four different jobs, I started as a customer care agent and ended up as an events and partnership manager. I learned a lot about marketing and worked closely with all other departments, so I got a pretty good basic knowledge of all different marketing touch points. This helped me a lot in setting up my business.
I quit my job more than 3 years ago and used all my savings to set up Comme Ça Skincare. It took me almost 3 years to get where I am right now. I worked and studied full time for all those years, temporarily moved to another city so I could lower my living expenses, had almost no social life, and really had to cut my spending habits, but it was all worth it.
HA: Do you have a favorite motivational quote?
CS: I have a couple of affirmations that I tell myself each time I feel like I’m stuck or struggling with something and I don’t know what to do:
-Only good things come to me
-Trust the process
-All roads lead to Rome
-I believe in the not yet seen
HA: What 3 tips would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? What do you wish you had known before you started?
CS:
Don’t compare yourself to other entrepreneurs. Everyone is following their own journey, as long as you follow your heart and do what feels right, you are on the right path.
Never make any hasty business decisions. Take your time thinking it over and discuss it with people who have experience in that field.
Invest as much of your profit as you can back into the business so you can grow.
HA: How would you describe your working style?
CS: I get distracted very easily so I like to work alone in complete silence or with headphones on so I can’t hear other people talk. This is the best way for me to stay focused and get things done.
Business wise, I’m very direct and find it very important to be honest and transparent. For me, that is the only right way to do business and I expect to get the same treatment from people I do business with.
HA: When you’re not working on Comme Ça Skincare — where can we find you?
CS: In my bathtub.🙂 I take a long bath every evening after having dinner. It is my way to completely unwind and take some me-time. I also love being at home, so when I’m not working I’m either at home, at my boyfriend’s house, or meeting my friends and family.
“I work more hours than I ever did before and I’ve never been happier in my life than right now.”
HA: How do you find work-life balance while being an entrepreneur?
CS: At this moment it is still a challenge to find the right balance. I find it very hard to take some time off because I’m always thinking about what I can do in order to grow. What helps is that I absolutely love what I do, I work more hours than I ever did before and I’ve never been happier in my life than right now. I try to take time off at least once a week, but even then I find myself working. I don’t mind it as long as I enjoy what I’m doing and it doesn’t stress me out. Comme Ça is my pride and joy and I love working on it.
HA: What is your passion?
CS: It sounds super corny, but working on my business is my passion. I’m so happy to be able to say that, because I never had this feeling before. I was always looking for a job or hobby to give me this kind of satisfaction, but it was not until I was creating my own skincare and setting up my business when I found out what my passion was.
HA: What inspires you most about Amsterdam? Do you have any favorite spots to work or hang out?
CS: The thing that Amsterdam is most famous about; the beautiful canals and canal houses. I love the architecture, the history and the fact that each canal house has its own story which you can partially figure out from looking at the front of the house. It’s like walking through history and that makes it so magical and romantic.
My favorite spots are the Zeedijk, the Wallen (red light district), and Amsterdam-West. The Wallen and Zeedijk are a super vibrant area, I love walking through the small streets and passing the canals. My most favorite thing to do is just to sit on the side of the canals with a drink and some food, and watch people pass by.
Amsterdam-West is my second favorite spot, it is just an amazing multicultural neighborhood with a very chill vibe, lovely stores and restaurants. It is my favorite place to live.
Connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn, follow Comme Ça Skincare on Instagram @comme.ca.skincare, and give them a like on Facebook here.
