As an award-winning cosmetic chemist and the founder of Grace Kingdom Beauty, a New Jersey-based cosmetic product development firm, Ginger King has dedicated her career to creating beauty brands from concept to launch, including formulation.
With multiple patents and awards to her name, King’s expertise and contributions to the beauty industry have been recognized by some of the most prestigious organizations and publications.
She has served as Allure magazine’s Beauty Judge for Breakthrough Products since 2017, received Yahoo’s Diversity In Beauty Award in 2018, and judged the Beauty Packaging Award in 2019. Her insights are valued in New Beauty Magazine’s Brain Trust since 2020, and she has been an Iconic Fragrance Judge for Elle Magazine and an Iconic Skin Product Judge for Shape Magazine in 2023. Additionally, Ginger King is a NEXT Beauty Award Judge for Beauty Matter in 2023.
This is an Interview Feature of Ginger King as part of Exeleon Magazine’s Most Innovative Women in Beauty and Cosmetics issue. The issue is in celebration of Women History Month.
What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the beauty space?
I was born into beauty, as my mom was the first woman to bring a Shiseido boutique from Japan to Taiwan. I never realized those early influences until later.
I came to America when I was 16 years old and started wearing makeup. Originally, I wanted to be a makeup artist, but being Asian, I was expected to have a PhD or at least a master’s degree. So, I decided to major in chemistry and eventually became a cosmetic chemist.
You emphasize a 360 approach to beauty business. Could you elaborate on what this approach entails and how it sets you apart in the industry?
Most careers in beauty involve working in silos. If you are a chemist, you may not be familiar with marketing, and vice versa. Since my early interest in beauty, I have worked in every single aspect of the industry, starting from being a beauty consultant at a cosmetic counter where I learned what consumers want, to R&D in formulation and marketing on how to promote the products. I even worked as a cosmetic raw material salesperson, so I understand where innovation comes from.
You can dream big, but if you do not have the raw materials to support it, it will not happen. I also worked in manufacturing, so I am one of the very few who have 360-degree experience in beauty. That is what I bring to my clients, where I create their beauty brand from concept to launch, including a formulation they can own.
Tell us about your latest venture, FanLoveBeauty, a clean vegan beauty brand. How did the inspiration from mentor Daymond John of Shark Tank shape this venture, and what goals do you aim to achieve with it?
I was with Daymond John at an event. He took out a lip balm and used it in front of me. I thought, if it’s something that close to him, in his pocket, on his lips, it must be mine.
He had some health issues previously, and what he was using, I actually frowned upon. So, I created a vegan lip balm with him in mind.
He’s a business mogul who inspires people, so I dedicate my line to entrepreneurs who want to be as great as him. If you use my lip balm, you can speak like a shark.
As a mentor and inspiration to others, what advice would you give to aspiring cosmetic chemists, entrepreneurs, and individuals looking to make their mark in the beauty industry?
If you really want to be in beauty, take whatever job you can get, because eventually, you will realize how everything is connected. Only when you truly embrace every aspect of the beauty industry can you be more efficient and creative in creating the next best thing.
What emerging technologies or trends in skin treatment, color cosmetics, fragrance, hair, and personal care excite you the most, and how do you stay ahead in incorporating them into your work?
There are more and more talks about linking wellness and beauty to be holistic, and there are also scientific advances in new peptides that target specific concerns. I go to a lot of trade shows and am also a speaker at several beauty conferences, as I believe the day you stop learning is the day you fall behind.
What are your future goals for Grace Kingdom Beauty and FanLoveBeauty, and how do you envision your impact on the beauty industry evolving in the coming years?
For Grace Kingdom Beauty, I really enjoy working with indie beauty brands that have a purposeful mission, and seeing their success is my success.
For FanLoveBeauty, it started as a pet project, but I want to have a stronger impact on aspirational beauty, as beauty should not be just on the surface. FanLoveBeauty is obsessed with inspirations from our daily lives and creating meaningful products that benefit mankind.
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