The Beauty Founder Clique

A six-week cohort for newer beauty founders building their next product, from strategy to a finished Product Brief. Live Fridays at 12 pm ET, Nov 20 to Dec 18.

Led by Manessa Lormejuste, 10+ years developing products at L'Oréal USA and Beautycounter

COHORT 1 is about your next product

The Beauty Founder Clique is an ongoing program, and each cohort serves one stage of building in beauty. COHORT 1 is for founders whose brand is already in motion. Future cohorts will serve pre-launch founders and, eventually, students.

6 weeksOnboarding in November, exit interview in late December
4 Fridays90 minutes live at 12 pm ET on Nov 20, Dec 4, 11 and 18. No session Thanksgiving week.
10 to 15Founders, so every one gets real feedback
1 briefYour Product Brief, reviewed with me 1:1

Who COHORT 1 is for

Newer founders ready to launch their next product, already comfortable working with labs and vendors.

This is for you if

  • Your brand launched within the last two years, or your first product goes live within the next four months
  • You've worked with a lab or contract manufacturer and are comfortable building vendor relationships
  • You're deciding what to launch next: a new core SKU, a line extension, a new category or a reformulation
  • You want to go beyond the basics on ingredients, suppliers, packaging, testing and claims
  • You'll show up live on Fridays and do the work between sessions

A future cohort may fit better if

  • You're still at the idea stage, with no brand or launch date yet
  • You haven't worked with a lab or manufacturer yet
  • Your brand launched more than two years ago
  • You want someone to formulate the product for you
  • You can't commit to the live sessions

Future cohorts will serve pre-launch founders and, eventually, students who want to build a career in beauty product development.

Brief smarter, formulate faster

Many founders send labs long, detailed briefs that still stall at formulation, because the critical decisions aren't in them yet. Each week of the program adds one layer of those decisions, so the Product Brief you write in Week 5 gives your lab what it needs to move quickly.

  1. Week 1: Onboarding interview

    A 30-minute 1:1, by Thu, Nov 19

    We set your baseline with the Brand Readiness Self-Assessment and agree on what success looks like for you.

    • Baseline
    Manessa Lormejuste, founder of LORM·CO
    Your baseline, set together.

  2. Week 2: Brand foundation

    Live, Fri, Nov 20

    Positioning, brand voice and your SKU roadmap. Everything that follows gets filtered through who your brand is.

    • Strategy
    Golden oil droplets suspended in light

  3. Week 3: Competition and ingredients

    Live, Fri, Dec 4

    Map the competitive landscape, find your white space and turn it into a hero ingredient strategy.

    • Strategy
    • Formulation
    Pomegranate, ginseng, grapefruit and blueberries in glass test tubes

  4. Week 4: R&D best practices

    Live, Fri, Dec 11

    Vet labs and contract manufacturers, brief a lab, evaluate samples, understand cost of goods and minimum order quantities, and choose primary packaging.

    • Sourcing
    • Formulation
    • Packaging
    Laboratory flasks and glassware

  5. Week 5: Testing, claims and your brief

    Live, Fri, Dec 18

    Stability, compatibility, micro and preservative efficacy, safety, clinical and consumer studies, and claims. Then we start your Product Brief.

    • Testing
    • Compliance
    A botanical under a magnifying lens beside a glass coil

  6. Week 6: Exit interview

    A 1:1 in late December

    You present your Product Brief to me. I give you expert feedback, tailored recommendations and your next steps.

    • Your roadmap
    Manessa Lormejuste in conversation with founders
    Your brief, reviewed together.
Manessa Lormejuste

A note from your guide

I've spent more than ten years developing products for some of the biggest names in beauty. I built the Beauty Founder Clique to give emerging founders that same process, without the guesswork.

I lead every session and every 1:1 myself. Through LORM·CO, I work with emerging beauty brands as a fractional product development partner, and this program brings that process to a small group of founders at once.

  • Senior product development roles at L'Oréal USA (CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Kiehl's, Redken, Matrix, Pureology), Beautycounter, Farmacy Beauty and Forma Brands
  • BA in Chemical Biology and MBS in Personal Care Science, Rutgers University
  • 2024 Top 30 Beauty Product Developer, Beauty Independent
  • LinkedIn Top Voice in Beauty

If your next product matters to your brand, I'd love to help you build it with evidence behind every decision.

Manessa LormejusteFounder, LORM·CO
Questions before you apply? info@lormco.com

Your investment

$2,000

Two-part payment plan available

Apply for COHORT 1

What's included

1:1 sessions with me2

Onboarding and your Product Brief review

Live group sessions4

90 minutes, Fridays at 12 pm ET, recorded

Supplier networkIncluded

Vetted labs, manufacturers and suppliers

The toolkitIncluded

Templates and trackers you'll keep using

Private Slack communityIncluded

Key dates

Applications closeFri, Nov 13

Reviewed on a rolling basis

Agreement and investment48 hours

After your acceptance

Onboarding interviewsBy Thu, Nov 19
Live sessionsNov 20 to Dec 18

Fridays at 12 pm ET, no session Nov 27

Exit interviewsLate December

Before you apply

Who qualifies for COHORT 1?

Beauty founders who are newer to the industry: your brand launched within the last two years, or your first product goes live within the next four months. You should already have experience working with a lab or contract manufacturer, and you'll need a brand website (a coming-soon page works if you haven't launched yet).

Will there be future cohorts?

Yes. The Beauty Founder Clique is an ongoing program, and each cohort focuses on a different stage. Future cohorts will serve pre-launch founders and, eventually, students interested in beauty product development.

Which product categories does the program cover?

COHORT 1 welcomes founders across skincare, hair care, color cosmetics, body and bath, fragrance, and nail care. My own background spans skincare, hair care and color cosmetics, from global brands to independent ones. You can review a selection of my past launches in my portfolio.

How long are the live sessions?

Each live session runs 90 minutes, Fridays from 12 to 1:30 pm ET, on Nov 20, Dec 4, Dec 11 and Dec 18. Your onboarding and exit interviews are scheduled 1:1 with me.

What if I miss a live session?

Every session is recorded and shared in our private Slack. The cohort moves together, though, so plan to attend live whenever you can.

Will you formulate my product?

No. This program teaches you how to make the strategic decisions, brief a lab and evaluate what comes back. Founders who would like hands-on product development support beyond the program can engage LORM·CO separately for consulting services.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes. The full investment is $2,000, and a two-part payment plan is available.

Is what I share kept confidential?

Yes. Every founder signs a participant agreement that covers confidentiality before the program starts, and recordings are shared only within the cohort.

I read every application myself. If COHORT 1 is the right fit, you'll hear from me within 48 hours with everything you need to confirm your spot.

Apply for COHORT 1

About 10 minutes. Rolling admissions until Fri, Nov 13, for 10 to 15 founders.

  1. You applyAbout 10 minutes
  2. I reviewWithin 48 hours
  3. You confirm your spotAgreement and investment
  4. COHORT 1 kicks offFri, Nov 20, 12 pm ET
Start your application
COHORT 1 is open
Applications close Fri, Nov 13 Apply