Muses of success

MANILA, Philippines - Besides diamonds, cosmetics are a girl’s best friend, especially if they turn it into a business venture. This holds true for Jen Gerodias-Diaz and Gen Enriquez-Gerodias, the empowered fashionista women in red stilettos behind Snoe cosmetics.

“I love cosmetics. I love the feeling you get when you find the perfect face cream, sunblock, etc.,” enthuses Jen. “It can improve the way you look and feel. It can even change the outcome of your day.”

“My love for makeup and beauty products made me realize my real calling,” says co-owner Gen, who entered the cosmetics business when the former convinced her to set up Snoe. “It was a no-brainer for me because I knew I had the passion for it to last a lifetime.”

Even before their foray into the cosmetics trade, Jen had already handled a business of her own and also that of their family. Gen, on the other hand, was a hotelier for 11 years.      

Being consumers themselves trying out different kinds of beauty products inspired them to eventually say, “Let’s share it with the public!”

Snoe is the brainchild of Jen. After the birth of her third child, she began creating their first soap products formulated for Asian skin, especially that of Filipinos, that could protect, moisturize, lighten age spots and improve overall skin health.

“Asian skin is already beautiful,” explains Snoe Beauty Products president Jen. “Filipinos are known for their brown smooth skin. But we want to correct imperfections such as freckles and brown spots, pimple marks and environmental elements through a problem-solving approach while focusing on changing fashion trends.”

Initially, their family and friends tested their products, after which they created the design and labels for their packaging.

“While developing the business plan for Snoe, we would meet during the weekends and brainstorm,” recalls Gen, Snoe’s vice president for marketing and public relations. “She would come up with copy and I would edit, and vice versa, in between my corporate responsibilities.”

So they ended up with Snoe as a brand. To create products that would cater to all skin types, they started with Snoe White, 12 variants of beauty bars.

“We’ve created the Snoe Snowflake inside the ‘O’ and stamped on our soap, which represents balance: love, family, mind, body, spirit and career. This is the kind of woman we’ve created our products for. Women who are empowered and multi-taskers like us,” Jen says. 

Snoe Beso Balm

After establishing their product line and brand came the decision about distribution channels. At first they toyed with the idea of direct-selling and supplying salons and spas. But they joined bazaars instead and finally decided to do retail inside the malls. In a short time, thanks to word of mouth from satisfied customers, more and more people started looking for lotions and perfumes, among other beauty products. Hence, the duo created new product lines and extensions.

“Expansions are underway as we want to be accessible to the public,” Gen stresses. “Product development is continuous as we constantly seek out and develop innovative and cutting-edge products that will make people wonder if it’s local or imported.”

Snoe is available at SM Muntinlupa (2/F Fashion Avenue, with a satellite kiosk at the G/F), Festival Mall (G/F, near Jollibee), the exhibit areas of Robinsons Malls (Galleria, Malate, Metro East, Lipa and Dasmarinas), and Cinderella, Glorietta 3.