Fairface Podcast Episode 12:
The Story Behind our Name- Fairface Washcloths
Listen now or on Apple/Itunes or other channels here
Fairface Podcast transcript / show notes
Intro
In today's episode I share with you how we came up with our product name, Fairface Washcloths, and what it really stands for. The meaning may surprise you.
Hi everyone I hope you are doing well! It's finally summer! We had a bit of a rough start with cooler temps and rain, here in Seattle, but we've had a stretch of sunshine lately and I'm loving the mild summer temperatures that are in the lower 70's, which for me, is perfect.
Today I wanted to go behind the scenes of our business and share with you how I came up with our product name, Fairface Washcloths...that later became our company name, and what it really stands for.
I love behind the scenes stories of how businesses came up with their product names or company names, so I thought this would be fun to share.
Fairface Washcloths are not just for people with "fair-colored" skin
I thought it was a good time for me to talk about our company and product names because many might not understand what it represents. My guess is that at first glance you think Fairface products might only be for people with fair skin, but that is not the case.
We have a lovely variety of customers, both men and women, from many different backgrounds, different skin colors, and cultures, tho many of them do share one thing in common, which is sensitive skin (tho we also have customers who don't have sensitive skin but they just love a soft, gentle washcloth for their face).
Our washcloths are soft and gentle, for sensitive skin, and tho many people with fair skin do happen to have sensitive skin, the word "Fair" doesn't just mean fair-skinned as it might imply.
But before I get a head of myself, let me go back to the beginning.
I already had my product. I had started making my soft flannel washcloths and using them on myself, after being diagnosed with Rosacea (you can hear more about what it's like living with Rosacea in episode Ep 3 of the Fairface podcast) and I knew these washcloths were something I needed to share with other people with sensitive skin, because they had helped me so much and I knew they would be able to help other people with Rosacea and other sensitive skin conditions or skin sensitivities. It literally felt like a calling, as they say, something I had to do because it was that important.
At the time, Etsy was still fairly new and I had my first shop, which was the perfect creative outlet - filled with whatever sparked my creativity at the time - which was cute decorative pillow cases, baby bibs and burp cloths, baby blankets, nursery pillows, decorated baby onesies and ink blot designed t-shirts. So it was a plethora of goods.
When I was trying to come up with a name for my first etsy shop... Sometimes I can get lost in all the research. Everything I read was saying how important a catchy name was, so I was trying so hard to come up with something that was cute and clever and I was totally drawing a blank. I think I was just trying too hard.
But in the end I just decided on something easy for tax purposes, so I stuck with a version of my name, Shannon Sorensen Designs, which wasn't as cute or catchy as doodle bug designs or something, but it allowed me to open my shop, and allowed for some flexibility, since I hadn't really decided what products I wanted to focus in on.
So in addition to this mishmash of goods, I also wanted to start selling my soft washcloths. But I knew there was more to this product than just lumping it in with my decorative pillow cases.
Choosing a special name for a special product
I knew I had something special so I needed to take the time to give my product a special name.
I remember sitting there trying to think of a name and really focusing in, trying to pretty much, channel inspiration. The thing about inspiration is that it can't be forced, sometimes the harder you try to force it, the farther away it feels. I remember just starting to brain storm and writing out different name ideas on an old white and black skinny notepad from some insurance company that I had probably gotten for free - you know, from one of those fair booths where they hand out pens and free note pads.
As I sat in "inspiration mode", I was trying to focus in on what I was trying to "do" with the product and who and what it was "for". I had a sensitive skin product. It was for the face, for the cheeks. It was gentle. It was soft. It would cleanse without irritation. It represented clean and pure. I liked the idea of a name using something with face in it, and maybe using 2 F sounds could be catchy.
I still have the original piece of paper that I brainstormed all over. I'm actually holding it in front of me right now. I'm a sucker for saving things like this to document, and it's fun to see how it all started and how far I've come.
I started out with things like Fresh face, Gentle glide (sounds more like a razor), I'm actually reading off my list...Facer, Gentle Glow...7 words down on my list I wrote "Fairfaces" and 2 more words down on the list, I wrote, "Fair-of-Face face cloths". And although I continued to write other words down on the list, there was something about Fair-of-Face that stuck with me.
Remember that old nursery rhyme that says, "Monday's child is fair of face" ... what did Fair of Face mean? And was that phrase trademarked? If it was used in someone else's poem, I felt like I couldn't technically use it as a product name, could I? So many things to learn as you are opening a business, hoping you're not breaking any laws or accidentally copyrighting someone else's name...
Fair-of-face... I knew there was something to it, but it was still too long, and part of a nursery rhyme, and just not totally right. So I sat with that and mulled it around and just tightened it in ever so slightly to become Fairface. And it finally felt right. You just know it when it's right, don't you? That's how it felt for me. I think my husband even said, are you sure? But I knew. I had found the name because it's just that feeling that sits right with you, when nothing else really does.
By definition fair-of-face generally means lovely to look at.
So, Fair of face can mean handsome, beautiful and appealing. That's part of it.
We believe at Fairface, everyone has their own unique individual beauty, both men and women.
Although Fairface may imply it's about fair skin coloring, it includes all skin tones, including fair.
Fairface is about the nature of skin, being "more fair than most", meaning, "skin that is: in need of more care, more prone to sensitivity, more easily swayed by the elements, more susceptible to being harmed, more likely to be reactive, in need of more protection. Fair as in more tender, more vulnerable, and in need of gentle care."
"Our name, Fairface Washcloths, is not in reference to skin color. "Fairface" is about individual beauty and protecting the vulnerability of your skin." TM - Shannon Sorensen, Founder and CEO, Fairface Washcloths for sensitive skin
Does that make sense?
That truly is what Fairface is about for us.
I personally happen to have fair, as in light colored skin, that is sensitive, burns easily and is reactive to everything. But when you look at "fair skin" through the lens and definition of "beauty and vulnerability", it changes the meaning.
During this time of learning and supporting black lives equality, I wanted to make sure you knew that our washcloths and products represent all sensitive skin, no matter the color. Our products are for "fair skin", which like I shared, by our definition means, "skin that is more tender, more vulnerable, and in need of gentle care". We love our diverse customer backgrounds! I, personally, love to talk to our customers about their sensitive skin struggles and needs and if I need to be educated about something, I'd love to learn. I think of myself as a sensitive skin care advocate and that involves always learning and always supporting.
I know I haven't done my best at defining what Fairface means and who our brand is really for, but I'm going to do better.
I think Dove has done a beautiful job of communicating that their products are for everyone - despite their body type, body shape, skin color or background. I need to look more at what they've done so I can better represent all the beautiful people who use our washcloths.
I hope you understand I'm not telling you all of this to be saying what is popular right now, or saying what I think I should be saying. This has been a time of self-reflection and learning and re-evaluating and through that, I recognized that I have been under-representing who uses our products and who they are for and I'm sorry about that. And I will do better.
I am so grateful for every single one of our customers who chooses to not only spend their hard earned money on our products, but also that they trust us to be part of how they care for their skin. That is a big deal. That means a lot to me. Every customer means a lot to me. I recognize names that come through the orders and I appreciate seeing the customers who come back time and again as well as the new customers who are choosing to trust us and try our products. They say business isn't personal, but believe me, when it's your business, as this is mine, it is very personal. It means a lot to me. So I thank you so much for supporting us in our efforts to support you with your sensitive skin care needs with the very best products.
I want to leave you with this quote...
"Fairface products are not about skin color. Our Fairface products are for "Fair Skin", which by our definition means, "Skin that is more tender, more sensitive, more reactive, more easily affected, and in need of gentle care." "Fair" is not about skin color. It's about your skin's individual beauty and vulnerability." - Shannon Sorensen, Founder and CEO, Fairface Washcloths for sensitive skin
This has always been what Fairface means to our company and products, I just haven't done a great job at communicating that. I am grateful for this time of reflection so I can do better.
Thank you as always for being here. I really do appreciate it. I would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts to share about what I've talked about, or if you'd like to share your own personal experience with our products or your skin and what you've gone through, I would love to hear from you and share your experiences with our customers and followers because sharing can always can help someone else.
Please get in touch with me - you can email me or get in touch with me through Instagram or Facebook @FairfaceWashcloths.
Help us by sharing your photos on Instagram!
Do you know what would totally make my day? If you would post a photo of yourself using our washcloths - or even just holding them with your favorite cleanser, I know not everyone is excited about showing themselves on instagram without make-up on, me included, but posting those photos and tagging us @FairfaceWashcloths so people can see the who uses our products - that our washcloths really are for all types of people with sensitive skin, I would absolutely love that and be so grateful to you.
YOU are the reason that I do what I do every day and I appreciate you so much and would love to get to know you personally. I look forward to talking with you soon! Everyone take good care of yourselves and I will see you next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment