Interview with Sarah Nokry, founder of the brand Bérine

AN IDEA OF ACTIVE BEAUTY

 Bérine comes from a Berber term “berra” which means “outside”: asking how to best take care of our bodies which enables us to go outside, fulfil yourself and be accomplished. The idea behind Bérine is to promote active beauty products, but also the importance of otherness for inner self-wellbeing. This is the “in” associated with “berra.”Can you please explain your brand to us and how it came to life?We launched the brand at the end of 2018 with our first product: an oil serum for the face, neck and decolletage. An unisex product, made from 10 ingredients that aims to hydrate, regenerate, protect, soothe and prevent ageing. Our key ingredient is prickly pear. A "priming" product as it is a product used as a first step in skin care. We started with a single product because we wanted a customer-oriented brand, the idea being to grow with it and not to come up with a completely established proposal that would not necessarily be adapted to customer needs. We tend to think that to hydrate the skin you need a cream, but in reality oils are much more effective as they prevent the evaporation of water by nourishing; this is what we call ‘inter-lipid cement.’ I don’t have any cosmetic training, I have more experience in finance, investment banking and investment funds. I have provided strategic consulting for new technologies by specializing in GAFA (contraction of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon). Then, I decided I wanted to do something else, to work collaboratively on products I could touch and where there was a desire to reconnect with clients. Hence my leaning towards cosmetics as there is a direct customer relationship, which is somewhat intimate since we enter their home in a way! We look after their skin. There is also a lot of creativity, and aesthetics. Being of Moroccan origin, I have always been surrounded by this universe of well-being: the hammam, argan oil, and beauty rituals are widespread. So, I started without any knowledge of the market, but with a lot of desire and determination.Your brand in 3 words.Honesty, which is very important. Expression: with our packaging, there are big typologies because we want to make noise! And lastly I would say, “no fuss.”What are your sources of inspiration?I am very inspired by brands like Apple because of their design, but also by Fashion Houses. I have always loved Yves Saint Laurent for his provocative side and I love the way he knows how to link both Western and Eastern cultures together, particularly with colours. These are strong and incarnated worlds. I am very careful with my branding because I dream of successfully creating my very own brand universe.I watch the people around me, what they are suffering from and what prevents them from leading a simple life. I always ask myself how we could make life simpler.What advice would you give to people who want to launch into the world of design with their brand and want to take part in Who’s Next to gain visibility? Beyond Who's Next, this is the first time I've been to a trade show so I had no idea what to expect! I would say that you need to prepare product placement and the scenography of the stand. How not to go unnoticed today? Your brand and your collections have to be a true reflection of you, it has to be presented perfectly. Today, visuals and aesthetics are very important. Nowadays, everything can be replaced and so customers choose to buy products with value and a story behind them. Finally, you can’t work well if you don’t believe in what you’re doing. Entrepreneurship is hard, so if you get up every morning without believing in it and without intuition and fluidity, it will get complicated. You have to know yourself, be aware of yourself, know what makes you happy and what you want to stand up for. Tell us about your experience at Who’s Next.I was pleasantly surprised by how kind the exhibitors were. We had a lot of chats, where we shared advise and we would watch people’s stands for them if necessary. Above all, there was a greater sense of collaboration than competition.What opportunities have you gained from the trade-show?I met some lovely people! What was great was that I could try the brands items in real time and properly hear about their initiative! Our products were very well received. You can notice well-informed customers immediately. We have made good contacts from the Middle East, Japan and China, and we made a sale with a Middle-Eastern client.Upcoming projects?Currently we are focusing on our online sales, we are aiming to boost Bérine’s digital presence and to become “consumer direct”.We also want to collaborate with other companies who could showcase our brand whilst being aligned with our values, who would us allow to grow further in one fixed space.Furthermore, we want to expand our range of products so that we can create a full skincare routine. And of course, we would like to communicate more about the brand.