GT Cosmetics ventures into exports

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu-based cosmetic manufacturing firm GT Cosmetics announced its first entry to the export market, following the shipment of over 1,000 beauty soaps to Finland.

GT Cosmetics owner Leonora B. Salvane said despite the lack of marketing efforts to aggressively promote her products, the company gained interest to venture into exports due to its online exposures, such as social media blogs, and word-of-mouth marketing strategy.

“The spa manager of the hotel found us through a blog site then sent us an email requesting for samples of our bar soaps. Now, we will be having our first shipment to Europe,” said Salvane.

Salvane, who is also a chemical engineer, formulates her own cosmetic brand, using organic and herbal extracts that help improve the quality of skin to both men and women.

“Our shipment to Finland is considered our first business-to-business deal with a foreign buyer. It serves as another proof that local brands can be world class. The deal would also become our first step to be recognized in Europe,” said Salvane.

The brand’s beauty soap comes in three variants like carrot, papaya, and bleaching organic soap products.

She said the buyer in Finland has ordered the carrot and papaya soap variants that can remove skin blemishes while keeping it smooth and moisturized.

GT Cosmetics have become quite popular among the youth market composed of students and young professionals in Cebu and some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao regions. A great number of Overseas Filipino Workers in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Japan also patronizes its bar soap products.

Its new line of cosmetic cream products namely the night cream, day cream, sunblock, and toner are also starting to gain popularity among new and avid users.

Moreover, Salvane is looking at clinching more clients in Europe as its first foreign buyer promised to help promote the product in the region.

GT Cosmetics was founded in 1992 as a home-based family business in the town of Liloan, which is 18 kilometers north of Cebu City. It now has 100 workers and retails to over 170 locations of health and beauty store chain Watson’s here in the Philippines as well as to leading department stores, malls, and supermarkets nationwide.

GT Cosmetics is just one of the homegrown brands in Cebu, as well as in the Philippines, that are now enjoying good market demand from abroad.

With the health-conscious market trend now, customers are demanding for nature-based beauty products, compared to chemical-based products. - THE FREEMAN