Asian Innovation - Clynn By Nature's Founder Lynn Yap A Scientist With A Mission
Meeting Clynn By Nature founder Lynn Yap at a women’s event was eye opening. Determined and energetic, I recalled how she was explaining to each browser at her stand exactly what every product contained. Customers would leave with an arm-full of product. It was clear her range of shampoos and hair care, had a unique benefit ladies were looking for.
Working with her to deepen her brand attributes and create a clear brand hierarchy in order to refresh the packaging was a pleasure. Here’s is a story of deep knowledge in her field, continued product improvement and perseverance.
1.Tell us about your entrepreneurship journey - how did it all start?
Suffering from hair loss and frizzy hair, I looked everywhere for hair care products that were safe, effective and affordable, but had no luck. Soon, I found out that I wasn’t the only one who needed products that addressed these hair issues – my friends, relatives and even a professional hairstylist told me that they had trouble finding good products. I decided to create my own scalp care and hair care products. I launched the range, Clynn by Nature, in 2016. The products are made from safe, sustainable, natural, active ingredients; and are designed for use in our hot, humid climate. Clynn By Nature is now sold mainly in pharmacies in hospitals and polyclinics. It’s also available online and in a few hair salons.
2. You are a trained chemist, what does that mean for non-science people?
I obtained a Master’s degree in Polymer Science from Loughborough University, UK in 1988. I have accumulated over 20 years of research and formulation experience while working for multinational companies in the personal care ingredients industry. My work included carrying out independent research projects. I was named co-inventor of a world-wide patent in personal cleansing. Prior to working in personal care, I spent two and a half years setting up a bakery from scratch, obtaining ISO 9000 accreditation. As such, I am both confident and competent to formulate and create efficacious products for self-care.
As a trained chemist I am able to understand things at their elementary or molecular level. Understanding how these molecules interact both physically and chemically, allows me to formulate products that actually perform. It's from this knowledge and experience, that I am able to create a range that gets to the heart of people’s hair care problems. Clynn By Nature products were specifically formulated for Singapore’s tropical climate conditions and our busy, stressful lifestyles.
The research process took over 10 years due to many reasons. For example, where microorganisms are involved, things get more interesting. The presence of unwanted microorganisms may compromise product safety. On the other hand, we need good bacteria to break down some chemical structures to carry out fermentation and achieve certain functional ingredients. In other words it took time to test the best formulations.
3. Consumers are prone to losing hair in Singapore, why is that?
Hair loss is a major concern in Singapore. It affects consumers of all ages. To begin with, our daily tropical heat and humidity spur fungal and bacteria growth on the oily substances that reside on our scalp. The result is scalp itching, dandruff, blockage and weakening of hair follicles that could lead to hair loss. Such oily substances may come from our scalp secretion, urban traffic film, or contributed to by the conditioning agents in our hair products.
Next, hormone imbalance caused by childbirth, menopause, medication or lifestyle-related stress, leads to the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that can cause root shrinking and eventually hair loss. Frequent hair dyeing, exposing our scalp to allergens, may lead to hair loss too.
4. Can you give readers tips about maintaining hair? Especially after reaching a certain age and or having a baby or moving to Singapore from the Northern hemisphere.
Step i: Keep our scalp clean
Shampoo once a day. Even if you do not sweat, the pollution from traffic in a busy city, justifies daily shampooing. Many consumers are averse to washing their hair every day for fear of exposing their hair to too many chemicals leading to dryness. However, shampooing only when the scalp feels itchy or when hair feels oily, risks leading to itchy scalp, dandruff and premature hair loss. The solution is to use the right shampoo. The right shampoo allows us to shampoo daily without drying out the hair and keeps our scalp clean, healthy and dandruff-free. It also maintains good follicle health and promotes healthy hair growth cycles.
Our award-winning best anti-hair loss shampoo, Clynn By Nature Hair Shampoo, adds volume, and is carefully formulated for thin and fine hair. It gives volume without the frizz. Clynn By Nature Hair Shampoo EXTRA MOISTURE suits coarse or dry hair. It provides deep hydration and is gentle to the scalp.
Step ii: Keep your hair strong and healthy
Additional protein treatment helps strengthen and smoothen your hair. Use Clynn By Nature’s MY Haircare Hair Conditioner after every shampoo, to restore the smoothness and shine. Note: This fast-acting rinse-off conditioner absorbs quickly. Massage for 30 seconds and rinse off. You do not need to leave it on and wait.
After towel drying your hair, spray on Clynn By Nature’s MY Haircare Hair Mist, from mid-length down to the ends. Massage in and comb through. This oil-free formula does not weigh your hair down. It smooths and detangles to ease combing and prevents split ends. Blow dry and style. A weekly treatment with Clynn By Nature’s Hair Mask provides the additional nourishment for the hair.
Step iii: Nourish our scalp
For those experiencing hormone imbalance, due to lifestyle changes, such as moving to Singapore from the northern hemisphere, childbirth, menopause or prolonged medication, it is important to keep your roots strong and healthy to prevent premature hair loss.
Daily application of Clynn By Nature Scalp Tonic 01 – Strong Roots delivers the right amount of nourishment to our scalp to keep your roots strong and healthy. It also prevents scalp greasiness and promotes new roots.
Step iv: Weekly Scalp Treatment
Clynn By Nature Scalp Shampoo rejuvenates and maintains scalp health by combining deep cleansing, oil control, DHT-blocking, gentle exfoliation with lasting hydration. This allergen-free formula is a 2-in-1 Tonic-cum-shampoo, for single-step convenience. Use it after hair dyeing to keep your scalp allergen-free. Use weekly in place of Hair Shampoo as weekly scalp treatment.
For consumers above 45 years of age, Clynn By Nature Scalp Shampoo may be used as a daily shampoo to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.
5. Tell us your brand story and how you resolved or developed it after the workshop session?
When I started formulating products to improve scalp health, I had to come up with a name for my products. Clynn sounds like “clean” which is “the first step” for personal care. Being born and bred in this part of the world, where the best thriving conditions for microorganisms exist, our skin and scalp are highly susceptible to microbial related diseases. Therefore, good personal hygiene cannot be compromised. Because our products are formulated and designed based on the concept of utilizing the gifts of mother nature, by nurturing our body’s natural ability to renew, rejuvenate and restore - the name “Clynn By Nature” made sense.
Before the workshop, I paid all my attention to the formulation of my products, ensuring top quality, safety and efficacy. Branding was a name just to describe who we are and what we do. After the workshop, I realised that Clynn By Nature needs to be a brand, not just a name. It has to be a brand that means something to others and bring something to our customers. I was fortunate to have the help of Anisa who worked with me on sharpening our brand identity, values, what it [the brand] stands for, what it means for the users of Clynn By Nature, i.e. improve brand messaging with clarity.
6. What is your hope for your brand? - feel free to dream and share a large or small goal!
Firstly, to become a trusted brand in Singapore and overseas markets. Users associate CLYNN BY NATURE with quality, reliability and efficacy in hair care and hair loss treatment products.
Secondly, to contribute positively to our environment:
- Reduce water consumption and carbon emission: Clynn By Nature’s products rinse off quickly, reducing the need for rinse water; and saving energy by needing less hot water, therefore reduce carbon emission
- Reduce plastic waste: Clynn By Nature shampoos are available in bottles and refill pouches. Refills use 80% less plastic than bottles, therefore we are contributing to reducing plastic waste by 80% every time a customer purchases a refill. Refills also promote reusing of used bottles of other products which could further encourage zero waste.
- Continue to launch new products with sustainable ingredients with reduced dependency on palm oil.
Founder Lynn Yap
Clynn By Nature
Follow the brand on Instagram @Clynnbynature
Effective Marketing Communications For Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Brands
The first mistake fashion brands make is they don’t have a single brand message; or what a marketer would describe as a ‘differentiated offer’ i.e. a reason why a consumer should buy their product over another brand.
Unfortunately consumers are fickle and they are busy going about their daily lives. If you want them to take notice of your brand tell them what you offer and keep it simple. If you keep things simple, creative or intelligent and inspiring they may reward you with their attention.
When you solve a customer’s problem they will be even more likely to take notice. The first step of marketing communications is to have a single brand message that enough customers care about. Your brand message can be implicit (understood through strong visuals) or explicit (with a slogan that spells things out). Only after you have clarified your brand message, can you start thinking about marketing communication.
These days to cut through the noise your brand message has to be communicated 360 degrees at every consumer touch point. In the case of a brand like Nike, who’ve spent billions of dollars communicating their brand message - they have the budget to use print, their store environment, TV, product placement, brand ambassadors, event sponsorship and more recently a plethora of online platforms. Whether like Nike you have a million dollar budget or you have a modest budget, before developing marketing communications first think about what you want your consumer to understand about your brand. Then choose the correct media to target your market nice and put your advertising dollars behind those identified platforms.
If customers are digitally savvy and spend time on social media deliver them a mixture of free content of value and branded paid for content. If they read fashion magazines and blogs, try to research the most cost effective way of advertising using these platforms. Whether it is free editorial coverage if you have something that is PR worthy and a friendly journalist is willing to cover your story, or a collaboration on a giveaway / competition. Magazines, especially the online editions, may be open to such collaborations. Think of all the media your potential target market consumes, places they visit, or platforms they interact with on a daily basis and plan an advertising strategy based on how far your budget will stretch. Think customer, product, margin and cost in order to select the right medium.
Promotion encourages is an easy way to develop a ‘call to action’ strategy. These are tools to move your target market to take the first step towards either finding out more about the brand, visiting a store or website, or making a purchase. Call to actions are often forgotten but are critical to success so that they should be given time and consideration.
Your promotional strategy should fit your brand positioning and brand message. For example, your customers may expect lots of discounts from an online store selling affordable fashion. Those same customers may become suspicious of a Social Enterprise that is always pushing discounts.
Why? Some people support social brands for altruistic purposes, they want to feel good by giving back, so hard sell discounts may not go down well with this customer segment. Instead, expertly timed discounts or promotions such as free shipping or gift with purchase, linked with special events or festivals would be more appropriate. Promotions that encourage customers to tell their friends, buy more than one product or try your product for the first time are also critical to your strategy’s success when you launch.
Even in the era of digital marketing more and more customer's expect branded experiences these days, so they are central to your brand’s success. These are real world events that can bring your brand to life by demonstrating your brand message in a tangible way. Giving customers a chance to interact with your company, not just from a product perspective but offering a chance to immerse themselves in your brand story in the physical world, can be a great opportunity for customers to experience and test merchandise and understand your brand values.
Joseph Pine and James Gilmore’s Experience Economy model is a framework that explains the different ways you can create memorable events for your customers that adds value to your brand. The dimensions include creating events that Educate, Entertain, or events that are Aesthetic or Escapist. Workshops, seminars, talks with experts, meet and greet sessions with brand ambassadors are all branded experiences that can help you connect with your customers. Of course these experiences should all leverage customers love of posting on Instagram so make sure you make it easier for people to share your content or give them a 'grammable' spot in the real world.
If you would like to know about creating an integrated marketing strategy for your brand get in touch!
I host monthly workshops that are budget friendly and suitable for new businesses testing the waters or arrange a one-to-one advice sessions starting with a complimentary 20 minute online call.
Get in touch anisa@anisajohnny.com
Areas of expertise: Fashion Educator I Sustainability I Branding I Social Entrepreneurship
Podcast: Fashion Hub Singapore
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