Introduction

TAD Beauty aimed to drive innovation in the highly competitive lash market. The challenge was clear: they needed to create a new line of lashes that broke free from the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods. This was essential for expanding their market share and staying relevant in an industry defined by rapid change and intense competition.

Client Background

TAD Beauty, recognizing the limitations of their traditional, labor-intensive overseas manufacturing process, planned to launch a new brand to overcome these challenges. Their goal was to introduce innovative, never-before-seen solutions to address significant industry hurdles, including:

• - Expanding their market presence beyond the professional segment.
• - Creating a novel product to overcome patent restrictions and market saturation.
• - Reducing long delivery times and increasing responsiveness to market trends.
• - Enhancing design flexibility and comfort for end-users.

The Challenge

The lash market is highly competitive and fast-paced, where staying relevant is vital to maintaining market share. The client needed a unique product that stood out from traditional hand-made and overseas manufactured lashes. They sought to innovate beyond existing design constraints, aiming to deliver a product with superior comfort and performance.

Solution Overview

OPT Cosmetics provided a comprehensive solution by integrating material development, computational design, and advanced manufacturing technology into a cohesive process. Key aspects of the solution included:

• Ideation Phase: Close collaboration with the client to refine their vision into actionable designs.
• Design and Material Optimization: Rapid generation of 50 design prototypes and 100+ material iterations, resulting in a lash that combined softness with the ability to hold a perfect curl.
• Innovative Features: The new lash featured a "memory flex" effect, allowing it to re-curl even after flattening. Micron-scale printing enabled the creation of microstructures for improved adherence to natural lashes.
• Large-Scale Production: Utilization of a roll-to-roll additive manufacturing platform to produce lashes in large quantities, overcoming traditional 3D printing limitations.

Implementation

The implementation was marked by intense collaboration:

• Collaborative Development: The client’s team visited OPT Industries for hands-on ideation sessions, which fostered a partnership rather than a conventional client-supplier relationship. This joint effort was essential for defining new criteria for lash design.
• Partnership Approach: Both teams reimagined what a "great" lash could be, leveraging the novel technology to exceed traditional limitations and deliver a truly innovative product.

Quantitative Results

• Design Iterations: 50 design prototypes and 100+ material iterations were developed.
• Future Responsiveness: Design changes can now be addressed three times faster.
• Supply Chain Impact: Local manufacturing in the US has reduced supply chain time by 6x.
• Production Volume: Expected to manufacture approximately 24 million lash segments (400k “boxes”) in the first 12 months.

Qualitative Results

• Market Response: The lash was well-received at Cosmoprof in Las Vegas, with strong market interest.
• Forecasting & Inventory Management: Local, on-demand production eased the need for accurate, long-range forecasting.
• End User Feedback: Initial feedback suggests that the lash is more comfortable than other lashes on the market.

Client Feedback 

"Working with OPT was a game-changer for us. Their ability to quickly generate and iterate on designs, combined with their innovative manufacturing process, allowed us to bring a truly unique product to market." — Michelle Nguyen, CEO of TAD

"The new lash has exceeded our expectations in both design and functionality. The speed at which OPT was able to deliver and adapt to our needs has positioned us well for a successful launch." — Tress Larson, Creative Director of TAD