Aussie mum, 39, accidentally spawns major TikTok beauty trend that will give you glowing skin overnight - and she's making millions off the idea
- Ali Clarke, 39, launched her brand Bondi Blades in May 2020 during lockdown
- The Melbourne mum had a 'lightbulb moment' after spending $150 on a facial
- While researching she saw a 'gap in the market' for home dermaplaning blades
- Dermaplaning is a type of facial treatment that helps exfoliate the skin
Daily Mail Australia may earn commissions from some links on this page.
An Australian mum's small business has spawned a TikTok trend that sees women shaving their faces with a special blade to achieve glowing skin overnight.
Ali Clarke, 39, from Melbourne, launched Bondi Blades in May 2020 after noticing a gap in the market for the DIY blades that remove the minuscule 'peach fuzz' hairs from your face.
Six months prior in 2019 she had a salon dermaplaning facial and quickly noticed the benefits, but with treatments costing more than $150 she couldn't afford regular visits.
So she decided to create her own sustainable, environmentally friendly blades - with a pack of three setting you back just $24.95 - and has watched the business grow to be stocked in over 1,000 stores in Australia and New Zealand.
Dermaplaning is a type of facial treatment that helps exfoliate the skin by using a small but safe medical-grade blade.
Ali Clarke, from Melbourne, launched Bondi Blades in May 2020 after noticing a gap in the market for DIY blades that remove the minuscule 'peach fuzz' hairs from your face
Six months prior in 2019, she had a salon dermaplaning facial and quickly noticed the benefits, but with treatments costing more than $150 she couldn't afford regular visits
At the start of her business venture, Ali said she invested a whole $50 for a box of 25 sample blades and named the brand after her 'favourite place' in Australia - Bondi Beach.
She also used the name to disassociate it with herself because she was 'so nervous' about starting a business with a lack of experience.
'I wanted to ensure nobody knew the brand was mine to begin with, given I am in Melbourne, as I was so nervous and unsure about starting the business - but the name had a ring to it that I liked!' she said.
Since 2020 the business has grown exponentially with the help of social media and the affordable pink blades are now stocked in 1,000 retail stores across the country
Dermaplaning offers a range of benefits including the removal of dead skin cells and small microfibre hairs that can often trap unwanted dirt inside pores
The demand of managing full-time work, the business and being a mum became too overwhelming and so Ali decided to leave her finance role of 20 years to focus solely on Bondi Blades.
She said Melbourne's harsh Covid-19 lockdown was a 'golden opportunity' to market and grow the business on social media.
Dermaplaning offers a range of benefits including the removal of dead skin cells and small microfibre hairs that can often trap unwanted dirt inside pores.
The safe treatment will also allow the skin to absorb skincare products more efficiently, resulting in a brighter looking complexion.
'It helps remove the tiny "peach fluff" hairs on your face and allows makeup to look flawless as a result,' Ali said.
When using dermaplaning blades, it's essential to slide the blade away from the face at a 45-degree angle.
Since a selection of the Bondi Blades products are made from biodegradable materials, customers can use the products knowing they aren't harming the environment.
Since a selection of the Bondi Blades products are made from biodegradable materials, customers can use the products knowing they aren't harming the environment
The fear of failure and possibility of losing money is often what prevents people from starting businesses, but Ali said this wasn't the case for her as she considers herself to be 'risk averse'.
'I was never afraid of it not working out because I took a calculated risk when leaving my role ensuring I had savings aside should it not work out,' she said.
'I also surrounded myself with other small business owners in the same boat so we could share tips with each other, which helped guide me through this new world of e-commerce.'
The experience of starting the business from scratch was a 'work in progress' for Ali, who was learning new ways to market her product gradually over time.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and state-wide lockdowns that took place in Victoria throughout 2020, Ali saw a huge spike in sales as more people were stuck at home with no access to salons.
'Selling the products on Shopify and posting on TikTok has been a game changer for me, because customers feel like they are watching behind the scene videos - the positive response has been huge,' she said.
One video of a woman dermaplaning her boyfriend's eyebrows using a Bondi Blades product has been viewed more than 300,000 times.
One video of a woman dermaplaning her boyfriend's eyebrows using a Bondi Blades product has been viewed more than 300,000 times
Ali said those wanting to start their own business should have faith in themselves, the brand and products.
'It's cliché, but you really do need to believe in yourself; research the product, throw yourself in the deep end and don't quit,' she said.
Aldi also recommended surrounding yourself with other 'like-minded' individuals who will give you helpful advice.
To find out more about Bondi Blades visit the website here.
Most watched News videos
- Disgraced presenter Huw Edwards arrives at court for sentencing
- Kamala Harris draws criticism over 'new accent' at Black Caucus
- David Lammy complains of no taxpayer budget for Starmer's clothes
- Old clip of 56-year-old man who attempted to kill Trump resurfaces
- Barrister on former BBC presenter Huw Edwards: His sentence is a joke
- Gisele Pelicot arrives at the criminal court in Avignon
- Smoke from Halen Môn smokery causes dispute with Anglesey Sea Zoo
- Huw Edwards leaves court following sentencing
- Starmer and Meloni giggle as they pose for photos in Villa Doria
- Australian tourist 'lynched' after streaking through Italian town
- Shocking moment woman repeatedly runs over handbag thief
- Dominique Pelicot's lawyer: 'He asked his wife to forgive him'