Growing up in Vietnam, Thu Brulé paid close attention to the faces around her. “I experienced firsthand the impact of a hard life, the consequences of endless work hours, and the impact of war and poverty on the human face,” says Brulé, who founded an eponymous skincare brand in February.
In 1994, she and her mother emigrated to Michigan via the airport in Saigon. Waiting for the plane that would whisk them away to a new life, Brulé remembers looking up to businesspeople, including entrepreneurs, traveling for work. “I felt a different hunger grow inside. The women in their heels stood tall, with makeup on their faces and hair styled,” she says. “The freedom and confidence with which they moved singed itself into my soul. I thought, ‘Someday this is who I will become.’”
After graduating from high school in 2001, Brulé single-mindedly pursued her interest in beauty. She got a degree in cosmetology and became a nail technician while studying business management and economics at Northern Michigan University. When she was in her mid-twenties, Brulé opened a nail salon.
By 2022, her focus shifted to skincare. She decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge and develop the skincare brand Thu Brulé. It took 22 months for Brulé, whose husband David is her business partner, and $600,000 to bring it to life. Today, Thu Brulé is on the market with a single $185 product, Thursty Skin Hydrating Fluid, a serum formulated to combat the signs of aging.
Brulé didn’t anticipate it taking nearly two years to complete Thu Brulé, but Thursty Skin Hydrating Fluid went through about 10 iterations and an eight-week clinical trial with 38 participants that showed they noticed hydration improvement. Thu Brulé describes the serum as containing over 92% naturally derived ingredients. It features a moisturizing ingredient from the peel of Rambutan fruit that chemistry company BASF touts as sustainably harvesting in Vietnam and proprietary HydroLock 360 technology with hyaluronic acid in five molecular weights.
Thu Brulé’s clinical trial was intended to confirm the brand’s anti-aging promise. Its participants were aged 30 to 85 years old and reported having dry skin. Ninety percent said applying Thursty Skin Hydrating Fluid led to their skin feeling instantly hydrated, and 84.2% said their skin became more supple and smooth over the course of eight weeks. Approximately 82% of the trial’s participants said that their skin felt more refreshed.
“We excluded testing on a younger demographic,” says Brulé. “Testing on individuals under age 30 wouldn’t offer the same insights regarding our serum’s ability to effectively hydrate and reenergize skin cells.”
“There is no better marketing strategy than producing a product that delivers on its promises.”
Brulé strives for Thu Brulé to be a tightly curated line of luxury skincare products powered by scientific research. It wasn’t easy to find partners who were convinced of the brand’s potential. Brulé mentions a few manufacturers told her they wouldn’t handle a startup’s production.
“The most significant business lesson we’ve learned is the value of patience,” says Brulé. “Finding partners who align with our vision for the Thu Brulé brand was essential, whether it involved a cosmetic chemist, manufacturer or filler, packaging supplier, fulfillment center, website developer or PR firm. Building trust in these relationships was paramount. We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with honest, ‘do what you say you’ll do’ business partners who deliver on their promises.”
Brulé continues, “We were fortunate to bring together a team of intelligent, hard-working, dedicated people to be part of Thu Brulé.” With five employees at the brand, she notes, “Our operations are running lean, but effectively.”
The brand currently sells its products exclusively through its website. “This allows maximum control over the customer experience,” says Brulé. “However, we are exploring ways to employ a multichannel distribution approach. We are acutely aware of the impact social media has on brand awareness and are working on a strategy to leverage influencer partnerships, sponsored posts and user-generated content to increase visibility and engagement.”
Once Thu Brulé is established in the United States, Brulé plans to explore opportunities for international expansion through online marketplaces and overseas distributors. Brulé declines to project sales figures for Thu Brulé’s first year. Word-of-mouth marketing is crucial to the brand early on.
“Throughout our journey, our product has consistently exceeded our expectations [thanks to] our customers who enthusiastically share their positive experiences with friends,” says Brulé. “There is no better marketing strategy than producing a product that delivers on its promises.”
Thu Brulé’s second product, a $95 mineral sunscreen called Free Spirit Correct & Protect, is slated to launch in May, and its pipeline has further products expected to be released over the next six months. With Free Spirit, Brulé says, “Our goal is to change the conversation surrounding daily sunscreen use by creating a formula that not only provides superior protection, but also offers a delightful application experience.”
