Bater and street
Sophie (left) and Hannah Pycroft started their business in their garage in Barry
Two sisters who started a beauty business in a south Wales garage 10 years ago have grown into a global business with sales of millions of pounds a year.
Spectrum Collections has sold more than two million makeup brushes and accessories and surpassed £2.5 million in sales in the UK – its largest market – in the year to date.
In the US, where the company is currently growing faster than the UK, sales this year have exceeded £1.5m, said co-founder Sophie Pycroft, of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.
“We spent some of the best days of our lives in that garage,” the 36-year-old said. “We didn’t know what was going to happen, and it’s very nostalgic now.”
Spectrum products have been used backstage on the Netflix drama Bridgerton, London Fashion Week and the MTV European Music Awards.
Sophie and Hannah, 35, both worked with clients on photography, video and web design in London before setting up their business and frequently found themselves behind the scenes with hair and make-up artists themselves.
The sisters have always been interested in beauty products and discussions with professionals behind the scenes led to a “lightbulb moment”.
Sophie Pyrcroft
The sisters started their business in a garage 10 years ago
They decided to create a collection of distinctive, brightly colored makeup brushes at a lower price, made from synthetic fibers.
“We wanted to create products that had a little more personality than what you would see behind the scenes,” she said.
“We were trying to create a professional product but aimed at a more mainstream market,” Sophie said.
“We knew we would never go into a store ourselves and spend more than £40 on a single makeup brush. But we would actually buy a set of brushes for that price,” she said.
Bater and street
Sophie says running the business with her sister Hannah is the best part of the job.
To achieve a cheaper price, synthetic fibers were essential, while the density of the hair allows for a high quality finish.
Traditional paintbrushes are made with animal hair from squirrels, goats, or sable, a species of weasel.
Although synthetic bristles have been around for decades, Sophie says many industry professionals were using animal hair brushes when the sisters launched the brand.
Bater and street
Sophie and Hannah wanted to create a collection of distinctive, brightly colored makeup brushes
The sisters had no product experience and were “starting from scratch in terms of knowledge or direction,” Sophie explained.
They worked with the same factories that produced animal hair brushes, but used different materials.
After months of sampling and seeking advice from their network of makeup artists, they created their own line of brushes.
Rooted in Wales
Sophie and Hannah live on the same street, are family oriented and enjoy being close to home.
Their all-female, all-Welsh Spectrum Collections team is made up of nine members, all based in or around Barry.
“We always wanted to stay in Wales. We never wanted to uproot the business in London,” Sophie said.
This was one of the main factors that pushed them to start their own business.
“Being at home in Wales kind of keeps you grounded,” she added.
Much of the company's marketing is done through social media: Spectrum gives brushes to makeup artists and influencers who will brand the brand.
Marketing the brushes as vegan and cruelty-free also taps into a broader trend in the fashion industry away from animal-based textiles such as leather and fur, and many professional makeup artists have also become fans of Spectrum's brushes.
The company's suppliers are in China and the company conducts audits every six months, Sophie explained, checking that workers have been treated properly and that the environment in which the brushes are made complies with regulations.
Offers and expansion
Sophie and Hannah have created “personality-driven collections” – vibrant colors and designs as well as more minimalist options – blending beauty and fashion.
In 2018, Spectrum struck a deal with Disney for a Little Mermaid collection inspired by the mermaid princess Ariel. It included brushes with pastel-toned bristles and turquoise bags with metal wing closures and pearl studs.
The company also produced a set of Frozen brushes in icy, shimmery whites, with sponges shaped like the snowman Olaf.
Gabriella Jackson Photography
Spectrum's 'investment' collections in more subdued colors aim to transcend short-term trends
However, Spectrum has recently moved away from licensing deals and wants to focus more on its own lines.
Customers were “really excited” about the very bright colors at first, Sophie said, but as the cost of living has risen sharply in recent years, the sisters have noticed a change.
“We always try to give them something different design-wise, but I think people are buying less now. And they're just trying to buy things that are going to last a little bit longer,” she said .
Currently, 60% of Spectrum's business is in the UK, 30% in the US and 10% in Canada and other parts of the world.
The sisters now want to further expand the business across the world.
Working together is “the best part of the job,” Sophie said.
“We usually agree on everything because we're very, very similar. Neither of us would want to do it without the other,” she added.
“We definitely come as a duo.”
