She’s in her magical moment—Luxewax CEO Janine Carlos talks about facing setbacks, chasing innovation, and coming out stronger
“It was a long journey of experimenting, trial and error, and fearlessly betting on yourself that you can do it,” says Luxewax CEO Janine Carlos.
Despite a deep setback—a literal point of back-to-zero—Carlos kept pushing and fighting for the life she wanted to build. In search of her “winning” product during the pandemic, she ventured into electronics, car accessories, pet supplies, packaging supplies, poultry products, and more. It wasn’t a one-shot idea—she had to keep on creating opportunities for herself.
It was in 2021 when Carlos’s sibling was in need of a hair removal product. They decided to purchase a product in the supermarket and to their dismay, it didn’t do its job well and ended up ruining her skin. From that problem came an opportunity to create a solution. Carlos asked herself: “Why don’t I create a hair removal wax product that really works? A product that is true to its promise and a product that delivers?”
And so began the hustle and work. From their small house and kitchen, Carlos came up with Luxewax, an all-natural hair removal brand that reduces unwanted hair in the body, all done from the comfort of one’s home. The result? A smooth, lighter, and damage-free skin.
“I believe that beauty, health, and wellness are thriving industries, not just because people are really invested in their physical looks, but also because maintaining healthy habits is key in attaining a healthy mind,” Carlos explains. “Like me, whenever I feel beautiful, it also reflects on my overall mental health. I feel productive and accomplished.”
With Luxewax, Carlos is able to establish a community where both women and men are confident and empowered. The brand is promoting a no-filter, real skin situation. They also aim to consistently connect with their consumers’ feelings and concerns.
What Carlos created is a do-it-yourself waxing product that saves time, effort, and money. It is also all-natural and made by their own manufacturing company, which allows them to support local farmers.
“I think the biggest challenge in business is innovation,” the business leader shares. “In this generation, everything is readily available. It’s easy to start, but the real question is how you will sustain it. With overflowing ideas and new trends, you have to know which ones to hop in and which ones not to. You always have to align your short-term goals with your long-term goals. For me, innovation is both a challenge and an opportunity.”
Now, Luxewax’s monthly sales for the last two years have consistently reached around seven to eight figures. Currently, the brand has more than 800 local and international resellers and distributors.
Carlos’s advice—or rather, question—to young entrepreneurs is this: “What is your biggest why?” For Carlos, whatever happens, that “why” has to be bigger than those fears, like one’s own life depends on it. More importantly, she challenges people to not be afraid of failure as it equates to trying, learning, and eventually, growing.
“Always remember that whenever you feel like everything is going down in life, just keep on moving and jumping, like you are on a trampoline,” Carlos ends. “After a deep setback, there is nowhere to go but up.”
Learn more about the beauty philosophy of Janine Carlos in MEGA’s December 2023 to January 2024 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography EXCEL PANLAQUE. Styling RYUJI SHIOMITSU assisted by Kurt Abonal. Art Direction MARC YELLOW. Hair and makeup TEAM JUSTIN LOUISE SORIANO. Shoot coordination TONI MENDOZA and ERIKA QUERUBIN.
