Entrepreneur behind Brow Code sells a product every minute

An Australian brow artist who built a multimillion-dollar business from brow carving and styling has lifted the lid on how one of her products sells every minute.

melanie marris is the founder of eyebrow code – and its sister brand for professional estheticians Brow Code Pro – starting their business from their home in Perth, Western Australia, with just 70p to their name.

The 34-year-old had no real-world experience before starting the world’s first single-service brow salon, just a lifelong passion for beauty and an eye for the finer details.

But what started as a solo brow-shaping career has grown into a conglomeration of best-selling products, professional in-person services in Australia and the US, and a celebrity clientele.

“Since I was a child I have been fascinated by style, beauty, aesthetics and have always had a natural entrepreneurial way,” Melanie told FEMAIL.

‘There is an art to creating and enhancing perfectly manicured and balanced features. I have always had a very good eye for detail in everything I do. This is how brow styling became an obsession for me and how it pushed me to really hone my craft.’

On her first day of high school, Melanie swore to her mother, her ‘muse’, that she would leave the moment she was allowed and enroll in beauty school.

With the support of her family, the determined young businesswoman did just that at the age of 15, earning a diploma and beginning her career as a brow artist.

‘The idea for Brow Code came to me after styling brows for just over 11 years. I had my diploma in hand at the age of 15, and along this path, I began to pioneer the broader brow industry,” he said.

“I was inspired by how a single service truly transformed the way women and men see themselves and feel about themselves.”

‘The idea for Brow Code came to me after styling brows for just over 11 years. I had my diploma in hand at the age of 15, and along this path, I began to pioneer the brow industry in general,” he said.

She opened her flagship store shortly after in the shape of ‘Perth Melanie Marris Eyebrow Stylist, home of the MM Brow signature.

“It was the first salon in the world with a menu of services of a single treatment, brow styling,” he continued.

“At the time, it was considered ridiculous to only have one service on the menu and turn down other requests for makeup or lip wax and eyelash tint.

“But keeping the brand controlled and extremely specialized was really the key to my success, being really good at one thing and focusing on creating a super-luxury experience while doing it.”

Noting a gap in the market for quality, professionally backed products designed specifically for brow professionals, Melanie set out to build a brand around what her stores were accomplishing.

“I applied my experience and knowledge to develop a professional Brow Code line in 2016. We were the first dedicated professional brand on the market,” he said.

‘There was no professional category for eyebrows. There were dyes, but they were designed for eyelashes. There was wax, but it was the same wax used on legs or underarms, nothing specifically designed for grooming eyebrows.

Noting a gap in the market for quality, professionally backed products designed specifically for brow professionals, Melanie set out to build a brand around what her stores were accomplishing.

“At launch, Brow Code added a whole new category to the professional beauty space.”

Brow Code is now stocked at 250,000 retailers worldwide, including MECCA in Australia and SAKS Fifth Avenue, with product selling out every minute.

“As a professional stylist, beauty industry pioneer and consumer of beauty products, I am able to tap into what both audiences really need, constantly finding new creative ways we can do things, what technologies and education we can offer our community etc.’ she said.

“I keep my finger on the pulse at all times and I love seeing my team have the same drive and dedication to bring all initiatives to life.”