Have you ever searched for a beauty product online only to feel ignored by the options presented? That experience inspired entrepreneur Krystle Toles to build RushLuxe — a luxury beauty concierge designed to serve women of colour who felt invisible in mainstream cosmetics. As an early stage founder with limited resources, Toles faced the same time and budget constraints as any solopreneur. But by leveraging AI thoughtfully, she created a hyper‑personalised service that transformed frustrated shoppers into loyal fans. Here’s how she did it and what you can learn from her journey.
The Problem: Beauty Shouldn’t Be One‑Size‑Fits‑All
Toles observed a common pain point in the beauty industry: consumers hunting for makeup or skin‑care products were overwhelmed with millions of generic results. For many, especially Black and brown women, the available shades were either non‑existent or mislabeled. This created frustration and a sense of exclusion.
Her vision was to build a concierge service that could understand each customer’s unique skin tone, hair texture and sensitivity. But personalising at that level requires immense data and curation — something a tiny team can’t do manually.
The Solution: Meet Lily, an AI‑Powered Beauty Advisor
Toles hired data engineers to develop Lily, an AI‑driven concierge that uses machine learning to recommend products and routines tailored to each user. Beta testers created profiles with their skin tones, hair types, sensitivities and beauty goals. Lily then provided customized shade matches, skincare routines and hair‑care suggestions. In the future, the concierge will even help schedule salon and wellness appointments, bridging digital advice with real‑world services.
What makes Lily stand out isn’t just the algorithm; it’s the quality of the data. Historically, beauty datasets have ignored or misrepresented darker skin tones and textured hair. RushLuxe’s team went “the extra mile” to source inclusive data and run manual quality checks to ensure their AI sees everyone. This commitment allowed the tool to offer recommendations that felt truly personalised.
Results: Customers Say “Lily Knows Me Better Than My Best Friend”
The impact was immediate. Early users built personal profiles, tested Lily’s recommendations and kept coming back to refine their routines One beta tester joked that Lily “knows me better than my best friend”. By solving a genuine pain point and delivering tailored guidance, RushLuxe fostered a community of engaged customers who felt seen.
Beyond product suggestions, the platform’s success demonstrates the power of inclusive design. Toles noted that many data sets exclude coily hair textures or nuanced undertones. By addressing those gaps, she earned trust and differentiated RushLuxe from larger beauty brands.
Lessons for Solopreneurs
RushLuxe’s journey offers several strategic takeaways for any micro‑business owner considering AI:
- Identify underserved markets. Toles didn’t build yet another generic beauty app; she focused on a community that mainstream tools ignored. Look for niches where current solutions fall short.
- Invest in data quality. Your AI is only as good as its training data. RushLuxe sourced inclusive datasets and ran manual checks to avoid bias.
- Use AI as a concierge, not a dictator. Lily suggests products and routines, but users remain in control. They can refine their profiles and choose recommendations that resonate.
- Start where you are. Toles advises fellow founders not to let tech intimidate them: “You don’t need to come from Silicon Valley to leverage AI to chang
Practical Steps to Try This Week
- Map your customer journey. Identify points where customers feel lost or underserved. Is it product selection, support response times or content relevancy?
- Audit your data. Ask yourself: does your dataset reflect the diversity of people you want to serve? If not, seek out partnerships or data sources that fill those gaps.
- Prototype a concierge function. Test a simple AI tool — even a rule‑based chatbot — that asks customers a few questions and offers a tailored recommendation. Use feedback to refine your approach.
- Communicate your values. Let customers know how you collect and use data and why you prioritise inclusivity. Transparency builds trust.
Personalisation Begins with Empathy
Lily’s success isn’t magic; it’s the result of understanding customers’ frustrations and building a solution that respects their individuality. RushLuxe shows that even a small team can leverage AI to create bespoke experiences, provided they invest in inclusive data and clear communication. As you build your own tools, remember that technology amplifies whatever foundation you give it. Start with empathy, refine with data, and let AI help you deliver the personal touch that makes customers feel valued and heard.
