The following article was published originally in May 2023. We are sharing it now for your perusal, but take into account that the following information may be outdated.
The journey of OH!GLOW began with the operations of its parent company, DNO, an international firm specializing in the import and regulation of numerous independent brands worldwide, primarily operating on online trading platforms.
Dana Zilberstein and Ofri Shaysh, the founders and co-CEOs of DNO, were involved in international projects in entirely different fields (high-tech and technology). During a business trip to Japan, they were struck by an Israeli skincare brand's booth in the largest mall in Japan. Though unknown to Israeli consumers, the brand was successful in Japan.
Surprisingly, this small niche brand with only four products, including a body soap sold for $150, thrived outside Israel. Zilberstein and Shaysh realized the substantial business opportunity in high-quality niche brands.
From High-Tech to High-End BeautyOriginally, Shaysh, who worked in finance, and Zilberstein, a former entrepreneur behind "Groupon" who sold it to GROO, traveled to Japan to introduce new Israeli technology. However, after 18 months of attempts and challenges, they obtained licenses to market beauty brands, turning what seemed like a side activity into the most profitable aspect of their business.
After five years, 99.9% of DNO's operations shifted from technology to exporting beauty brands to some of the world's largest markets, including India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE. Today, DNO exclusively exports 78 brands (approved by the local health ministries) from their country of origin to two main bases: Hong Kong and India.
The Birth of OH!GLOWThe Israeli platform OH!GLOW was conceived by Shaysh and Zilberstein during the pandemic when DNO’s focus shifted to beauty, requiring frequent international travel to find quality brands in local niches, which was halted due to lockdowns.
Their exposure to changing trends in the beauty world led them to a new perception that small, high-quality brands deserve a place in the international beauty industry—and more than that, they deserve the opportunity.
The global e-commerce boom during the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with the desire to make niche and quality brands accessible to Israeli consumers, accelerated the establishment of the OH!GLOW platform.
The dozens of brands arriving in Israel and sold under the expanding umbrella of OH!GLOW span wellness, lifestyle, and beauty sectors. None are tested on animals—a fundamental principle according to the founders—and many uphold social and environmental agendas, such as fair trade and sustainability, or embrace other values for the benefit of society, the planet, and the environment.
From Mass Retail to Unique ExclusivityInitially, the entrepreneurs tried marketing the products in the Israeli retail world (various pharmacy chains). However, they soon decided to sell directly to consumers. Thus, apart from a few strategic collaborations, the brands they import exclusively can only be found on their platform.
Today, OH!GLOW's activities are funded by revenues from other countries, with the business plan focusing on reducing production, shipping, storage, and packaging costs to lower the final product price.
Despite being only two years old, the company introduces three to four new brands to the country each month—a significant number by Israeli standards. They have become the largest registrar of new brands in Israel, ahead of major chains like Super-Pharm and BE.
Curating Treasures from Nature: Discovering and ImportingLed by Zilberstein and Shaysh, OH!GLOW focuses on identifying the trendiest brands globally and bringing them to Israel. Every month, new brands from countries like Australia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, the USA, and Canada are launched. Currently, the platform holds over 30 brands on the site, with about 30 more in regulatory processes in Israel.
Zilberstein explains, "The brands we choose to bring to Israel and make accessible to local consumers belong to independent boutique companies that provide solutions in cosmetics, beauty, and lifestyle. They focus on developing active, unique, and groundbreaking formulas and usually specialize in a small, precise line of products.
The brand selection is carried out through extensive work by a broad team familiar with all trends and capable of assessing forecasts for changes in consumption habits. The brands chosen to come to Israel carefully select their materials and produce formulas with environmental control and full transparency.
After choosing the brand, we guide it through the entire regulatory process with the Ministry of Health, ensuring a mark of quality and safety. We view ourselves as the arm of Israeli consumers in the world. Instead of browsing thousands of websites for the latest developments in the beauty world, you can simply visit OH!GLOW and stay updated."
Distinctive Operations: Different from Pharmacy Chains"Uniqueness and exclusivity differentiate us from pharmacy chains in the country," says Zilberstein. "All the brands we market arrive in Israel through our exclusive import. There are many niche brands worldwide, and trends constantly change. New ingredients are now in the headlines or, in one word, 'trends,' but our role is to delve deep, identify the most quality brands, those with active and proven formulas.
We assess their marketing potential in Israel and tailor the selected products to the customer base and Israeli climate without compromising our important values."
A Holistic Approach to BeautyOH!GLOW’s future plans include introducing additional brands from related fields, viewing beauty as a holistic experience, from supplements derived from beauty, such as ingestible hyaluronic acid, to home ambiance products like candles, laundry products, home fragrance sprays, and fabric sprays.
Zilberstein explains that the sustainability trend in Israel and worldwide is undergoing an evolution. The demand for transparency in the production process is increasing. Consumers are more inclined to examine product labels and seek natural, organic, and sustainable ingredients, prompting many cosmetic companies to redefine their products and introduce new lines that meet this demand. Brands now focus more on eco-friendly packaging, choosing recyclable materials, and reducing plastic waste.
“Consumers today are smart. They understand that to live well and adopt a healthy, natural lifestyle, it’s not enough to have a natural face cream. They know that body and mind work in synergy; it’s a 360-degree connection. People pay attention not only to what they eat but also to what they apply to their skin, the vitamins they take as supplements, how many hours they sleep, whether they ensure relaxation, and more.
The vast majority of consumers today are willing to use essential oils instead of a regular candle, to work on the subconscious and help relieve the stress we’re under, in addition to the ambiance and scent experience. Take, for example, the transition of more and more women from pads and tampons to reusable period underwear made from natural fabrics. There’s a revolution here too. OH!GLOW is a one-stop station for everything important for our body, inside and out.”
Recent Brands Brought to IsraelRecent brands introduced and distributed by the company in the past year include KRAYNA, a vegan Polish skincare brand committed to preserving the planet; LUXE BOTANICS, an American skincare brand originally from South Africa, containing powerful botanical compounds produced through innovative green chemistry processes; CLEANLOGIC, a colorful and sustainable body care brand; BLEU LAVENDE, featuring body care products based on 100% pure lavender essential oil, and more.
From Holland with LoveThe latest and most unique brand to arrive in Israel directly on the OH!GLOW platform is also the first outside the skincare domain.
Forget everything you know about home cleaning and care! The Dutch brand Kinfill, unprecedented in Israel, seems set to initiate a market education process in this field.
Kinfill is a revolutionary home cleaning and care brand that you won’t want to hide in your cleaning supplies cabinet. The brand’s products come in luxurious-looking bottles made from high-quality Italian glass, designed for unlimited use with refillable options.
Kinfill’s bottles, meant for unlimited and reusable use, may not be cheap initially, but their added value and cost reduction through refillable packaging make them worthwhile for many people.
Choosing the Scent of CleanlinessWhen could you choose your home cleaning products' scent? Kinfill’s fragrances are selected just like a personal perfume. They are crafted by the brand's chief perfumer and come in four natural, delicate scents derived from aromatic extracts and plant oils, ranging from woody and rich to fruity and fresh—an exclusive, limited fragrance range that renews twice a year.
The innovative and economical use of refill extracts saves on transportation and packaging costs and reduces air pollution since refilling each container prevents the pollution of about 50 plastic waste bottles a year.
You won’t hide Kinfill’s products—you’ll want them accessible on the kitchen counter or coffee table in the living room, blending harmoniously with any home design style and ready for use at any time.
Premium Retail: The First Brand Entering Retail
Kinfill is the first brand with which the company is entering into a commercial collaboration in the retail world. However, you won’t find the brand’s products on supermarket shelves. Instead, in addition to being available on the company’s website, you can purchase them at branches of the Tolmans design chain, which is considered a premium network for home design.
In the future, the importers intend to provide Kinfill’s products to restaurants, spa complexes, boutique hotels, and schools that will receive quality seals for chemical-free cleaning. They also plan to establish partnerships with kitchen companies and others in the home design field.
The products available from the brand in Israel include: a kit for cleaning all types of surfaces, a kit for cleaning bathrooms and tiles, a kit for cleaning kitchens, a kit for washing dishes, a kit for cleaning mirrors and glass, a kit for cleaning all types of floors, and more. Each product comes as a kit that includes a 500 ml glass bottle, a spray attachment, and a 10 ml concentrate of the cleaning solution, which is diluted with tap water. The price for a kit is 149 shekels.
Additionally, the company sells refill concentrates. Each set contains two 10 ml refill units of cleaning concentrate for NIS 59, and a refill kit for dishwashing for NIS 69.
By the way, the next product from the Dutch brand Kinfill will be a diffuser that leaves a long-lasting scent, designed to complete the desired home fragrance experience.