Owning a small business in Norway

Owning a small skincare business in Norway is a true labor of love and not for the faint of heart. At Beeyah, the Christmas season came and went in a blur of preparation, travel, and long days spent at farmers and Christmas craft markets. While selling handmade skincare products at outdoor markets sounds idyllic, the reality of Norwegian weather, even with our current mild winter, quickly taught us valuable lessons about formulation, presentation, and customer experience.

Handmade Skincare and Norwegian Winter Weather

Natural skincare products are sensitive by nature. Beeswax balms, deodorants, and creams don’t always thrive in cold temperatures, wind, or fluctuating humidity which brought an added challenge of being able to give the best experience possible for Beeyah. 

However, this experience highlighted an important truth: when you create small-batch, handcrafted skincare, you have to respect both the ingredients and the environment. Norwegian nature is beautiful, but it’s also incredibly demanding.

Why Farmers Markets in Norway Are a Powerful Learning Tool albeit sometimes an expensive one

Despite the challenges, participating in farmers and craft markets across Norway gave us something invaluable: direct customer feedback. Seeing people interact with Beeyah products in real life revealed insights no online analytics ever could.

Customers loved:

• Touching and smelling our handmade soaps

• Asking detailed questions about ingredients

• Understanding how natural skincare works on sensitive skin

Markets became live focus groups, helping us improve faster and more intentionally.

How Customer Feedback Improved Our Natural Deodorant

One of the biggest takeaways from the markets was how people experienced our deodorant. While customers appreciated the performance and clean ingredient list, many shared practical feedback about application and convenience.

That feedback led us to refine the formula and switch to a deodorant stick format, improving usability while maintaining our commitment to:

• Aluminum-free deodorant

• Baking soda–free formulation

• Long-lasting odor control

This change would not have happened without in-person conversations.

Why Handmade Soaps Shine in Real Life

Our natural soaps performed exceptionally well at markets. Customers connected with the sensory experience — the scent, texture, and visual appeal. This reinforced an important SEO and branding insight: handmade soap is a product people want to experience, not just read about.

It also confirmed that transparency and ingredient education matter. When customers understand what’s in a product — and why — trust follows.

The Sensitive Skin Cream That Sold Out Twice

One of our proudest moments came when our sensitive skin cream sold out twice during the Christmas markets. After making one small formulation adjustment, demand exceeded expectations.

This highlighted a growing need in the Norwegian skincare market:

• Gentle products for sensitive skin

• Moisturizing solutions for winter dryness

• Transparent, plant-based formulations

  
  

Listening closely made all the difference.

Are Outdoor Markets Right for Small Skincare Brands?

While we’re still uncertain whether outdoor markets will be a regular part of our strategy in 2026, the experience was undeniably valuable. Some natural skincare products simply perform better in controlled indoor environments — something we’re factoring into future decisions.

That said, the feedback, relationships, and lessons learned will continue shaping Beeyah’s growth.

Why Running a Small Skincare Business in Norway Is Still Worth It

Running a small business in Norway isn’t easy. Costs are high, regulations are strict, and growth takes patience. But the reward comes from building something honest, ethical, and community-driven.

We learned that:

• Customers value transparency over trends

• Real feedback improves product quality

• Small formulation changes can have big impact

• Community matters as much as sales

Moving Forward With Clarity and Gratitude

The Christmas market season gave us direction, confidence, and a clearer understanding of our customers’ needs. While the weather tested us, the experience strengthened our brand.

Beeyah continues to grow — slowly, intentionally, and guided by real people, not assumptions.