3 days ago
‘Freaking out': Perth woman risks property portfolio to launch skincare brand
A young Aussie has recently done something most homeowners would never dare to – refinancing multiple mortgages to invest everything into her skincare brand LumiLift.
Tegan Brown owns two investment properties in Perth, but she's made the bold decision to pour every ounce of equity she's built up into her beauty business.
'I have two investment properties. I bought the first one about four years and the other one about two years ago,' Ms Brown told
The 28-year-old bought her first property for $380,000 just before the pandemic, getting in before 'prices increased' – having likely doubled in value in the years since.
She then purchased a second home for around $450,000, funding both investments entirely on her own, thanks to her work in recruitment and years of saving.
'I'm always looking at opportunities to grow wealth, and property was the first and safest option to do that at the start,' she said.
Both the properties are tenanted, Ms Brown said, and were essentially paying for themselves before she made the decision to take a chance and invest in her business.
Ms Brown didn't have heaps of cash sitting around, so she refinanced both mortgages – a choice she admitted was daunting when she originally made it.
'It was scary but I did have mentors that said the best thing you can do with equity is either reinvest into more property or into building your own business,' she said.
'I invested about $100,000 initially.'
That $100,000 was allocated towards the brand's inventory, marketing, and content creation, and also served as a financial buffer, as she had quit her job in recruiting to make it her sole focus.
Ms Brown said that when she told people she planned to pull out the equity in both her investments, the reaction wasn't positive.
Some were 'freaking out', but Ms Brown didn't let the concern deter her because she believed in the skincare brand she's created – in particular, its light therapy mask.
Ms Brown claimed the device helps to create clearer skin and helps women avoid having to 'spend thousands' on treatments that don't offer the same results.
'I created LumiLift because I wanted other women to experience that same transformation without spending thousands or relying on quick fixes that don't last,' she said.
'For me, skincare isn't just about appearance. It's about confidence, freedom, and ease.'
Ms Brown explained that her ultimate goal is for her customers to be so happy with their skin from using her product they won't feel reliant on make-up to feel good.
She's also had some moments that have made the financial risk feel worth it. For her, the most 'rewarding' thing has been seeing skincare professionals buy her products and rave about the results.
Ms Brown said she is also proud she had invested in herself and backed her idea, despite the risk involved.
'The biggest challenges have been sitting in the unknown, especially because I have invested so much money,' she explained.
'Sometimes the fear of failure can get to your head. But I think through these hard periods, not giving (up) feels like a huge win.'
The business owner said that given her brand is still new and growing, it isn't yet at the profitable stage, meaning she's still waiting to see if her risk will pay off.
'It is getting there. It has been a journey and it is getting closer and closer to where I want it to be,' she said.
'The main thing for me is building a community and seeing the results and I know the money will come.'
