Image courtesy Levi Jack
After working for more than 20 years in beauty and retail, Levi Jack founder/CEO (and former SLM style editor) Nicole Benoist realized that men have limited grooming choices, especially in relation to purchasing multiple products from one company. Men often had to dig through bins in the travel sections of drugstores or visit multiple stores to purchase everything they need.
“The options that men had were inconvenient, could be on the expensive side, or lacked in variety,” Benoist says. “In terms of competitors doing direct-to-consumer men’s grooming, they were only focused on one part of the market. There just weren’t very many retailers or sources for men to go find great products all under one roof.”
Benoist set out to create a company that makes shopping for grooming products easier for men. She launched Levi Jack, “an online marketplace of men's grooming products—exclusively in 4 ounces or less.”
The brand launched in late June and has since built partnerships with such brands as Jack Black, Hudson Made New York and up-and-coming Scotch Porter. “[The traffic to the website] was pretty immediate,” Benoist says. “What I wanted to do is launch with a very strong selection of products that wasn’t overwhelming but really concise and edited. We do the research for consumers, and there’s been a steady rate of approval on these products and their effectiveness.”
At Levi Jack, Benoist says, the company aims to “make it easy.” The products’ size allows customers to try them without requiring a large investment. It’s also travel-friendly and lasts for several weeks. “It’s a great way for guys to try the products they may not have tried in the past and don’t want to buy the full-size version,” Benoist says. “It’s a cost-effective way to experiment with some brands and say, ‘I really like these’ and be a lifelong customer because of it.”
Some of Levi Jack’s most popular sellers include Scotch Porter Smoothing Hair Balm, Jaxon Lane Bro Mask, and Jack Black All-Over Wash, which Benoist says has been a staple in her market research.
Image courtesy Levi Jack
Levi Jack products are stored in a temperature-controlled warehouse and shipped quickly to customers to maintain the product’s condition. Products are delivered straight to customers’ doors in environmentally friendly packaging. “If an order goes in before 2 p.m., it’s out that day,” Benoist says. “That was important to me because I think our customer is not only looking for great products, but needs the convenience and the peace of mind that it’s going to be delivered in a timely manner.”
All Levi Jack products are tested by an advisory board and elected through “extensive market research to curate and elevate your grooming ritual.” Levi Jack remains committed to ongoing research with both customers and grooming experts to continue improving and elevating its products.
“If we’re not keeping up with new products and what’s been developed, then we’re not a modern brand,” Benoist says. “We have to be ahead of the curve in brands like Scotch Porter. They’re doing great things, and ultimately that selection of the best of the best is really important to me.”
Benoist hopes that Levi Jack will eventually become a go-to for men’s grooming for the modern lifestyle. Whether it be preparing for a vacation or business trip, going to the gym or wanting to keep small products in the car for “freshening up,” Benoist wants Levi Jack to be where men turn for their grooming needs.
"Our goal is to be the grooming source for the modern man who is on the go,” Benoist says. “We provide a one-stop shop for portable men's grooming products—keeping up with our customers, wherever life may take them."
Receive a 20 percent discount with the code "STLMAGLJ" through October 6.
