Bebebalm founder Carol Ong on turning a personal need into a growing skincare brand

Advertising executive-turned-entrepreneur Carol Ong shares how her motherhood journey inspired the creation of a game-changing skincare line.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Carol Ong spent years in advertising, learning how to craft messages that connected with people. She never imagined that the most meaningful one she’d create would come not from an agency pitch, but from her own kitchen.

When her baby developed aggressive eczema, a painful skin condition that causes dryness and inflammation, her ability to think outside of the box was put to the test.

For a while, nothing seemed to work for her baby’s condition, so Ong turned her problem-solving instincts into action.

“I changed the question. Instead of asking how to treat eczema better, I thought, “How can we help the skin get healthier?” ” Ong told radar Business. The Shanghai-based entrepreneur was in Manila recently for a couple of business events.

Thus came Bebebalm. The cheeky name tells exactly what it offers: a balm to soothe and strengthen babies’ sensitive skin, with the power of all-natural ingredients.

Ong pioneered the product in 2012, selling to friends and fellow expats in China. It became a full-blown business and full-time endeavor for Ong in 2018. Since then, Bebebalm has gone on to expand its product line and gain international recognition. But at its core, it remains a business rooted in empathy and a mother’s drive to help others find relief.

Bebebalm’s birth story

Ong created Bebebalm as a pet project to treat her three young children’s health needs. She would develop home remedies with her husband, Michael, a medical doctor and biochemist. Ong struck gold with ingredients often found in the kitchen, such as coconut oil, medicinal plants, and herbs.

Extra batches of these remedies were distributed to loved ones. In fact, the name ‘Bebebalm’ was coined as a joke—but the results produced by the homemade balm were anything but. Friends encouraged Ong to sell the product, even lining up to help develop business plans and promotional strategies.

“Each of our products has a story. These products have already been tested for years by us, our friends, and fans before we had them professionally tested and manufactured,” she said.

Aside from the namesake balm (now packaged as ByeDry), Bebebalm also offers Bebebugs (itch relief and insect repellent), Bebesleep (massage oil), ByeSpots (blemish moisturizer), and a shampoo bar.

Their latest item, the BebeBreathe oil roller, won the Gold Award in the skincare category at the prestigious 2024 China-ASEAN Expo and will be rolled out to customers soon. The recognition, Ong said, has opened new opportunities to bring Bebebalm to more families and potential retail partners across Asia.

‘No regrets’

Ong never anticipated Bebebalm to take off—much less win awards. Even today, as she navigates the already saturated skincare market. Ong admits her decision to pursue entrepreneurship was “crazy,” but she has no regrets.

“When I turn 90 years old and look back at my life, will I regret that I tried [running the business] and failed miserably? Or will I regret that I never tried it and never knew the outcome? That was the turning point for me,” she said.

When Ong decided to quit her advertising career, word about Bebebalm had already spread outside immediate circles. Online parenting forums across Asia were raving about the miracle balm.

The impracticality of leaving a stable 9-to-5 in favor of a startup idea was not lost on Ong. After all, she still had to put food on the table. But seeing that so many mothers like her found relief in the product, she knew that she had to share Bebebalm with the world.

“It’s because of motherhood that I started [Bebebalm]. I want it to be an affordable luxury for most people,” she said.

Love, persistence, motherly instinct

Today, Ong continues to manage the growing brand while balancing her family life in Shanghai. She says running a business alone has taught her patience and discipline—the same traits she credits to motherhood.

“I’m more forgiving towards myself because I’m a mother. You don’t sweat the small stuff anymore, and that’s important when running a business where you have to determine your priorities,” she said.

Ong’s continuing journey with Bebebalm is proof to the innovativeness cultivated by motherhood. When driven by empathy and shared necessity, ideas not only become solutions but also help shape futures and change lives.

For Ong, Bebebalm is both a calling and a continuing experiment. It’s a reminder that, sometimes, the best business ideas are born from love, persistence, and a bit of motherly instinct