The idea came to Smit after Woolworths Group-owned Australian discount department store retailer Big W approached her for a partnership. Last month, Quick Faced entered Big W’s nearly 180 stores in Australia. Next month, the brand will be available internationally in direct-to consumer distribution.

“Being copied so much made us realize, OK, there definitely is a market here for people who want more affordable options, let’s just fill that gap ourselves rather than letting other brands that position themselves as dupes do it,” says Smit, adding, “This is our way of fighting back and saying to the customer, here’s an affordable option that’s still made in a high quality way without actually infringing on anyone else’s ideas.”

Quick Faced’s collection is comprised of 19 products priced under $30. While not exact copies of Quick Flick, the products share a multipurpose approach. Hero products include SPF50+ 3-in-1 Sunscreen Setting Spray and Hydrating Mist, 2-in-1 Invisible Oil Control & Setting Powder Spray and 2-in-1 Cleanser & Makeup Dissolving Mist. The assortment responds to requests from Quick Flick customers, Big W customer preferences and the items Quick Flick was being duped on. Smit reduced prices by paring back on high-cost ingredients and opting for less expensive packaging.

Quick Faced is the cool, younger sister to Quick Flick. The latter’s core customers are between 25 to 40 years old, while the former speaks to customers aged 25 and below. Quick Faced has bolder packaging, with a color palette primarily of pink and neon green aligned with the look of gen Z brands. The marketing is bolder, too. A recent video for social media shows Smit climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to test out the Oil Control & Setting Powder Spray

Playing a forward-facing role, Smit has long featured prominently in content to give people behind-the-scenes views of her business, from the manufacturing process to retail rollouts. She took it a step further in 2023 and got customers involved in designing products. “When we do actually launch a product, they already feel so involved, and they actually feel like they’ve contributed to the development process of it,” says Smit. “They’re also more likely to purchase after that.”

Quick Flick initially launched winged eyeliner stamp, was mentioned by popular beauty influencers like Huda Kattan and landed on “Shark Tank” in its first year. Post-“Shark Tank,” it turned down an offer of 300,000 Australian dollars or almost $225,000 based on the average 2018 exchange rate in exchange for 27.5% equity from Andrew Banks, a “shark” or investor on the show. Since then, it’s branched out from the winged eyeliner stamp with skincare, sun care, tanning and brow products. Among its bestsellers are whipped tanning mousse, Quick Glow, and sunscreen spray, Quick Screen. Housed in distinct pink and yellow packaging with a dome-shaped cap, the sunscreen spray is the most duped product. Last year, Quick Flick’s sales grew 97%. In 2022, Quick Flick told the publication SmartCompany its sales were 15 million Australian dollars or about $10.5 million.

Quick Flick’s “Shark Tank” appearance opened the door to dupes. The “sharks” on the show in Australia, Banks and Janine Allis, even mentioned during Quick Flick’s episode that it was bound to be imitated. Smit says dupers sell sunscreen spray “in the exact same packaging, the same dome lid, very similar colors, so that a customer who maybe has seen us online a few times, but they haven’t memorized exactly how the packaging looks, might go, oh, that’s that dome sunscreen spray that I’ve seen online. I’m going to go buy it.” She continues, “Legally you can’t own the look of a sunscreen. We couldn’t exactly trademark that design.”

Quick Flick is available in major Australian retailers across the country like Coles, Priceline and TerryWhite Chemmart, and it ships internationally via DTC. It’s secured warehouses in Los Angeles and Liverpool in the United Kingdom and is actively pitching retailers in the United States and the United Kingdom as well as Canada. In the coming weeks, Quick Flick will release a fragrance range priced under $30 that will contain a fragrance primer intended to extend the wear of fragrance.

Tariffs have been a difficult challenge for the brand. President Donald Trump has imposed a 10% tariff rate on imports from Australia and more on other countries such as China, which is currently being slapped with an about 30% tariff rate. Shipping times to the U.S. from abroad have been prolonged in part due to the ending of the de minimis exemption, a trade rule that allowed goods of $800 or less to be imported to the U.S. without tariffs.

The tariffs have stopped Quick Flick from exporting certain products to the U.S. For example, it sells a Chinese-made camera enabling people to see where they’ve applied sunscreen, and it’s not introducing it in the U.S. because of tariffs on Chinese electronics. Smit says, “The product would be so expensive for the customer, we would never sell it.”

Smit has bootstrapped Quick Flick through its entire existence and says it’s profitable. She’s not fundraising, but open to the possibility of doing so to support global expansion. “My motto’s always been patience equals profit, and I think that’s really worked out for us,” she says. “I see a lot of other founders get very excited very quickly and take on a lot of investment. For me, personally, I find that a little too high risk. I’d rather do it a little bit slower, but build a very solid business.”