How Root Science Scaled Its Skincare Brand with WooCommerce & Google Ads

Building a Natural Skincare Brand that Stands Out

Root Science started when Gigja saw her sister struggle with sensitive skin. She teamed up with growers to test botanical actives and develop formulas built on data about each ingredient. Derek left his job to help with design and site management.

Overcoming Common E-commerce Hurdles

Once they had formulas ready, the next step was a store that could handle spikes in traffic without a hitch. Root Science didn’t have retail shelves of their own. They sold through boutiques like Anthropologie and Neiman Marcus. That meant building a site optimized for speed and reliability. It also needed to guide curious shoppers from reading about each ingredient to hitting checkout.

Choosing WooCommerce for Flexibility

Gigja had seen WordPress work wonders for SEO and content marketing. Adding WooCommerce turned that platform into a full shop. Derek took charge of customization. He added plugins for referrals, loyalty points, and shipping. The interface is intuitive, so the team spends less time on tech and more time on customer questions and order fulfillment.

Scaling Traffic with Google Ads

Root Science hooked up Google for WooCommerce and started running smart campaigns. They saw 5% more visitors and a 10% bump in orders. Some ads pull a 4:1 return on ad spend, while others deliver an overall 2:1 ratio. Their budget split puts half of all marketing dollars into search and product listing ads targeted at people searching for clean skincare.

Turning Viral Moments into Sales

A Vogue video featuring Kourtney Kardashian drove 17 million views overnight. Thanks to WooCommerce’s scaling, the site stayed up. Visitors landing on pages that load fast and guide them smoothly to checkout meant Root Science saw real conversions instead of error pages.

Using Plugins to Automate Growth

Beyond ads, AutomateWoo sends review requests, order updates, and promotional notes without manual work. Mailchimp handles weekly newsletters. Stripe and PayPal make payments quick and secure, with Apple Pay ready at checkout. Those tools add layers of convenience that keep customers coming back.

A Small Team That Does It All

Root Science runs on a lean team of family members. Photos are shot by Gigja’s brother. Copy is written in house. Every product page reflects careful research, not a batch of cookie-cutter templates. That close-knit setup means quick feedback loops when a new ingredient shows promise.

Why This Model Works

By focusing on measurable results for each formula, Root Science built trust with a niche crowd willing to pay a premium. The mix of strong storytelling on WordPress and pinpoint ad targeting gave them a framework that any small brand could follow. It’s not magic—it’s a set of tools used well.

Looking Ahead

The team is exploring Performance Max campaigns to free up time and still get exposure on YouTube and Display. They plan on testing new botanicals with micro-budgets before full launches. With a robust shop and ad engine in place, Root Science can focus on formulas and customer care as they roll into new markets.