Meet Halle and Brea Holmes, founders and co-CEOs of Sweet Dream Girlz

Halle (l) and Brea Holmes. PHOTO/Andy DeLisle/Bloomberg Businessweek

Brea (19) and Halle (13) Holmes are the founders and chief executive officers of Sweet Dreams Girlz, a producer of paraben-free skin care products for young girls, including shampoos, conditioners, facial cleanser, lip balm, and moisturizer.

Halle was 10 years old in 2010 when she came home empty-handed and a little upset after a trip to the local mall. As hostess of an upcoming spa party, she had her heart set on finding all-natural beauty products in fun fragrances that her girlfriends would like and her sensitive skin could tolerate.

“We didn’t want to smell like lavender and sweet pea. We wanted something youthful smelling,” she says. Downright indignant that no such product existed, Halle says she turned to her teenage sister Brea and said, “Why don’t we start our own?”

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. The Holmes sisters began researching their idea online, tapped their family dermatologist for advice, and sent their mom out to investigate a few cosmetics manufacturers they identified.

With US$6,000 in startup funding from their parents, Halle and Brea officially launched their beauty products business the same year – 2010.

From sales online, at trade shows, and in specialty stores across the United States, the business generated more than US$25,000 in revenues its first year, and US$42,000 in 2012. According to mom Lisa Holmes, Sweet Dream Girlz is profitable, but all income goes right back into the company to support marketing and new product development.

Todate, the Holmes have been featured in USA Today, Tigerbeat, local television news, and various other media. They were invited to the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards where their products were featured in the swag bags. And they’ve made it to the final casting call for season 5 of ABC’s Shark Tank.

Read more: Yahoo Small Business Advisor