Since this is our first installment, we’ll open the highlights to recent months, not just September.
News
Amorepacific acquires Tata Harper: Our analysis below.
Updates: Since our analysis went live, it’s been disclosed through filings that Amorepacific will invest $124M in the deal. This might indicate recent annual sales were not hitting the reported $60M+ from 2017, given the low multiple, or it could indicate that the beauty industry multiples have cooled.
More male celebrity beauty lines. Brad Pitt launches premium skincare line inspired by French winemaking, and Travis Barker launches CBD-centric wellness brand. Our analysis below.
Bobbi Brown announced as Chief Creative Adviser of Augustinus Bader. (See article). We’re curious what this would mean for Jones Road Beauty, Bobbi’s relatively new makeup line. According to the release:
Her new role involves spearheading product ideation, educational programs, promotional activations, marquee events and more, reports WWD. “I have such a vast experience both for product development, packaging, being the chief creative officer of my old brand and understanding marketing, so I understand the old world and I really understand the new world, which is how Jones Road has grown, so I see such potential for this brand beyond what they’re doing. And honestly, they’re killing it already, and they’ve only scratched the surface.”
Glossier announces they will start selling their products in Sephora in early 2023 in an effort to expand reach. This is a major change in strategy from the once poster-child of the DTC model, and comes amid founder Emily Weiss stepping down and handing the reins to new CEO, Kyle Leahy.
Barney’s New York relaunches, as a beauty brand. Don’t get too excited, this isn’t the Barney’s we knew and loved. Instead, it’s a play from Authentic Brands Group, who purchased the intellectual property (brand name) from Barney’s in their bankruptcy fire sale. Products are manufactured through a licensing deal with a South Korean company, Gloent Group, which has not listed any other beauty brand nor product development experience on their website.
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Product Launches
This one is pretty huge, at least to us. Dr. Shereene Idriss, a.k.a. Instagram’s favorite Derm, a board-certified dermatologist who amassed a massive following through social media, and is a bona-fide social media star with her platform #pillowtalkderm, has finally done the inevitable and released her skincare line — PillowtalkDerm. Debuting with a 3-piece system called Major Fade, the products are geared toward treating skin discoloration and feature an exfoliating flash mask, treatment serum, and brightening gel moisturizer. Color us intrigued.
Gothamista launches multi-purpose essence, in collaboration with Saro de Rúe. Renee Chow, who you might know as Gothamista, is one of the premier Youtube beauty content creators known for her informational approach to product videos. If you follow her, you’ll know that essences are kind of her thing, which is why it’s special that she’s released a multi-purpose essence with Saro de Rue, a precious beyond compare skincare line carried at Violet Grey and Joanna Czech. The formula is just as luxurious as you’d think, with get this, 62% ginseng extract, ceramides, niacinamide, and more plant extracts than we recognize. Much to our chagrin, it’s already sold out, but available for pre-order.
Fragrance brand Boy Smells launched GRACE, a collaboration with the one-and-only, Grace Jones. Who could have seen this one coming? Grace Jones is the personification of the word major, and this collaboration hits like a lightning bolt. It’s always exciting when a niche brand gets an icon-status activation. Well done.
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Disclaimer: By nature, some analysis may be speculative, and should not be taken as fact. Views and opinion expressed are just that, and should not be taken as endorsements, nor advice (financial or otherwise).
Disclosures: Newsletter may use affiliate links. Underneath It All is run by Garçon’s Media, which is not a shareholder of any beauty company, nor vice versa.