ISSUE #18JULY 17, 2020

A Publication of WWD

Remodeling RetailKimberly Smith and Amaya Smith, owners of The Brown Beauty Co-op, are part of

a growing group of Black-owned retailers reinventing the beauty buying experience for BIPOC. For more, see pages 12 to 14. PLUS: Estée Lauder’s Jane Hertzmark Hudis

on future growth, Giorgio Armani’s new fragrance pillar and touring Le Bon Marché’s revamped makeup department. PHOTOGRAPH BY JULIEN JAMES

Beauty Bulletin

Tk Caption

¬ PARIS —  Aryballe, a digital olfaction company that combines biochemistry, advanced optics and machine learning to mimic humans’ sense of smell, has raised 7 million euros in a recent round of international funding.

It involved new investors Samsung Venture Investment Corp. and Seb Alliance, as well as existing investors Innovacom, Cemag Invest, Asahi Kesei and HCVC, the Grenoble, France-based company said in a statement.

Aryballe’s total funding now stands at 17 million euros.

“Digital olfaction is the next wave in smart sensors,” Aryballe said in the statement. “Organizations across industries, from automotive to food and beverage to consumer applications and personal care and cosmetics, rely on machine-learning-powered digital olfaction to accelerate R&D projects, reduce

maintenance costs and provide better customer experiences.

“The funding enables Aryballe to build out its manufacturing operations to meet accelerating demand for its newest high-volume, low-cost universal odor sensor as organizations across the globe look to enhance the capabilities of existing smart sensor networks,” Aryballe continued.

The quest to quickly evolve the perfume industry comes as category sales are stagnant or down in most mature western markets and the coronavirus pandemic is causing brands and retailers to look for alternate fragrance delivery systems.

In early 2019, IFF collaborated with Aryballe on the development of odor-sensing and quality-control applications with the aim of developing a platform for applications

in the food, fragrance and cosmetics industries, among others.

Aryballe collects, displays and analyzes odor data for companies’ better decision-making, it said.

The new funding will allow the company to double its number of employees in engineering and product positions, and further bolster its technology’s industrialization.

Last year, the company grew headcount by 30 percent, enabling it to more than double its intellectual property portfolio.

Aryballe was established in 2014 and launched the digital nose, NeOse Pro, at the beginning of 2018. That device is billed to be able to detect, record and recognize odors, generally used in research and development, laboratory and quality control, and assurance applications.

Sam Guilaumé, Aryballe chief executive officer, explained in the statement that the company focuses on helping its customers and partners solve industry problems through smell.

“Our mission has always been to empower brands through the use of reliable, quality data, and today we’re seeing more companies using digital olfaction to design improvements in the customer experience and generate additional revenue,” he said. “Now, with the support of our industry partners, we’re well prepared to continue executing on that mission and take on this next stage of growth.” —Jennifer Weil

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JULY 17, 2020

THE BUZZ

¬ PARIS — Alès Groupe, the maker of Phyto and Lierac beauty products, has entered into administration proceedings.

The family-owned group said in a statement that on July 6 it had requested to enter administration in Paris’ commercial court, which three days later gave the green light. Alès Groupe’s operational subsidiaries are not involved.

The company is facing severe liquidity issues. On June 30, while publishing its 2019 results, Alès Groupe said at the end of May it had a cash balance of around 14.8 million euros and financial debt of approximately 96.8 million euros.

“In this context, the group is

facing a significant need for liquidity and is continuing in this framework the sale and leaseback process of some of its real-estate assets and the strategic review of its assets,” Alès Groupe said.

The group’s sales last year gained 2.7 percent on a like-for-like basis to 208.6 million euros. Meanwhile, Alès’ profits were down 39.1 million euros in 2019, versus a decline of 15.4 million euros in 2018.

Alès said its activity has been seriously impacted by the COVID-19 crisis that resulted in a distribution freeze.

The group is now in a six-month observation period.

“Alès Groupe management

will seek all solutions allowing, under the best conditions, to continue the business, maintain employment and settle liabilities,” the company said in a statement, adding it would be open to finding new investors selling outright.

Alès Groupe’s stock will not resume trading on the Euronext Growth market, where it was suspending on June 29, until further notice. —J.W.

Aryballe Raises 7 Million Euros

Alès Groupe Enters Administration

Aryballe's NeOse Pro technology.

CLEANLINESS IS next to godliness, according to data from IRI. For the first half of 2020, soap made the largest leap in the mass market with 39.1 percent growth. The segment includes hand sanitizers up 418.6 percent. Other categories, such as nail products, at-home hair dye and permanent kits, corroborate the quarantine-induced DIY trend. Color cosmetics all saw double-digit declines, with lipstick sales taking the furthest tumble.

soap: +39.1 percent

cosmetics, nail: +24.6 percent

hair coloring: +15.7 percent

hair conditioner: +8.5 percent home permanent/

relaxer kits: +5.8 percent

hand and body lotion: +4.5 percent

skin care: +3.9 percent

shampoo: +3.7 percent

hair accessories: +3.2 percent

deodorant: flat

hair-growth products: -3.6 percent

fragrance, women’s: -4.2 percent

hairstyling gel/mousse: -7.1 percent

cosmetics,accessories: -8.1 percent

shaving lotion/men’s fragrance: -10.8 percent

cosmetics, eye: -14.1 percent

hair spray/spritz: -17.9 percent

cosmetics, facial: -19.6 percent

cosmetic storage: -22.2 percent

cosmetics, lip: -24.3 percent

Phyto plant-based hair-care products.

By the Numbers: Mass Market Beauty Stats For First-Half 2020 New sales data from IRI shows continued success for DIY and double-digit losses in color cosmetics. BY JAMES MANSO

Source: Market Advantage TSV; IRI Liquid Data. Data for the 12 months ending June 14, 2020.

IMAGINE if you could GENERATE the look of YOUTH, STRENGTH and RADIANCE—night after night.

Introducing Our Next Revolution in Skincare Premiering Worldwide August 2020

esteelauder.com

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JULY 17, 2020

NEWS FEED

PARIS — Seven years after

launching its blockbuster women’s

fragrance Sì, Giorgio Armani is

poised to introduce a new perfume,

called My Way, developed with

sustainability in mind.

“I believe that enriching

experiences, capable of creating

real progress, come to be through

exchanges between cultures,” Armani

told Beauty Inc. “The aesthetics and

atmospheres of distinct countries

are part of my imagination: I have

always felt great curiosity for other

cultures, which I have tried to get to

know through travel.

“My Way condenses into a perfume

my idea that new experiences and

encounters change and enrich the

personality,” the designer continued.

“Add to this my love of the concept

of timelessness. Being timeless for

me is the highest quality. It does not

mean abstracting yourself from the

moment, but instead, capturing it

and then sublimating it.”

Armani said: “It is an extremely

subtle quality, which can be achieved,

in part, by subtraction, by taking

things away until you are left with the

essence. I apply the same method to

perfumery. My Way, with its motto ‘I

am what I live,’ is a celebration of the

intensely personal journey, of those

experiences and those meetings with

people that make us who we are.”

The timing is right to launch a new

Armani scent, brand executives say.

It has one feminine fragrance pillar,

Sì, which last year ranked seventh

among prestige women’s fragrances

globally and placed fifth in Europe,

each up one notch versus in 2018.

“It’s important for Mr. Armani and

the brand to show another facet,” said

Véronique Gautier, global president

Armani beauty at L’Oréal, the brand’s

licensee. She suggested the two pillars

would be very complimentary.

Despite globalization, there’s

been a counter trend of erecting

barriers and discrimination, and

the coronavirus pandemic has

exacerbated this, according to

Armani. The designer called himself

a staunch supporter of “métissage”

— or the mixing and blending of

peoples — “because progress is born

from meeting and exchange,” he said.

Armani emphasized the importance

of sharing significant ideas. “For

example, I’m particularly interested

today in the responsibility that we

all have as inhabitants of this planet:

responsibility toward the environment,

which we should hand over as intact as

possible to those who come after us,”

he said. “In order to do this, we must

genuinely engage with other cultures,

whose wealth and diversity are an

immense good to protect.”

Armani sketched My Way’s bottle

and cap, reminiscent of a stone, blue

like the earth viewed from space.

A gold-colored band encircles that,

meant to evoke the notion of a path,

while blue fabric around the flacon’s

neck winks to Armani’s fashions.

“This project encapsulates our

vision and commitment to climate

change,” continued Gautier.

My Way is a project that is integrally

carbon-neutral. It’s a first step for

Armani beauty to achieve carbon

neutrality for all its products and

reduce its carbon footprint by 25

percent more by 2025.

The My Way eco-conceived, fully

recyclable bottles, for instance,

have a functional refill system that

eschews funnels. When compared

to using four 50-ml. spray bottles,

the 50-ml. spray and 150-ml. refill

bottle combined represent a 32

percent reduction in cardboard use,

55 percent reduction in glass use, 64

percent reduction in plastic use and

75 percent reduction in metal use.

A contemporary floral, the

fragrance contains a note of tuberose,

a flower Armani adores, and other

ingredients sustainably sourced, such

as vanilla from Madagascar.

“Armani is committed to financing a

program with an NGO in Madagascar

for responsible, inclusive sourcing,”

said Gautier.

Other notes in the fragrance created

with IFF’s Carlos Benaïm and Bruno

Jovanovic include bergamot from

Calabria, Egyptian orange blossom,

jasmines, cedarwood and white musks.

America actress Adria Arjona — of

Guatemalan and Puerto Rican heritage,

who spent her childhood on the road

with her musician father — was chosen

to front My Way. She’s appeared in “True

Detective” and “6 Underground,” and

will costar with Jared Leto in the Marvel

movie “Morbius” next year.

“I have never made a secret of my

love for natural beauty free of artifice,”

said Armani. “Adria Arjona, the face

of My Way, perfectly reflects this ideal.

Her story is written in the harmonious

features of her face, in her smile, in

her gaze. Her look has the pure charm

of what is authentic. Furthermore,

Adria is a curious traveler. She is

someone for whom the saying ‘I am

what I live’ really does hold true.”

For the campaign, Cristian Borillo

and Martin Cespedes (aka Hunter &

Gatti) lensed Arjona having true-life

encounters, such as experiencing

a sangeet ceremony in India or

the festival of lights in Thailand.

Spots were also filmed in the likes

of Tokyo and Seville.

Two spots give virtual-reality

experiences, allowing the viewer to

take Arjona’s vantage point.

No images were retouched.

“There was no script,” said Gautier.

“There is a very rich communication

platform.”

Prices for My Way range from $74

for a 30-ml. eau de parfum to $126

for a 150-ml. edp refill.

Armani executives would not discuss

projections, but industry sources

estimate My Way could generate $220

million in first-year retail sale globally.

The scent will launch Aug. 10

exclusively on Armani beauty’s

e-commerce platforms, followed by

an on-counter rollout beginning

Aug. 24 worldwide except for

China, which is slated for 2021. TV

advertising will go live on Sept. 6.

Whereas Sì is meant to channel a

powerful, elegant, passionate woman,

My Way is more about a free spirit.

“She is a young woman of today:

intelligent, curious, free of prejudice,

independent and capable of

treasuring every life experience,” said

Armani. “She is a citizen of the world.

I love the idea of this woman, fiercely

independent and brave, genuinely

modern in her attitude, free and able

to take on board any experience and

encounter on her life’s journey.”

Over the past decade, Armani

beauty’s business including women’s

scents, makeup and skin care grew

from generating less than 30 percent

to now about two-thirds of its overall

sales, or approximately 1.5 billion

euros annually, according to industry

source estimates.

The sources estimate Armani’s

fragrance and makeup revenues are

about on a par with each other. Skin

care is a smaller business, with sales

growing by double digits.

-EXCLUSIVE-

Giorgio Armani Set to Launch My Way Fragrance Actress Adria Arjona fronts the women’s scent developed with sustainability in mind. BY JENNIFER WEIL

Adria Arjona

My Way from Giorgio Armani.

UNBOXING THE FUTURE OF PACKAGING

Driven by a vision for a sustainable future and an ever-evolving omnichannel world, Aptar Beauty + Home has been a leader behind innovations in dispensers,

pumps and other packaging solutions used by many of the world’s leading beauty brands. Aptar Beauty + Home’s commitment to research and development has also proven to be a vital piece for consumers and brands as the industry works together to care for the planet.

And as online sales continue to soar in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, discerning online shoppers are judging not only the quality of a product, but its container and packaging as well. As a result, dispensing and packaging solutions that prevents leakage, disassembly, damages or accidental opening, has now emerged as white space in the market where Aptar Beauty + Home is a dominating force.

CONSUMER-DRIVEN DEMANDYears ago, it was common practice for con-sumers to receive luxury beauty products wrapped in ample amounts of “protective packaging” to ensure an uncompromised delivery. To better understand these prac-tices, the demand for leak-proof dispensing solutions, and the perception of overpack-aging experiences with e-commerce unbox-ings, Aptar surveyed 1168 consumers asking for feedback on the unboxing experience. The survey found that an overwhelming 77 percent of consumers have experienced this overwrapping or excessive packaging when

unboxing personal care items. For many consumers, this unboxing

served as the first impression of a brand. And while this remains true, excess of packing paper is now met with disappointment for a brand’s sustainable values. In fact, Aptar’s consumer survey found 80 percent of con-sumers felt frustrated with the amount of overwrapping they have received when un-boxing personal care items.

Still, consumers expect brands to deliv-er on a beautiful presentation that has not undergone a compromise during travel. And when a brand sacrifices quality, it can result in excessive chargebacks and returns, negative reviews, and ultimately a damaged relationship with retailers and consumers. The challenge is one that has required brands to move quickly, as consumers have become adept at sharing frustrations through social media.

“Your first impression can set a negative or positive tone for the rest of the experience with the brand,” said Philippe Erhart, presi-dent of Beauty + Home, North America, at Aptar. “Think of it like a job interview – if you show up unpolished, you will most likely not get a second chance.”

And further omnichannel packaging has been found to build trust with customers in traditional retail outlets. According to Aptar, this is because the omnichannel pack-aging delivers leak free functionality with a convenient, single SKU. For brands, omni-channel packaging eliminates prep charges, while delivering on consumer expectations, further optimizing overall growth in the e-commerce channel.

“E-commerce has unique potential to reduce waste in the environment by elim-inating excessive packaging,” said Erhart. “For example, expensive ‘romance’ pack-aging is no longer required. Products, not packaging, displayed to consumers, without visual size comparison, perception across products or theft prevention packaging fea-tures, product reviews and star ratings are able to guide the customers first moment of seeing the product, or what P&G calls the ‘Zero moment of truth’.”

LUXURY WITHOUT EXCESSWhen discussing product package develop-ment with brands, Erhart said the approach

for Aptar Beauty + Home is a two-prong, meaning expectations of both consumers and brands must be met. Moreover, each brand has its own needs as it navigates om-nichannel packaging. Collaboration, there-fore, is essential.

While brands hold the key to consum-er communication, Aptar Beauty + Home leverages technology expertise to provide brands with unique custom dispensing ca-pabilities. “We look to our brand partners as they are a critical part of our innovation development,” said Erhart. “They are the first line of communication – though not just communication, but interaction, en-gagement, touch points – with consumers and are able to help us understand what the needs and the expected benefits are. We also do consumer research, [includ-ing] online surveys, in-person and virtu-al studies, and market trend analyses, to provide brands with value-added insights that may be outside of their scope. The mindshare during our meetings truly goes both ways.”

With expectations becoming higher and higher, the beauty industry has made bold statements and taken on very ambitious goals in terms of sustainability and well-rounded omnichannel experiences. And to be sure, each company has needs specific to its brand DNA and corporate mission as well as its relationship to its consumers.

“First and foremost, brands are consid-ering the consumer experience, especially now with the huge shift to online retail,” said Erhart. “It is their first impression – good or bad– to who they are. This heavily

The panelists agreed that the “human

connection” is most critical

in establishing the initial, base-line

relationship.”

Aptar Beauty + Home wide selection of

dispensing solution products provide value

and convenience for end-users by anticipating

market expectations.

Amid rising demand for sustainable solutions and shifts to online retail, Aptar Beauty + Home is helping brands offer an improved and more satisfying consumer experience.

P R E S E N T E D B Y :

P R E S E N T E D B Y :P R E S E N T E D B Y :

INNOVATIONAptar Beauty + Home holds many industry “firsts.” Here are five notable ones:

GLIDE AND APOLLO are hoodless aerosol actuators with

a twist to lock mechanism.

First to market, Aptar’s LOCK + GO technology is an e-commerce capable tube top closure with a built-in finger recess.

DISC TOP GO features a unique three-piece closure design and prevents accidental actuation in transit with a lockable on-off feature.

E-CLIP prevents traditional dispensing pumps from breaking in transit or actuating by accident.

EASY CLIP is designed to

hold a fragrance sample in

place.

The panelists said social media and marketing

works best when

customers are fully engaged.”

impacts brands from a perception and cost value perspective.”

Brands are also considering supply chain costs. “The traditional supply chain has an average of four touchpoints through the process, while an e-commerce supply chain can increase touchpoints,” said Erhart. “There is a lot more room for issues to occur. Overwrapping, excess packaging and larger shipping boxes can lead to higher an-cillary costs.”

As a global organization with manufactur-ing facilities in 18 countries, Aptar Beauty + Home is able to offer global brands dispens-ing components where they are formulating and filling, cutting supply chain costs.

RECONSIDERING THE DELIVERYIt is important to note that working with some large-scale retailers brands are subject to additional new challenges. Amazon, for example, requires that brands maintain cer-tain shipping guidelines. The Amazon pack-aging mission is to have products designed to reduce waste where Amazon Overbox is not required, to use 100 percent recyclable packaging, to make the consumer experience optimal with “easy to open” gestures, and to protect products against damage without preparations made by Amazon. Notably, a package’s carbon footprint can also offset the use of sustainable packaging.

In April of 2020, Aptar Beauty + Home opened its on-site ISTA-6 lab testing fa-cility to help brands meet Amazon’s guide-lines for ISTA-6 Overbox Testing through the APASS program. Aptar Beauty + Home also has pre-qualifying dispensing solu-tions to ensure they meet Amazon’s guide-

lines. Brands are able to utilize the com-pany’s testing facility to understand what potential issues they are facing and learn about dispensing products that will miti-gate any issues.

“We have a unique opportunity to rein-vent the packaging that delights consum-ers, reduce waste, and minimize costs,” said Erhart.

As part of its deep commitment to inno-vation, Aptar Beauty + Home invests 3 per-cent of total revenue back into research and development to continuously provide new solutions to brand partners. The company currently holds hundreds of international patents on dispensing technology and has launched over 70 new products in the last three years to meet every brand and retailer where they need to be.

Philippe Erhart, president of Beauty + Home, North America, Aptar

FOR PHILIPPE ERHART, president of Beauty + Home, North America, at Aptar, partnering with brands

for a sustainable future goes far beyond dispensing products. With innovation at its core, Aptar is continually evaluating manufacturing practices and the impact on global and local eco-systems, and as a company has positioned itself to be well equipped to support partners in the beauty industry to meet sustainability goals as well.

Excess packaging is no longer a viable solution for today’s savvy beauty consumers who demand brands to be actively, and transparently, work-ing towards sustainability. And with e-commerce on the rise investing in high-quality packaging to ship without compromise has become table stakes in staying ahead.

As sustainable and omnichannel product packaging becomes even more crucial to a beauty brand’s growth in today’s market, Erhart shares his perspective and insights into brands’ evolving packaging needs, addressing consumer demands, and his vision for a sustainable future in beauty.

WWD Studios: What are the key problem areas and challenges from a packaging perspective that beauty brands are facing today?Philippe Erhart: The two main challenges Aptar Beauty + Home continually hear

beauty brands face are: how to identify and execute their needs in regard to sus-tainability and the need for omnichannel ready packaging. In regard to sustainabil-ity, each brand has unique needs spe-cific to their DNA. Some of those needs shared with us include recyclability, reduc-ing, and repurposing plastics as it relates to the waste stream or how to create reus-able packaging platforms.

The most important component of the package for omnichannel needs tends to be the dispensing mechanism. If a pump breaks in transit or a closure acciden-tally opens, it can lead to poor customer experience and costly chargebacks to the brand. This applies to more than just

online orders. The increase of retail pickup and delivery makes it crucial for brands to take every potential touchpoint into con-sideration.

WWD Studios: Why is investing in higher-quality packaging, created with e-commerce in mind, necessary for brands, especially now?PE: It is important for brands to take into consideration the full cradle-to-grave customer experience. Yes, there is an increase in needs for omnichannel capa-ble packaging, but also consider – what happens after that? How are they being used in and outside the home? How will consumers perceive the value of your brand? Formula and performance are a key part of this, but high-quality packag-ing is equally important.

WWD Studios: How does Aptar part-ner with brands to address reducing the waste stream?PE: We are continually evaluating our own products and processes through the use of life cycle assessments and the implementation of eco-design. For all innovation moving forward we look at two critical components: how do we make the product more sustainable and how do we make sure it is e-commerce capable. Brands are also able to partner with us to perform their own life cycle assessments and ISTA-6 certifications through our internal programs.

PRESTIGE PRESENTATIONThrough Aptar Beauty + Home, brands are able to walk their sustainability talk, while meeting consumer’s evolving needs.

WWD Studios: Can you speak to the movement away from excess packaging?PE: Sustainability at this point is the norm, an expectation of the consumer. Over the past few months, we’ve had the opportunity to see our direct impact on the environment first-hand. It is critical brands look at the unique opportunities this provides them to play a part in their day-to-day lives.

WWD Studios: In your own words, how does a superior packaging product work to maintain trust and loyalty between brands and their consumers?PE: Trust and loyalty are built through extensive interaction between two parties. Consumers do not have immediate inter-action with the people behind the brands – so their products are the representation or extension of who they are.

Consumers are continually more educated and skeptical of advertising and influencers and rely on experiences from their peers or themselves to make purchasing decisions. When a brand considers each component – packaging, formula, etc. – as a unique extension of who they are it can build credibility that their story is authentic.

WWD Studios: How can Aptar play a role in a brand’s marketing?PE: We pride ourselves on being a B-to-B-to-C company and put extensive resources and revenues back into under-standing how we can provide consumers with a better-quality experience with their products – thus in return helping brands develop value beyond the cost.

Aptar is also able to help brands sub-stantiate packaging claims through our extensive technical capabilities and part-nerships with external resources. Some examples of these are ECO-CERT certi-fication, life cycle assessments, e-com-merce Capable, and ISTA-6 over box certifications. We are continually expand-ing and evaluating how these capabil-ities are uniquely used by brands and what we can do to help them.

7

JULY 17, 2020

NEWS FEED

PARIS — Le Bon Marché

department store has just gotten

more colorful, with its new “library

of pigments,” a 3,330-square-foot

makeup mecca.

Open not long after confinement

was lifted in the French capital,

in early June, on the first floor up,

L’Atelier Maquillage, or Makeup

Atelier, collects eight color-cosmetics

brands in one circular location.

“We wanted to open a new page

and create an unprecedented

beauty concept that unites for us

the market’s makeup players of

reference infused with service,”

explained Axelle Royère, beauty

director at Le Bon Marché. For her,

this marks a second act of the Beauty

Loft concept, on the same floor,

which debuted in 2015 showcasing

alternative brands.

“Today our clients are not on a

quest for product, but on a quest for

sense and experience,” she added.

Before, makeup at Le Bon Marché

was only found on the ground floor,

mixed in with other beauty categories.

“We have a skin-care offer that

is rather clearly expressed and a

perfume offer, as well,” explained

Royère. “It is true that until now,

the makeup references were quite

fragmented in terms of zoning and

retail expression.”

So she and her team went to work

for 18 months to conceive the new

department.

“For us, makeup is a fashion

accessory,” the executive said.

“It is a vector of self-affirmation,

the expression also of a certain

femininity, so we wanted voluntarily

to position this area at the juncture

between women’s fashion. You have

the room of designer [labels] to the

left, the sportswear room to the

right and the large lingerie space

[behind]. It’s a hyphen between

these different categories.”

Service, she says, is the makeup

department’s backbone. That

includes three treatment rooms,

where it’s possible to get, for

instance, eyebrows threaded (for the

first time at Le Bon Marché) by the

Blink Brow Bar.

“We wanted to bring something

different, innovative, extremely

modern, precise and cutting-edge,”

Royère said.

The Japanese brand Suqqu,

another new exclusive in France

at the store, has its own treatment

room, too, where clients’ skin can be

prepared for a makeup application

with ritual massages, such as the

Gankin Massage.

“One is taught auto-massage

techniques, allowing you to take care

of yourself at home,” Royère said.

Beside service, the two other axes

on which this department is built are

“specialist” and eco-conscious brands.

The specialist brands include

Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Nars

and By Terry. These migrated from

the ground-floor beauty department.

“Each one has a role to play,” Royère

said. That’s as complexion expert,

nude specialist, cult color designer and

custom pigment queen, respectively.

They provide services, as well,

such as By Terry’s Palette Factory,

where people can choose powder

pigments and literally compose their

own palettes.

At La Bouche Rouge, it’s possible

to pick out lipsticks’ outer tubes and

opt to have one’s initials hot-stamped

on them.

Bobbi Brown and Nars offer

consultations and lessons.

The sustainable brands decking

either side of the department’s

entrance are La Bouche Rouge and

Kure Bazaar, two “clean” French labels.

La Bouche Rouge, with its

rechargeable lipstick, was launched

at Le Bon Marché three years ago.

Alongside selling its existing line,

exclusively at the store it creates

made-to-measure lipstick with

a technique using a scanner on

anything to be color matched, such

as an item of clothing.

“It’s really appreciated by our

clients for an accessory,” Royère said.

Kure Bazaar’s rechargeable, vegan

lipsticks come in denim pouches.

Up next for L’Atelier Maquillage is

Charlotte Tilbury, which will settle in

the center of the makeup floor with a

“Beauty Wonderland” theme by Sept. 15.

“It’s a super-fun concept, quite

quirky and very playful,” Royère said.

For now, that area is lined with

alternative beauty brands.

“They respond perfectly to the

needs of our clients right before

summer, so it made a lot of sense for

us to unite some of our favorites in

terms of holistic beauty,” Royère said.

These include Sentara Holistic,

Odacité and D+ for Care. Also in this

section are workshops for people to

discover the brands.

“Since we are still under strict

sanitary measures, they’re small

groups, respecting the rules,”

continued Royère.

The executive would not discuss

projections, but industry sources

believe the new department could

boost makeup sales by double-digits

at Le Bon Marché, which continues

selling color cosmetics from brands

such as Chanel, Dior, Giorgio Armani,

Yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain on

the ground floor.

Royère considers L’Atelier

Maquillage as a focal point in Le Bon

Marché. “It’s a bit noticeable from

everywhere in the store,” she said.

The department’s circular shape

was chosen to reflect conviviality

and echoes the form of the shoe

department one floor above.

There’s a keen eye to design here.

The 1,700 jars of pigments decorating

the walls were sourced by specialists

from around the world. The glazed

lava stone counters are the same as

in the Beauty Loft, and comfy Tulip

chairs were designed by Pierre Paulin.

Each mirror has three light

intensities. Hooks are available from

which to hang bags, and telephone

charging stations are accessible.

Due to today’s strict hygiene

measures people may not have

makeovers. Rather, they can learn how

to apply products using a mirroring

technique, by which they imitate what

the beauty advisers are doing.

Le Bon Marché’s New Makeup Department Has Services Galore Bobbi Brown, Nars, Laura Mercier, La Bouche Rouge and Kure Bazaar are among the brands found there. BY JENNIFER WEIL

L'Atelier Maquillage at Le Bon Marché.

8

JULY 17, 2020

NEWS FEED

THE HAIR INDUSTRY IS joining

forces to offer COVID-19 health-

care workers free services through

a new digital platform launched by

celebrity hairstylists and longtime

friends Lucy Halperin, Jeremy Tardo

and Amanda Shuttleworth.

All three live in Los Angeles, where

the initiative was born. Familiar names

in the world of hair are among the

bunch to join the cause and offer their

talents, including David Babaii, Mara

Roszak, Ted Gibson, Benjamin Mohapi,

Johnnie Sapong and Jenny Cho —

whose clients collectively include

the likes of Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth

Paltrow, Billie Eilish and Meghan

Markle. So far, major L.A. salons such

as Mèche, Nine Zero One, Ramirez

Tran Salon and Sally Hershberger have

also signed up, though the endeavor is

open to all states. A total of 53 salons

and freelance hairstylists have joined

to date.

“We want it to be inclusive to

everyone,” Halperin said. “Whether

they have one chair or 100 chairs,

every salon is important.”

“It’s an army of hairdressers we’re

building,” added Tardo.

Services will be available for a two-

week period via Frontline Fortnight,

as it’s called, a nod to Halperin and

Shuttleworth’s British roots. Both hair

professionals and health-care workers

are able to sign up directly on

frontlinefortnight.com. It’s an honor

system, said the founders, and anyone

with a hospital ID working during the

pandemic is able to benefit.

“That includes the person

answering the phone, the janitors…,”

said Tardo, a colorist who’s worked

with Miley Cyrus, Jared Leto and

Miranda Kerr.

Though the idea for Frontline

Fortnight was sparked in March, and

the site is up and running, a launch

date has yet to be set. Evidently, it’s due

to the surge of coronavirus cases across

the country and news on Monday from

California Gov. Gavin Newsom to roll

back reopening of salons.

“We’re trying to be very sensitive

to the fact that the hairdressing

industry has been hit pretty hard

by the whole pandemic and a lot of

hairdressers have been out of work,”

Tardo said. “We really want to allow

those people to be able to go back to

work and make money for a period

before we ask them to provide free

services. That, combined with the

fact that obviously the pandemic

is ongoing, we can’t personally

be responsible for sending first

responders into people’s chairs all

over the country when they’re still

dealing with COVID-19 patients on a

day-to-day basis.”

The site also invites visitors to

donate to the Professional Beauty

Association's pandemic relief fund,

which is providing aid to those facing

financial hardships.

The hair salon business has been

hit hard. It was a relief to the industry

and hairstylists to return to work,

following Newsom’s announcement

allowing salons to reopen on May

26. Many had been unemployed

since March 19, when nonessential

businesses were ordered to close. But

now, the roll back is another blow.

“I understand that it is to reduce

spread, but for me, I’m having a

much, much more difficult time

personally with it this time around,

I have to say,” said Shuttleworth,

who works with Tardo at L.A.’s

Benjamin Salon as a hairstylist and

hair extension specialist. “There

seems to be little to no monitoring

of house parties or going out or

congregating….[The team has] gone

to extraordinary lengths to make the

salon safe and clean. So, for me, to

not be able to go to work when I look

outside or I see people eating outside

close together with no masks on…it

just seems unfair.”

For Halperin, who works as a

freelancer, life is different these days.

She's usually on the move, dividing

her time between between L.A. and

London, working as a makeup artist

and men’s groomer for clients that

include Brad Pitt and Kaia Gerber.

When work resumed, however, she had

one job total.

“I had a shield, a mask,” she said of

the experience. “It took me so long

to prepare mentally, actually. It’s

quite emotional. It’s just the process

of working. It’s so different. I don’t

think that there’s going to be the red

carpet for a while. Cinema is being

closed again, so that will set back

premieres. I know a couple of my

actors had premieres, and we did no

press. Normally, I would go to their

house, do all their press junkets. The

days of the big premieres are a long

time to come.”

Tardo normally splits his time

between L.A. and New York, working

in freelance and in the salon. “For

me, both of those things were

nonexistent overnight,” he said.

To adapt, he created at-home hair

kits for clients and offered FaceTime

appointments to walk them through

the steps: “I would put together,

personally in my home, a kit with

their color formula and all the tools

that they needed.”

“I have clients who just send

me money, because they’re

worried I haven’t worked,” shared

Shuttleworth.

When they were back in the salon,

the first two weeks were “really busy,”

though that changed as coronavirus

cases rose, she said.

“As soon as the numbers started

to climb, it went quiet for everyone,”

she continued. “People were too

scared to get back in. I noticed that

[compared to] the first two weeks, it

could not have been any different.”

Still, despite the hardships, the

three are determined to unite the

community and give back to health-

care workers. The entire operation,

including the site (created by Daniel

Landrocheat of creative agency Grl),

is built and managed free of charge

with the help of peers.

“It’s great to see that in the worst

of times, you do see the best of

humanity,” Tardo said. “We’re all

going through this together.”

“We’re a really resilient bunch,”

Halperin said. “The industry will

recover.”

“I think this is an opportunity for us

to grow and change,” Shuttleworth said.

“It is not the strongest of the

species that survives, nor the most

intelligent,” added Tardo, quoting

Charles Darwin. “It is the one most

adaptable to change.”

-EXCLUSIVE-

Hair Industry to Gift Free Services To COVID-19 Hospital Workers The digital platform, Frontline Fortnight, is created by celebrity hairstylists Lucy Halperin, Jeremy Tardo and Amanda Shuttleworth. BY RYMA CHIKHOUNE

Frontline Fortnight was created

by hairstylists Amanda Shuttleworth,

Lucy Halperin and Jeremy Tardo, pictured

here pre-pandemic at West Hollywood's

Benjamin Salon.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT RACHAEL DESANTIS, BEAUTY DIRECTOR AT RDESANTIS@WWD.COM

BEAUTY INC’S ANNUAL ISSUE SHOWCASING

BEAUTY’S MOST POWERFUL—AND RELEVANT—BRANDS.

ISSUE:

08.28CLOSES: 08.14

MATERIALS: 08.18

POWERPLAYERS

ISSUE

BEAUTY INC’S OPPORTUNITIES:

CUSTOM WWD STUDIO FEATURES

BRAND AD ALIGNMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE

WEBINAR

10

JULY 17, 2020

WEEKLY ROUNDUP

BURBERRY Q1 SALES

SINK 48.4%¬ Stung by store

closures and dwindling international tourism,

retail revenue at Burberry fell 48.4

percent to 257 million pounds in the first

quarter ended June 27, while the current quarter will continue

to be “materially impacted” by the

coronavirus pandemic, Burberry said

in a trading update Wednesday.

Comparable store sales were down 45 percent in the

three-month period. Burberry shares were

down 4.4 percent at 14.88 pounds in morning trading on Wednesday.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Burberry also plans

to cut costs at its stores and offices outside

the U.K., with the aim of saving 35 million pounds.Burberry added

that based on the June figures, when sales fell 20 percent, it expects second-quarter retail

sales to decline by 15 to 20 percent. — Samantha Conti

¬ Some current and former employees of Nike have come together to post allegations of racism and mistreatment within the company.

The anonymous Black at Nike group is “amplifying Black voices from current and former Nike employees” via Instagram. BIPOC are encouraged to send their stories via a Google link to the non-Nike affiliated space.

The space had nearly 8,600 Instagram followers as of Wednesday morning.

The @BlackatNike

respondents, who opted not to identify themselves, said many of the Black employees have been “suffering in silence alone.

Many have been laid off due to retaliation. Many feel they should shut up and work, in fear of not being able to thrive in the corporate system.”

Like other Fortune 500 companies, employees are calling for more than goodwill and are demanding systemic change within their infrastructures. —Rosemary Feitelberg

¬ Neiman Marcus Group, in bankruptcy proceedings since May 7, is moving forward on disposing stores.

Neiman’s is already in talks to vacate its store in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards and is now working with A&G Real Estate Partners to market four other locations, according to A&G.

A&G said Tuesday that the Neiman’s locations being marketed are the 87,608-square-foot unit

in Walnut Creek, Calif.; the 126,296-square-foot unit in Mazza Gallerie in Washington D.C.; the 48,661-square-foot unit on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Fla., and the 124,637-square-foot unit in the Shops at Bravern in Bellevue, Wash.

Sources also have said the list of locations being eyed for possible closures includes Dallas; St. Louis; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Natick, Mass., and Westchester, N.Y. — David Moin

¬ Farfetch has scored an exclusive tie-in with Rihanna’s Fenty label, WWD has learned. The retail giant will become the only online retailer stocking Fenty outside the label’s own

¬ Vanity Fair editor in chief Radhika Jones is calling out the glossy magazine’s long lack of diversity on its covers.

In her latest editor’s letter for the July/August issue, Jones quotes cover face Viola Davis as saying in her interview that the magazine “has had a problem in the past with putting Black women on the covers.”

Excluding groups and special issues, she counted

just 17 Black people on the cover of Vanity Fair in the 35 years between 1983 and 2017.

In contrast, she said in her two-and-a-half-year tenure, Vanity Fair has featured 10 Black cover subjects.

The photographer, Dario Calmese, describes his striking cover concept as “a re-creation of the Louis Agassiz slave portraits taken in the 1800s — the back, the welts.” — Kathryn Hopkins

Radhika Jones Pens Editor’s Letter on Diversity

Black at Nike Instagram Account Outlines Racism

Neiman Marcus Closes More Stores

Farfetch Nabs Exclusive Fenty Partnership

Vanity Fair cover of Viola Davis.

Nike's House of Innovation in New York.

A campaign image from Fenty Release 6-20.

The Latest From WWD Fashion.Finance.Media.Retail.

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The Burberry Summer Monogram Collection

campaign featuring and shot by Kendall Jenner.

e-commerce channel.The announcement coincides

with the brand’s new summer drop, dubbed Release 6-20.

“Fenty was looking for a retail partner to double down on its digital-first business model and, with our global customer base and industry-leading platform model, it’s an ideal opportunity to work together,” said Giorgio Belloli, chief commercial at Farfetch.

This comes on the heels of Rihanna’s announcement of Fenty Skin, which is set to launch exclusively on fentyskin.com on July 31. — Natalie Theodosi

R E G I S T E R T O D AY

In this digital event, Arthur Zaczkiewicz, executive editor of WWD, is

joined by Sonia Summers, chief executive officer and founder of Beauty

Barrage, to discuss rapidly-evolving trends and current opportunities in the

beauty industry. They will discuss why, as retail stores reopen, brands need

to make sure field teams and virtual teams are completely aligned; and why

there is a lot that brands can do to succeed in the fourth quarter to take

advantage of pent-up demand in consumer spending.

The lively discussion will also include how physical retail has changed in a

post-COVID-19 environment, and how Beauty Barrage is uniquely equipped

to help brands and retailers create a safe and optimal shopping experience

for consumers.

For assistance or attendee questions, please contact Keith Zanardi at kzanardi@pmc.com

W E B I N A R

P R E S E N T E D B Y

Fielding Beauty Trends

J U LY 2 2 AT 2 P M E S T

Sonia Summers, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

& FOUNDER, Beauty Barrage

in conversation with WWD’s Arthur Zaczkiewicz

12

JULY 17, 2020

DEEP DIVE

AS CONSUMERS BECOME increasingly conscious of their

purchasing power, some are placing

greater emphasis on buying from

Black-owned businesses.

In June, social media users began

circulating lists of dozens — and in

some cases, hundreds — of Black-

owned beauty brands in the wake of

the George Floyd protests. The lists

signified a desire from supporters of

the Black Lives Matter movement to

align their spending habits with their

core values. Less common, though,

than the widely shared lists of Black-

owned beauty brands were posts

raising awareness of Black-owned

beauty retailers.

The past few years have given

rise to a number of beauty retailers

nationwide that are self-funded

and owned by Black women. WWD

Beauty Inc spoke to six Black-owned

beauty retailers — five of which have

not yet taken on investment — about

their business models and causes for

launch. Despite each unique story, all

shared a common thread: Each of the

founders launched their businesses

because of one of a variety of failures

by the beauty industry to properly

cater to Black and brown consumers.

The Brown Beauty Co-op is one

such Black-owned beauty retailer

that currently carries 50 Black-

owned brands online and in its

physical store, based in the nation's

capital. Cofounded by Kimberly

Smith and Amaya Smith, who are

not related, the cooperative aims to

offer a more tailored alternative to

beauty supply stores, many of which

are not Black-owned.

“We are looking for people of color-

owned brands that are independently

owned,” Kimberly Smith said. “Our

mission is making sure that the

products are suitable for people of

color to use.”

In June, Kimberly Smith and

Amaya Smith penned an open letter

to Sephora prior to the retailer's

adoption of Brother Vellies founder

Aurora James' 15 Percent Pledge. In

the letter, The Brown Beauty Co-op

cofounders called out Sephora for its

lack of Black leadership, which is

6 percent in the U.S., according

to numbers Sephora revealed as

part of Sharon Chuter's Pull Up for

Change campaign. They also called

into question Sephora's diversity

and inclusion efforts, which the

retailer launched after the singer

SZA tweeted that she had been

racially profiled at a Sephora store

in Calabasas, Calif.

In-store mistreatment of Black and

brown customers is not an occurrence

exclusive to Sephora, but a widespread

issue at many retailers, including

beauty supply stores. Racially charged

misconduct perpetrated toward

Aisha Griffin is what led the former

automotive manufacturer consultant

to launch her direct-to-consumer

business, Coil Beauty.

“I became frustrated with beauty

supply stores in general, [and]

more mainstream stores didn’t have

products that catered to my needs as

an African-American woman,” Griffin

said. “I wanted to create a space where

women of color could come and find

things that are made for their needs,

but also a space where they could feel

comfortable shopping and not feel

rushed or not treated fairly.”

Maryland-based Dr. Kristian

Edwards said she was compelled

to launch online marketplace BLK

+ GRN, which features all-natural

products made by Black artisans,

after reading a study on the toxicity

of products typically marketed to

Black men and women. Edwards

also read Maggie Anderson's book,

“Our Black Year: One Family's Quest

to Buy Black in America's Racially

Divided Economy,” and understood

“the importance of Black people

supporting other small, Black

brands,” she said.

In her search for all-natural products

that were Black-owned, Edwards found

herself ordering from “15 to 20 web�

How Black-Owned Beauty Retailers Are Shaking Up the Beauty Industry Black-owned beauty retailers — many of which are women-founded and self-funded — are meeting the needs of consumers of color who have long been neglected by beauty's biggest players. BY ALEXA TIETJEN PHOTOGRAPHS B Y JULIEN JAMES AND MICHAEL DELANEY

Amaya Smith and Kimberly Smith, cofounders of The Brown Beauty Co-op, based in Washington, D.C.

13

JULY 17, 2020

DEEP DIVE

sites,” indicating a lack of a cohesive

online shopping experience.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be easier

if there was a marketplace where

everything can be bought together?”

she said.

BLK + GRN's four-person team

run the ingredients of each product

available on the company's web site

through the Environmental Working

Group's Skin Deep database. In 2016,

the EWG added more than 1,100

personal-care products marketed to

Black women to its database. The

organization found that less than

25 percent of those products rated

well on its scoring system for

hazardous ingredients.

Renewed conversations about

skin-lightening products — which are

prominent across Africa, Asia and the

Middle East — have drawn attention to

the category's history of health hazards.

In 2019, the World Health Organization

published a paper on the dangers of

mercury in skin-lightening products.

“The toxic trade of often illegal

mercury-added skin-lightening

products is a global crisis expected

to only worsen with skyrocketing

demand,” the paper read. It went

on to list the health risks posed by

inorganic mercury in skin-lightening

creams and soaps, such as kidney

damage, skin rashes, reduction in

the skin’s resistance to bacterial and

fungal infections, anxiety, depression,

psychosis and peripheral neuropathy.

In its product analysis, the EWG

found that bleaching products and

hair relaxers were the “worst-scoring

products marketed to Black women,”

according to an article on its web site.

Breaking the consumption cycle of

these kinds of hazardous products is

part of Brittney Ogike's mission with

BeautyBeez, an online beauty retailer

with a physical presence in Los Angeles'

North Hollywood neighborhood.

“A lot of our customers are loyal to

certain brands or products that they

grew up on because, for decades, it

was the only option at the traditional

beauty supply [store] — relaxers to

make our hair straight are products

with toxic ingredients, tools that are

damaging to our hair,” Ogike said.

“When our customers come into

our store asking for these products,

we try to educate them on why we

don’t carry that specific brand or that

particular product. We try to offer

them the better alternative.”

BeautyBeez is self-funded by Ogike,

who works in sports management. Her

brother, NBA player Khris Middleton,

is an investor in the business.

BeautyBeez's e-commerce platform

carries nearly 2,000 products by 200

brands. The brick-and-mortar store,

which reopened in May after closing

due to COVID-19, has a section called

“Classics” that offers some of the

brands Ogike intuited her customers

may have been taught to use at

an early age. When the store first

opened nearly a year ago, the Classics

section was its best-selling. Now, the

best-selling products are the “better

products for us,” Ogike said.

Jazmin Alvarez, an alum of Calvin

Klein and Condé Nast who also

worked on the production and casting

for Fenty Beauty's digital launch in

2017, is the founder and chief curator

of Pretty Well Beauty, a clean beauty

curation web site. She launched Pretty

Well Beauty last year after multiple

experiences with clean beauty retailers

that she perceived to be “elitist and

exclusive,” she said. Pretty Well Beauty

now carries about 30 brands.

“I like to consider myself the

anti-Goop, if you will,” Alvarez said,

referring to Goop's exclusionary

marketing that tends to leave out

customers with a more modest

shopping budget, as well as

consumers of color. “There’s very

little representation of women of

color in the clean beauty space,

so I wanted to be that voice and

set a really high standard. Almost

every other beauty retailer makes

concessions in one way or another.

That’s just not something I’m willing

to do, and it’s how I’m hoping to set

my brand apart from them — not just

with clean but with sustainability.”

Wendy Imbisi, founder of

Sacramento-based Nala Essentials,

said she left her corporate banking

job to start her online beauty business

after difficulty finding a “one-stop

shop” for Black-owned brands.

“I wanted to know I was providing

the best value for the people,” Imbisi

said. Nala Essentials' e-commerce

platform carries about 10 brands

created by people of color.

“Nala Essentials is here to make

Black women and people of color

know that they’re seen,” Imbisi said.

“Growing up, I did not see myself

in the cool, healthy-looking brands.

I’m glad to say that is now changing.

People of color and Black people

are now going to be taught about

the importance of taking care of

ourselves and spending a little bit

more money on products that are

much better and healthier for us.

I’m excited to see where the health

and wellness industry goes for Black

people and people of color.”

While some of the Black-owned

beauty retailers interviewed by Beauty

Inc were negatively impacted by

COVID-19, nearly all expressed that

the surge in conscious consumption of

Black-owned beauty has translated to

a bump in sales for them.

Imbisi said Nala Essentials'

overall sales have gone up, as has

the average order value. “Weirdly

enough, the men’s products are flying

off the shelves,” she said.

Ogike said that in June, BeautyBeez's

sales were up as much as 300 percent.

In-store foot traffic grew, as well.

“June has, by far, been our biggest

month yet in regards to sales and �

Inside The Brown Beauty Co-op.

BLACK-OWNED BEAUTY RETAILERS

BEAUTYBEEZ, beautybeez.comFounded by: Brittney OgikeLocation: Los Angeles# of brands: 200

BLK + GRN, blkgrn.comFounded by: Dr. Kristian EdwardsLocation: Maryland# of brands: 70

THE BROWN BEAUTY CO-OP, brownbeautyco-op.comFounded by: Kimberly Smith and Amaya SmithLocation: Washington, D.C.# of brands: 67

COIL BEAUTY, coilbeauty.comFounded by: Aisha GriffinLocation: Chicago# of brands: 14

NALA ESSENTIALS, nalaessentials.comFounded by: Wendy ImbisiLocation: Sacramento, Calif.# of brands: 10

PRETTY WELL BEAUTY, prettywellbeauty.comFounded by: Jazmin AlvarezLocation: New York City# of brands: 30

14

JULY 17, 2020

DEEP DIVE

social engagement,” Ogike said. “I the Black Lives Matter movement.

Our world is waking up and our

community is being more conscious

of where we’re spending our dollars.”

After experiencing a dip in sales due

to the coronavirus, BLK + GRN has

since seen an increase, Edwards said.

“One of the big things I’m trying to

get across is I hope people make this a

habit,” she said. “It doesn’t help for you

to [buy from a Black-owned business]

one time. We want it to be something

you understand the underlying reasons

of why it’s important, something you

continue to do.”

The Brown Beauty Co-op saw a 75

percent decrease in revenue in March

and April, when it was forced to

close its brick-and-mortar store. The

business has seen “steady growth”

since June, said Kimberly Smith, and

is currently allowing customers to

shop in-store by appointment.

“We've been getting an influx of

new customers based on a lot of the

campaigns we're seeing online around

'buy Black' and 'support Black-

owned businesses,'” Smith said. “This

is a crucial time for a lot of small

businesses. We'll take the support,

we'll take the tags because we are

trying to survive COVID-19. Put your

money where the message is.”

The Brown Beauty Co-op has been

called “The Black Sephora.” Similarly,

BeautyBeez's Ogike said she aims for

her store to be “the Sephora for Black

women.” That comparison is telling of

Sephora's aspirational value for many

beauty consumers and simultaneous

failure to cater to a diverse-enough

consumer base.

“When customers come in and

see our space — especially a space

curated for women of color, ethnic

beauty — they’re not used to it,”

Ogike said. “Beauty supply stores for

women of color, there’s no intention

in the retail space. There’s just

products. So when customers come

into our store and they see that it’s

a store for them but it looks like

a Sephora, they start questioning.

They’re like, ‘Is this Black-owned?’

“We have team members who

look like you, who understand your

unique needs,” Ogike continued. “Our

customers come in for one thing and

they leave with 10 because they trust

our associates in giving them what

they actually need that’s effective. We

get a lot of 'thank you’s,' a lot of ‘I’m

gonna tell my friends' or ‘I’m going

to church on Sunday, I’m telling my

whole church.’ And they actually bring

them. The enthusiasm they have for

the brand, the store, it shows.” ■

“Beauty supply stores for women of color, there’s no intention in the retail

space. There’s just products.” -brittney ogike, beautybeez

Inside BeautyBeez.

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16

JULY 17, 2020

LAUNCH PAD

Danessa Myricks first found her love of makeup when she got laid off from a corporate job, but an immediate white space jumped out to her when she entered the beauty world. “I found myself doing a lot of education for

hair professionals. I fell in love with education, but I found it was really hard to create a list of products they can use to work on anyone,” Myricks said. Now, multiuse formulas that work on all tones are Myricks' forte. With Vision Flush, an eye, cheek and lip tint she launched on June 15 in 12 shades, she wanted to offer a professional-grade, multiuse product. “I wanted something for a one-and-done look,” she said.

The product, which can be blended either with the

doe-foot applicator or a finger, also builds in pores and fine lines in a matte finish. “What I found is that creams are easy to blend, but scary for people, and the powder finish is more wearable for most,” Myricks said. “It blends on as a cream, but disappears into your skin to look soft like a powder finish.” Despite the ease of use, the product is just as friendly to Myricks' professional clientele. “I wanted to simplify something from an artist's perspective,” she said.

Makeba Lloyd, founder of Butter By Keba and its recently launched sister brand, My Palm Spa, loves scent. She even describes her range of body moisturizers as moisturizing fragrances. So, when formulating My Palm Spa with a hand butter, a hand scrub, and a cuticle oil (and a bundle including a cuticle stick and gloves), aromatherapy was a top concern. “It’s relaxing to have an aromatherapeutic benefit to it. I wanted to do

something that streamlined into the essential oils since it’s just for the hands,” Lloyd said. She highlighted the detoxifying ginger-lemongrass blend in the hand scrub, the brightening lemon-basil blend in the hand butters, and the rice bran oil in the cuticles as ingredients to freshen up any manicure.

The kit, which launched in May, was serendipitously timed to COVID-19, although the process predates the quarantine. “I had this whole thing in a vault before, but since COVID-19, it dawned on me that because we’re hand sanitizing so much, and the manicure salons are closed, what are we going to do?” she said.

My Palm Spa Hand KitAVAILABLE ON BUTTERBYKEBA.COM. PRICES RANGE FROM $8 TO $28.

Marie Hunter Beauty Fresh Glow Vitamin C Serum AVAILABLE ON MARIEHUNTERBEAUTY.COM FOR $54.

Skin care was always the top priority for Marie Hunter Beauty founder KéNisha Ruff, who launched her self-funded line in 2016 with 12 lipsticks. “I would’ve only been able to launch with one or two products, and with skin care, you need to invest a lot into marketing and people want to see instant gratification. Financially, I decided it wasn’t the best idea,” she said. Although she was able to mark her first launch into the category in 2018, with the help of feedback from her past color products, Ruff also launched a vitamin C serum in May.

A licensed cosmetologist, Ruff is no stranger to ingredient stories. The formula mimics her first serum, a hyaluronic acid serum, but also features citrus stem cells to boost elasticity and Caribbean orange oil for fragrance alongside the vitamin C. “With 'Fresh Glow,' I wanted to address age spots, hyperpigmentation, and even the skin tone. It’s a two-in-one product,” she said. During formulation, Ruff also left out gluten, parabens, silicones, sulfates and talc.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision FlushAVAILABLE IN 12 SHADES AT DANESSAMYRICKSBEAUTY.COM FOR $20.

Habit Cosmetics is expanding its clean nail polish offerings. The Malibu-based, nontoxic nail polish brand has made PETA-certified vegan, 10 toxin-free nail polishes (free of toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, TPP, DBP, isobutylphenoxy epoxy resin, xylene and parabens) since its founding in 2013, and is adding 14 shades to the array of colors in August. Each polish, which features myrrh extract to strengthen nails and is packaged in glass, bamboo, FSC-certified paperboard, and recycled plastic components, will be available on the brand's site.

Aja Frierson, the brand's founder, said each of her products takes around two years to formulate, having recently expanded into cheek tints and highlighters. Her line is also self-funded. “I always had the ambition to grow our line, but to focus on sustainable packaging and multitasking formulas,” she said.

Habit Cosmetics Nontoxic Nail PolishAVAILABLE STARTING AUGUST 2020 IN 14 NEW SHADES ON HABITCOSMETICS.COM, $18.

Eyelash expert Dionne Phillips has a clientele that ranges from Victoria Beckham to Viola Davis, and a salon with her name on it in Beverly Hills. However, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, she had to find a convenient way to bring her lashes to her housebound devotees following closures over safety concerns. The solution was her Felt Tip Adhesive Eyeliner, which launched on July 12 on D’Lashes’ own site, taking the mess and guesswork out of eyelash glue. “It made the space a little easier to transition from extensions to strip lashes for my clients,” she said.

The multipurpose formula is also nontoxic. “I wanted to make sure it was something different to offer, and the ingredients were a factor,” Phillips said. “I made sure the ingredients were clean: nontoxic, waterproof and no parabens.” She is also launching the formula in two more colors: brown and clear, but wanted to start off with just a dark offering. “I wanted to give a polished face because of my fashion background, and the black eyeliner gives that,” she said.

D’Lashes Felt Tip Adhesive Eyeliner PenAVAILABLE AT DLASHES.COM, $20.

Black-Owned Beauty Brands to Watch From launches in new categories to celebrity followings, each of these brands’ points of differentiation marks notable expansions. BY JAMES MANSO

17

JULY 17, 2020

MASTER CLASS

THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS may have grounded Jane Hertzmark

Hudis, recently named executive group

president of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.,

but it hasn’t slowed her down.

Hudis, whose portfolio includes

many of the company’s highest-

growth brands, averages anywhere

from eight to 10 Zoom calls a day

from her home on the Upper East

Side of Manhattan, the first one

usually kicking off around 7:30 a.m.

As challenging as the year has been

for business, the executive clearly

relishes the complexities of today’s

landscape. “This is not a time for the

faint of heart,” she said. “You have to

be strategic and quick, and have great

teams and be able to lead through

challenging times. Business is there

to be had. This is the time to go for it

because so much is changing.”

What does being named

executive group president mean

to you?

It is an incredibly exciting moment.

Jane Hertzmark Hudis The executive group president of the Estée Lauder Cos. oversees the company's fastest-growing categories. BY JENNY B. FINE PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY LOMBARD

DIRECT CONNECT: @jhhudis

I’m responsible for skin care and the

other highest-growth areas of the

company. It is really about having

an impact on the company’s total

performance, both in terms of the

brands I oversee and my leadership

across the organization.

I’ve always been passionate about

this business and now, in particular,

is a time when powerful leadership

could not be more important.

What have the last few months

been like for you — what’s been

key as you steer the brands

through these turbulent times?

I’m an eternal optimist, and I see

everything with the lenses of what

is the opportunity. In the early

days, I led with heart and empathy,

connecting to all of our teams around

the world. The beginning was about

caring for the safety and health of our

employees.

At the same time, it was a period

of unprecedented transformation.

The speed of transformation over the

last few months has been nothing

short of extraordinary — the pivot to

digital and online is happening at an

accelerated speed, literally overnight.

We always wanted to be a digital first

company and that happened. We not

only went from producing the highest-

level products, but also [became]

a media company. We are calling

ourselves a digitally empowered beauty

powerhouse. The teams did this huge

pivot in one feel swoop, which was

pretty extraordinary.

Besides the pivot to online, there's

been an incredible focus on hero

products. Heroes have the highest

recruitment and repeat rate. People

wanted more of what they loved.

Can you talk more specifically

about where you saw out-

performance versus the market?

Estée Lauder and La Mer are

continuing on a fast trajectory, both

growing double digits and enjoying

great success around the world. But

we also see the emergence of a brand

like Aveda, which was born with the

values consumers find important

today. It is plant based and will be

vegan as of January.

Aveda has also transformed its

business model. The primary channel,

especially in North American, is

salons. About two years ago, we

thought it would be important to

enlarge and transform the business

by putting their model online.

Consumers might buy in salons, but

they want to replenish online.

The Aveda team developed

A-commerce, where orders are

fulfilled through aveda.com, but

created through the salon owner,

which has really helped these small

business owners, which many salons

are, and has transformed the Aveda

business model to be more direct to

consumer. I’m particularly excited

about the trajectory of this brand.

Bobbi Brown has also made an

incredible pivot. The brand has gone

from being a makeup artist concept

that was almost 100 percent store

dependent to a direct to consumer

business with always-on artistry.

What is so amazing is the speed

of decisionmaking in today’s world.

Things that took months now take

minutes. We’ve learned that we can

do things in unprecedented ways

with extraordinary speed and that is

here to stay. Are we going to forever

spend our lives away from each

other? No. But we have learned how

to do things far more effectively.

For example, we created a holiday

program for the Lauder brand and

did it on a couple of Zoom calls

versus six months of meetings.

What is China’s recovery

looking like? 

China is buoyant. Shopping is

happening with passion. It is

happening online, but also in store.

What is so exciting about what’s

happening in China is that because

they have the consumer data, they

are able to accelerate the ability to

personalize and target messaging

— match the right consumer with

the right product with the right

messaging and that is going with

unbelievable speed.

What they’ve been able to achieve

portends great things for the rest of the

world, even though there are challenges.

How about North America?

North America is not so easy. There are

so many other challenges that aren’t

there in the rest of the world. The most

important thing is the acceleration of

the online business — both our own

and that of our retail partners.

It’s not just younger consumers

who are buying online. It is across

age groups. That will continue. The

ageless consumer has moved to

shopping online in droves. The idea

that you can capture everyone from

Gen Z to the ageless consumer makes

this channel incredibly important.

We look at our brand dot-coms

as media platforms — even if she

doesn’t buy, we have the opportunity

to introduce consumers to our brands

and our hero products. When they

come to our brand dot-com, they

spend much more time — we’re able

to teach them, show them, introduce

them to our brands, and this will

be critical to the turnaround of

North America, as we figure out and

rationalize what the store landscape

and experience are going to look like.

The future of North America is

understanding not only what the

experience and the players in-store look

like, but what is the experience online

and who are going to be the players?

Together, we have to invent the future

of prestige beauty. We have to leapfrog

ourselves into the future.

What’s the biggest challenge

you face?

The consumer is changing at the

speed of light. We need to be in touch

with her — connect with her, stay

ahead of her.

There are different challenges

along the way — I do have makeup

businesses, and skin and hair are

so much more powerful. But those

things change. The opportunity

with our brands is they are there to

connect, and what I’ve seen happen,

really out of necessity, bodes well for

the future.

You talked earlier about passion.

What role has that played in

your rise?

Passion is how you go into overdrive. It’s

what spurs you on to go for more, to be

competitive, to be challenging, to drive

for success. That is a key ingredient.

18

JULY 17, 2020

EYE CANDY

Tennis Hair, In Full Swing

¬ Tennis hairstyles have often impacted coiffeurs beyond the court. At their most influential, take a look at John McEnroe’s mullet and red sweatband, to the classic high braided ponytail worn by Anna Kournikova and Ana Ivanovic. Tennis hairstyles have been nothing short of iconic. Serena’s and Venus’ braids from their early career days are just as recognizable, too.

Celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande have been known to sport tight high ponytails and accessories like visors and sweatbands. In 1999, pop star Britney Spears performed at the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day held the day before the U.S. Open wearing peppy pigtails, similar to three-

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time Grand Slam winner Tracy Austin’s signature style. 

Back in April, Wimbledon was canceled for the first time since World War II, due to the coronavirus pandemic. In June, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the U.S. Open would take place without fans at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13. Due to the recent spike in cases, fans and players alike are concerned the event may be canceled. 

However, on the weekend that would’ve followed the final matches at Wimbledon, see the dapper histories of tennis players’ hairstyles donned over the years, both on the court and the trends that followed. — Emily Burns