MAY 28, 2021

A Publication of WWD

The Feel-Good FactorSkin care boomed during the pandemic — and now professional services are coming back as aestheticians like Joanna Vargas start to welcome clients back into the spa.

For more, see pages 6 to 7. Plus: Inside Italy’s 800-year-old start-up and how Olive & June grew 1,500 percent during the pandemic.

PHOTOGRAPH BY WESTON WELLS

ISSUE #55

Beauty Bulletin

Tk Caption

2

MAY 28, 2021

THE BUZZ

¬ Sir Elton John was back for this year's virtual Breast Cancer Research Foundation's Hot Pink Party, with a performance of “Tiny Dancer” that he dedicated to Evelyn H. Lauder, BCRF's founder.

“When I reflect upon my favorite memories of your beloved founder, my dear friend Evelyn Lauder, I am thrilled to think how proud she would be that BCRF is now the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world. No force of nature, no pandemic, can stop Evelyn's dream of saving lives from breast cancer,” John said.

Lauder created the foundation in 1993, and today it is the largest funder of breast cancer research in the world.

Dr. Larry Norton, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and BCRF's founding scientific director, also had a musical moment, joining Valerie Simpson for a performance of “You Make Me Feel Better” on the bass guitar.

The virtual event was hosted May 20 by Elizabeth Hurley, actress and global ambassador of the Estée Lauder Cos. Breast Cancer Campaign. The Hot Pink Party also featured appearances by Jordana Brewster, Edie Falco, Cheryl Hines, Patti LaBelle, Lisa Ling, Joan Lunden, Carolyn Murphy, Emma Myles, Amy Robach and Molly Sims.

Gayle King introduced Miriam

Dance, a singer, songwriter, theater director, teacher and breast cancer survivor, who sang “One Song Glory,” from “Rent.” Breast cancer survivor and Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez also performed.

This year's event raised $6 million — a record for a BCRF virtual event, the organization said — which will fund the research of 275 scientists. — Allison Collins

BCRF Hot Pink Party Raises $6M

The Gen Z Consumer, Explained By Klarna Data shows key differences between Gen Z and every other generation of beauty spender. BY JAMES MANSO

GEN Z IS MORE FOCUSED on skin than hair, makeup or fragrance. According to a study conducted by Klarna, which surveyed 15,000 shoppers, more of Gen Z is spending on skin care, 41.4 percent of respondents saying it was their top category.

“For first time since reporting this data, Gen Z spent more on skin care than the other generations,” said Michela Griffin, commercial lead, beauty and accessories.

“Younger generations of shoppers are hopping on this train of health consciousness and nurturing their skin. Instead of thinking about how to decorate their skin, they’re thinking of, ‘How do I make my skin look great in the long term?’ We call this ‘Mindful Shopping,’ and we think it could potentially last for the next decade,” Griffin continued. Here, the top skin care products wish-listed on the Klarna app.

1. versed on the rise firming serum

2. revolution skincare rosehip seed oil essence spray

3. kylie skin holiday skin care set

4. glow recipe watermelon glow niacinamide dew drops

5. tatcha the dewy serum resurfacing plumping

treatment

6. beautycounter tint skin hydrating foundation

7. mac cosmetics frosted firework extra dimension

skinfinish

8. bio-oil multiuse skincare oil

9. becca weightless blur foundation

10. kiehls avocado nourishing hydrating mask

KLARNA’S TOP WISH-LISTED BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

Elton John performed at the virtual BCRF Hot Pink Party.

Elizabeth Hurley hosted the BCRF Hot Pink Party 2021.

3

MAY 28, 2021

NEWS FEED

LONG BEFORE THE coronavirus pandemic, Sarah Gibson Tuttle noticed a disparity in the nail care industry.

“In Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, people were getting their nails done 40 times a year, but we have this big gap of behavior outside of these main cities,” said the founder of nail business Olive & June (named after her great-grandmother and grandmother).

“You had people across the country getting their nails done three times a year,” she went on, over the phone. “And when they were trying at-home products, they were stumbling. They were super flustered with the experience.”

In the spring of 2019, while managing her three L.A.-based salons, Tuttle launched a direct-to-consumer at-home nail care system online at oliveandjune.com to address the paradox. It was a prescient move. When the impact of COVID-19 was felt a year later and nail salons shut down nationwide — including her own — Olive & June was well positioned to withstand the crisis. It's partly thanks to Tuttle's self-described obsession with her consumers and anticipating their needs. She's constantly imagining ways of improving nail care.

“I’m obsessed with the community,” she said. Her core buyer is 25 to 45 years old, followed by Gen Z (18- to 24-year-olds), the fastest growing segment for the brand. “I answer every DM on my Instagram. We read every email.”

That approach is paying off.Olive & June grew 1,500 percent in

2020, 16 times year-over-year. And at Target Corp., its retail partner, sales are up 782 percent year-over-year.

While focused on innovation, Tuttle worked to bring salon-quality results to consumers at home by offering easy-to-use, proprietary tools and long-lasting formulas (“seven-plus days”) in sleek packaging at a mass price point. The online kits, which are customizable, facilitate at-home manicures and pedicures with products that include a nail strengthener, ridge filler, heel balm, serums, dry drops and “The Poppy,” a $16 nail polish handle that helps to stabilize non-dominant hands. The polishes, which come in a wide range of colors, are vegan, cruelty-free and nontoxic, according to Olive & June, which lists ingredients on its website for transparency.

“Everything is new, different and nothing is white-labeled,” said Tuttle.

One “mani system” (priced starting at $50 for six tools, a polish remover pot, top coat and one polish color, a $69 value) is sold every two-and-a-half minutes, she added.

“I partnered with industrial designers, engineers, manicurists,” she said of the development process. “We did a ton of polls on Instagram and our social, and I learned every pain point there was in doing your own nails at home.”

Once customers try the at-home system, “they go from doing their nails three times a year to 36 times a year,” she added.

Education has been key, she emphasized. Along with brochures and YouTube tutorials, Olive & June has been producing a free, seven-day boot camp live on Instagram, as well as hourlong, master classes on Zoom every week for every experience level and topic, from cuticle care to nail art. At this point, the brand has taught over one million people how to paint their own nails, said Tuttle.

Ninety-eight percent of “people feel better when their nails are painted,” yet only 12 percent “know how to do it,” she added. “Nails is a pretty unique industry. Historically, it's been 90 percent professional and 10 percent at home. And when you think about other beauty categories, it’s usually 60 percent at home [and] 40 percent in salon, if you're in hair. Or it’s 99 percent at home [and] one percent in salon, if you're in makeup. So, this is a really low percentage at home, but the interest is there.”

Nail care, following hair coloring, was the leading category in beauty in 2020. Nail products showed double-digit growth last year, according to

data (ending the week of Dec. 27) from Chicago-based market research firm IRI, with artificial nails up 40.2 percent, while nail treatment grew 18.6 percent, and nail polish went up 14.5 percent.

Global market research company TechNavio — while taking into account the impact of COVID-19 — anticipates the nail care products market to grow $2.40 billion by 2025, attributing the increase to availability of nontoxic products, expansion of distribution channels and “growing customer engagement” on digital platforms. Last year amid COVID-19, the company valued the U.S. market at $10.23 billion in 2019.

“Nails is a super-hot category,” said Tuttle.

While growing the brand, the founder established a membership program with special perks like discounts and free shipping. She's constantly engaged with her consumers, releasing seasonal nail polish collections based on feedback; Olive & June’s new summer line — seven bright, neon colors like “Lime Fizz” and “Blueberry Smash” at $8 each — is out now.

“The brand was really founded on me being a best friend to everyone who walked in our salon,” Tuttle said. “I ran the front desk for a really long time. I was obsessed with picking people's colors and making people feel good about their nail experience. That’s where it started.”

Tuttle opened her flagship in

Beverly Hills in late 2013, followed by locations in Pasadena and Santa Monica. She had moved from New York City, where she had a much different profession, immersed in finance with 10 years of experience as an equity sales trader at J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley. In L.A., she hoped to bring a luxury nail service at a more affordable price.

“I have always loved client service, customer experience,” Tuttle said of similarities between the jobs.

The most difficult part of 2020 was having to close the doors of her salons, she added: “Not only do I love that salon experience and our managers, our clients, but we were really excited to roll out a pretty unique, in-real-life experience with our products that was going to be a bit of hybrid full-service and Apple Genius Bar models, so that we could teach people one-on-one how to use their mani and pedi systems. It's been pretty unfortunate not knowing when we'll be able to roll out that amazing concept.”

Is she planning on reopening?“I miss in-real-life so very much,

and it's definitely on our radar,” she said. “We just want to create the best possible in-real-life experience for our community. We are continuing to concept what that would look like.”

While living in L.A. with her family, including a six-year-old daughter, she continues to engage with her community online. It's fulfilling, she said, to see nails become a significant part of consumers’ self-care routine.

“Taking care of your nails has become more similar to taking care of your skin, taking a bath,” she added. “It's therapeutic. It's calming.…Our goal was to democratize the salon manicure, and we've done it.”

Why Business Is Booming for Nail Care Brand Olive & June “Our goal was to democratize the salon manicure, and we've done it,” said founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle. BY RYMA CHIKHOUNE

Olive & June founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle.

A look at the Olive & June "mani system."

4

MAY 28, 2021

NEWS FEED

MILAN — “We're a 800-year-old start-up,” said Gian Luca Perris, chief executive officer of Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, when asked to define the Italian storied apothecary.

Indeed little has changed in the energy, enthusiasm and artisanal approach to cosmetics production behind the company, which was founded in 1221 by Dominican friars after they arrived in Florence and settled in the Santa Maria Novella location, cultivating herbs to prepare medicines for their monastery’s infirmary.

After manufacturing recipes like aromatic waters and a bergamot-based fragrance for the Queen of France, Catherine de’ Medici, in 1533 — still a bestseller — the apothecary opened to the public, officially launching as a commercial activity in 1612.

Today the brand offers more than 600 different products including skin care, soaps, pomades, colognes, candles, ambient fragrances and liqueurs, all delivered in its signature, old-school packaging that has contributed to its charm and increasing success worldwide.

Yet to celebrate its eight centuries of history, the company next month will launch a special collection of eight iconic fragrances offered in a new packaging. “It's important for us to meet the modern demands, including the ones about sustainability,” said Perris, explaining the changes in the repack, such as the reduction of plastic usage and the use of paper with no negative impact on forests.

In addition to a new fragrance, Rosa Gardenia, other items to be introduced shortly include discovery sample kits, a 50-ml format as an alternative to the brand's single 100-ml size and spray

delivery systems for colognes.These implementations might appear

as minor tweaks, but are significant for a firm that has always been extremely faithful to its traditional image, products and business model. If so far the brand's success has been based solely on word-of-mouth rather than communication strategies, now the company is additionally opening up to proactively approach consumers and enhance its brand awareness by promoting its heritage.

A little revolution that was set in motion last year, when Italian investment company Italmobiliare took 80 percent of the company following two deals, for a combined investment of 160 million euros.

“For the first time in its history, the company decided to expose itself to the market and media because we have such a beautiful history that it's only right that we narrate it and let others know it,” said Perris, who joined the brand in September. Incidentally, before Italmobiliare's acquisition, the company was helmed by Eugenio Alphandery, who in 1989 bought it for 800 million Italian liras, approximately 413,000 euros, and today still retains the remaining stake.

The many aficionados of the brand, who consider it as their own precious secret, might grimace at the thought of such a change of pace, but Perris ensured that the label’s DNA won’t be compromised. “I believe that Italmobiliare's choice of having me in charge of this project is a clear one,” said the executive, who is himself a fragrance entrepreneur and creative director of the Perris Monte Carlo artistic perfume label, part of the Perris Group operating in the fragrance, skin care, pharmaceutical and 3D computer devices industries.

“I was not a manager but an entrepreneur of this industry, my family still works in this sector and I was chosen because I formulate perfumes myself and I have knowledge of the quality of products. So prioritizing this, rather than having other executives who could guarantee faster growth, says a lot about Italmobiliare's approach to the company… Surely in the next years we won't see any twisting of the brand. On the contrary, I hope the things we will do will make the loyal consumers appreciate it even more,” said Perris.

When it comes to retracing the brand's history, all roads lead to its Florentine flagship in Via della Scala, which is the epitome of a unique customer experience. Setting foot

in the store is like stepping into the Renaissance, with frescoed ceilings, bronzed angels and aromas lingering in the air from potpourri made with local herbs.

In the pre-pandemic era, this unit alone counted 520,000 visitors per year — 80 percent of whom were tourists — and accounted for 30 percent out of total revenues, which in 2019 were more than 31 million euros.

Even if total sales decreased 30 percent in 2020, last year was pivotal Santa Maria Novella, not only because of the acquisition but also for its digital acceleration, with the firm improving its online presence and unveiling a revamped e-commerce in Europe and the U.S. last month.

“Before, the website fragmented the experiences of storytelling and e-commerce, while we wanted to combine the two,” said Perris, adding that online sales helped partly compensate the losses of the brick-and-mortar channel in Italy but fully offset the ones in the U.S.

While tourists are still missing in Florence — inevitably affecting the domestic performance — at the moment sales have rebounded in the U.S., Asia — especially in South Korea and Japan — and Australia, where the brand recently unveiled a store.

Pinpointing the optimization in-store as key pillar of his strategy, Perris revealed the company is “working a lot to improving the quality of the experience and align it to the online one, with the goal to really become omnichannel.”

The brand currently counts 80 stand-alone stores and shop-in-shops in department stores, with boutiques

in Milan, Rome, London, Paris, Cannes, Tokyo, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and corners at key locations such as Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche and Isetan, among others.

The label is additionally available at about 200 wholesale doors globally. Perris said the priority is to consolidate the current distribution network, but he is especially interested in expanding the wholesale reach in the future.

Meanwhile, the customer base is widening quickly, particularly in South Korea.

“In recent years, the world of perfumery and cosmetics has experienced a revolution leading to an increasing attention to unique, quality products compared to brands that perhaps are not specialized in beauty. So this has brought so much attention to artistic perfumery and we are by definition part of this category,” said Perris, who also believes that transparency will be one of the industry's drivers in the future to attract ever-demanding customers.

To this end, the brand is in a favorable position as not only it can provide the authenticity of age-old methods but also ensure high qualitative standards by controlling its entire supply chain. To wit, all products are manufactured in-house at the company's factory in Florence, which houses seven production units dedicated to the different categories.

Asked if he sees other brands as competitors, Perris cracked in a genuine smile and said: “Honestly, how can we have them? Who else has had a store for 800 years, frescoed by Giotto's workshop in the 14th century?”

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Marks Milestone Opening Up to Newness After 800 years, the Italian historic apothecary is to tweak packaging, formats and communication strategy to meet the demands of today's consumers.BY SANDRA SALIBIAN

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella soaps.

Santa Maria Novella in Florence, which had over 500,000 visitors a year before the pandemic.

5

MAY 28, 2021

NEWS FEED

BLISS IS THE LATEST beauty brand to become a certified B Corporation.

Bliss, which relaunched in the mass market in 2018, purports to be the first skin care brand sold at mass and drug to obtain B Corp status. Transparency is a tenet of the company's bid for younger consumers, said Meri Baregamian, chief executive officer of Bliss.

“The consumer today expects authentic brands, and you can't be authentic without being transparent,” Baregamian said.

According to B Corp's website, brands meeting its standards are “businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” Last year, Ursa Major also became a certified B Corporation.

Although the certification process took just a few months,

Bliss executives have been rethinking sourcing and impact since relaunching. “We relaunched the brand about three years ago and we reformulated everything,” Baregamian said. “Over that timing, we've done a lot of work to make sure the sourcing we do is to the highest standards.” Part of the relaunch also included hiring a director of corporate social

responsibility, and forming a task force.

Bliss has also beefed up its philanthropic endeavors. Over the past year, it has partnered with LGBTQ advocacy organization The Trevor Project and the Antiracist Research and Policy Center. On the sustainability front, Bliss has partnered with TerraCycle on recyclable packaging.

DAVID YI'S BEAUTY brand is heading to China.

Good Light has received an early investment from SuperOrdinary, a company that helps beauty brands launch in China and worked on Good Light's Amazon launch. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Michael Engert, Good Light cofounder and Supergoop’s former head of direct-to-consumer, said that Good Light has developed a Gen Z and young Millennial consumer base of 70 percent since its launch nearly three months ago. Both Good Light and SuperOrdinary perceive an alignment between the brand's gender-inclusive messaging and the values held by Gen Z consumers in China, Engert said.

“SuperOrdinary has a vision for the future of the beauty and skin care industry that aligns with ours — not just in the message and positioning, but product-wise and marketing,” he said.

Yi's online publication, Very Good Light, was a draw for SuperOrdinary, said Julian Reis, SuperOrdinary's founder and CEO, via email.

“The Chinese consumer is very discerning when it comes to skin care, especially ingredients,” Reis wrote. “We believe [Yi's] disciplined

approach to formulating products will set the brand up for success when we launch in China next year.

“Gen Z consumers in China pride themselves on diversity and personal expansion, which is something that differentiates them from previous generations,” Reis continued. “Good Light's statement on inclusivity is sure to be well-received, and the clean ingredient story is resonant with consumers today.”

Good Light is on track to surpass $100,000 in sales within its first 100 days on the market, Engert told WWD. The brand's best-selling product is its Moon Glow Milky Toning Lotion, $22,

followed by the Metamorphosis Skincare Set, $64, which includes a serum, toner and cleanser.

Soko Glam, Charlotte Cho's South Korean beauty curator, recently added Good Light to its brand roster. Good Light is in talks with additional retail partners, Engert said, noting that the brand “will launch in brick-and-mortar before the end of the year.”

Good Light is prepping a launch in the acne category for later this year, as well as a moisturizer launch for 2022. New products are informed by crowdsourcing from Good Light's online community.

“We want to hold ourselves to a high standard when it comes to product and anything physical that we're selling,” Engert said. “The easiest way for us to do that is to make sure that we're tapping into this wealth of information that is our community and customer base.”

Bliss Obtains B Corp CertificationThe brand, which traded down to mass in 2018, purports to be the first brand distributed at mass to gain B Corp's approval. BY JAMES MANSO

Good Light Gets Investment From SuperOrdinaryThe investment simultaneously marks Good Light's expansion into China. BY ALEXA TIETJEN

NEVER MIND “Go west, young man.”

Francesco Clark, founder and chief executive officer of Clark’s Botanicals, is looking north as he plots the growth of his company.

The skin care brand is set to launch in Northern Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, beginning with the Nordic region in June, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

Clark said the brand’s approach is similar to the Nordic beauty approach: simple, sustainable and sourced from nature. “Clark’s Botanicals has long admired the Scandi beauty approach,” he said. “We will be a perfect fit in Scandinavia because we share the belief in simple products from natural ingredients that work well.”

Clark bought back his brand in February 2019 from AS Beauty, which had purchased it as part of Glansaol’s bankruptcy. Since then, he’s rebranded and refocused distribution on its direct-to-consumer business, with sales growing more than 220 percent in 2019.

Clark's Botanicals Expands European Distribution The clean skin care brand is heading to the Nordic countries as it eyes European expansion. BY JENNY B. FINE

Bliss products.

Clark's Botanicals is heading north.

Good Light is a gender-inclusive skin care brand.

6

MAY 28, 2021

DEEP DIVE

AFTER A YEAR OF SKIN care shopping and DIY facials, consumers are ready for spas again. 

Professional services — especially facials — have seen a rapid pickup in bookings in the past few weeks, providers say, as mask requirements loosen and vaccines roll out in the U.S. People are looking for professional-level technology and hands-on relaxation. 

Hampered by spa closures and client weariness toward mask-free services, aestheticians spent much of the past year virtually consulting with clients, directing them to at-home skin care products and treatments. But now that spas are open again, consumers are showing serious interest. 

Search volume for facials has grown 12.1 percent to more than

1.7 million searches, according to a new report from Spate, which tracks trends via Google search data. Consumers are also searching for Botox, cryotherapy, microneedling and dermaplaning, Spate data shows. Other terms, such as virtual consultations and face steaming, grew triple digits.

“The last couple of months, we’ve been seeing that searches for beauty products and skin care products have been plateauing,” said Yarden Horwitz, cofounder of Spate. “There are obviously still areas of growth within the skin care category and other categories like makeup and hair, but overall, beauty from a product perspective is beginning to plateau.”

Horwitz sees the growing interest in services as a reaction to a year of DIY treatments and growing interest in beauty as self-care. “There has been such an increase in engagement and awareness in beauty this past year, during time spent at home,” Horwitz said. “We saw a dip in interest for services in the early stages of lockdown, but interest has only grown after that.”

Social media — and the advent of new platforms like TikTok — has also played a role. “Influencers are more open about services, which is also why consumers are becoming more educated on them,” Horwitz said. “They’re learning that these treatments and procedures exist, and so they’re researching them, and then they’re going to get them done.”

Spa bookings are also skyrocketingin the states where clients can be fully vaccinated, experts said.

Joanna Vargas, celebrity aesthetician and brand founder, said her devotees are coming back in droves to her spa in midtown Manhattan. “At the beginning of having uncovered faces, there were a lot of people that felt nervous about it or unsure,” Vargas said. “We were open for body treatments only in New York City for two months before we were allowed to have masks off the clients in October. We reopened in Los Angeles about four weeks ago and we are fully booked months ahead on both coasts, for the first time since the pandemic began.”

“This is something that was really normal pre-pandemic, but we haven’t had it in the months following our reopening until the last two months,” Vargas continued. “I’m actually hiring now in both locations.”

Clients coming in are coming come back to spas repeatedly, Vargas said. “People are looking to book appointments for multiple services on the same day,” she said. “Everybody needs an oxygen purifying facial because they haven’t had extractions in a year, but they want to follow that with a second hour. They ►

Beauty Shoppers Shift Focus To Facials After a year of closures and virtual consultations for the professional services channel, experts are finally seeing signs of life. BY JAMES MANSO PORTRAIT BY WESTON WELLS

Joanna Vargas

7

MAY 28, 2021

DEEP DIVE

want the biggest bang for their buck in the shortest period of time. Also, no client leaves my salon without booking at least six more appointments.” 

Vargas’ most popular treatment is also her most expensive. Dubbed the Twilight Facial, the $1,200 treatment includes radio frequency, cryotherapy, microneedling and LED light therapy for instant results. “I’ve never done more of them than in the past six months,” Vargas said. “It’s really reflective of people not having had facials in a year, and they want to do something that really boosts the foundation of their skin and helps them moving forward,” she said.

Technology-driven treatments that promise quick results are driving bookings in other businesses, too. Georgia Louise, the aesthetician and founder of her eponymous skin care and devices range, has tracked heightening interest from her clients. 

“We just got the green light to reopen Los Angeles four weeks ago. When we opened up in California, a lot of people were still getting the second shot [of the vaccine]. Now, they’re all ready to come back again, and that demand has been growing off the charts for the last two weeks. Their level of confidence and the level of people just wanting to get on with their lives and routines has totally escalated,” Louise said.

“People realized how important it is to have their skin attended to as well as their skin therapist,” Louise continued. “You can’t get the same results at home. You can do a virtual consultation with beautiful products, but the reality is you can’t do a deep clean. You’re never going to get the same results at home, and that’s why people come back to us time and time again.”

Marius Morariu, cofounder and chief executive officer of Tracie Martyn, said the proprietary technology available at the brand’s spa is keeping interest high. “The demand has increased with the vaccination, and with people feeling more secure about it,” he said. “The sentiment is unbelievable. People are so enthusiastic, and they appreciate all of the contact we’ve kept with them during the pandemic, from virtual consultations and skin care tips. The technology here, though, is completely different.”

Tracie Martyn had a steady client-base pre-pandemic, and Morariu said burgeoning requests for treatments happened organically. “We didn’t even need to introduce anything new to incentivize people to come back. There was maybe some fatigue about spas or professional services, and I think people were tired of new procedures working or not working. People want to come back to a place with a good reputation and technology that they miss,” he said.

Morariu pointed to the Resculptor, a proprietary machine that contours

the face, as a motivator for clients to come back into the spa more regularly. “It emits a current that lifts, firms and contours your face to give you a mini-face lift,” Morariu said. “That is something they really missed. People were coming in regularly for it, and they have monthly routines with it.”

Tammy Fender, whose Palm Beach, Fla., spa was less encumbered by government restrictions, noticed her usual customers being more desperate for face-to-face interactions. “Our business is completely by referral, and by appointment only, so many of our clients have been with us over 20 years,” Fender said. “We have this really long trust with our clients, and they were craving getting back to some form of deep relaxation.”

Internationally, spas are gaining traction, too, as more countries reopen. 111Skin, the London-based skin care brand cofounded by Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, a board-certified plastic surgeon, and wife Eva Alexandridis, introduced 111Spa/Clinic in 2017, which has since expanded to 42 locations. Even with the pandemic, the business grew 115 percent year-over-year, and is expected to double its portion of the business’ total revenues in 2021. To keep up with demand, it is opening new locations at Ireland’s Adare Manor and Wilderness Retreat, an estate in the U.K.

“We are expanding very much as a request from the market,” Alexandridis, the brand’s chief executive officer, said. “People are much more interested in more clinical performance, and it’s a complete change of the consumer’s mind-set after the coronavirus.”

The brand’s ‘clean-ical,’ performance-driven philosophy and in-office technologies are catching the eyes of both consumers and spas looking to partner with the brand. “For us, it’s a combination of tech and skin care. We marry our treatments with either cryotherapy or LED technology,” said Tom Macpherson Le Maire, head of global spa at 111Skin.

For many spa businesses, sales of skin-care products kept the lights on during the pandemic. But going forward, some are rethinking the balance between spa and skin care sales. 

“We have our e-commerce platform and we also have our educational part of the brand, which is advising corporate accounts like La Mer and Charlotte Tilbury,” said Louise. “You’re going to see an increase in both [spa and skin care businesses]. You’re going to see an increase in devices, because people just love the fact that they can get better results with devices at home, but equally, we’re going to have our busiest summer because people didn’t spend money on self-care for a whole year.”

At Tracie Martyn, Morariu sees the business as a skin care brand

with a single spa, not a spa business with a namesake line. “We did see this boom on the skin care side, as clean skin care has taken on a whole different meaning during the pandemic, because people want to be healthy and well,” he said. “We doubled our sales on d-to-c. We see ourselves as a skin care brand, even if the services side is where it all started,” he said.

Vargas, whose skin care sales grew fivefold during the pandemic, also launched her first device in the throes of the pandemic. Called the Magic Glow Wand, it mimics massage, cryotherapy and heat therapy and retails for $285. “I happened, by luck, to launch my first device last May, and I can’t even keep it in stock with my retailers. It’s the first thing that goes out of stock in my line now, which was an interesting twist,” she said.

“Pre-pandemic, we were really focused on the salons because they were always so successful and jam-packed. But a silver lining of the pandemic was to refocus attention fully on the skin care line, which really has exploded,” she said.

Part of Vargas’ recipe for success, like many a spa brand, included

virtual consultations. “The virtual consultation business has exploded for everybody,” she said. “In terms of really customizing, even if you don’t have your own skin care line, reaching out to your clients and having that one-on-one time is a great way to give them a routine at home. I’ve always done a bit of virtual facial things, typically if an actress is on location somewhere,” she said.

At Tracie Martyn, too, virtual consultations remain another touch point with clients. 

“We feel they’re not an alternative to professional treatments, but a great addition to keep the connection with the customer and follow up with them,” Morariu said. “It’s more of a bridge — I don’t see it as an alternative. The spa experience is never going to go away.”

For 111Skin’s clients, the in-person, high-touch experiences have drawn in consumers, Alexandridis said. “One piece is the application of skin care products by experts who have really worked to see results,” she said. “The second is human touch — to be able to be in a room with someone who’s dedicated themselves to you, and to be able to talk to them about your skin concerns and know that they’re listening to you.” ■

Inside Tracie Martyn's spa.

WEEK IN SUSTAINABILITY

A NEW NEWSLETTER FROM

The latest news, initiatives, investments and more

Delivering the need-to-know sustainability news, in-depth reporting and industry insight around fashion’s most pressing pursuit. Stay up to date with our weekly curated edit, addressing ESG, business sustainability, material innovation, social impact and more—all in one place.

SIGN UP TODAY

L AUNCH DATE:

June 2021

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA SMITH, PRESIDENT: ASMITH@FAIRCHILDFASHION.COM

Conture Aerocleanse Facial Cleansing Device

AVAILABLE ON CONTURE.COM, QVC AND BLOOMINGDALE’S FOR $99.

9

MAY 28, 2021

LAUNCH PAD

AAPI-Founded Brands to Watch WWD Beauty Inc rounds up the latest launches from AAPI-founded brands. BY JAMES MANSO

Home scents had a big year in 2020, but that’s not what spurred Prim Botanicals founder Stefanie Walmsley to join the mix. “After a rebrand last year, we’ve been getting younger customers. I wanted to create something for Gen Z in general. They’re unapologetically colorful and really fresh,” she said.

In her bid for the burgeoning consumer base, Walmsley created three candles with whimsical, gingham packaging and names focused more on the feelings the scents provide, as opposed to specific note callouts. “We want to make Prim a focus just on scents, and how we connect beauty back to wellness, and make it about scents and mood,” Walmsley said.

Accordingly, A Warm Hug has notes of sandalwood and rose; A Little Magic features orange blossoms and jasmine blossom; and A Fresh Start includes citrus and florals. “I’m personally really fascinated by the emotional connection to an object or a product,” she said.

Consumers seem to be responding well, having largely depleted the brand’s stock in the candles’ first 10 days after launch. Industry sources estimate the line to reach between $250,000 and $500,000 in sales for its first year on the market, pending wider distribution.

With 20 years of industry experience and an MBA from Georgetown University under her belt, Jennifer Norman was ready to bring a more humanistic approach to beauty. To that end, she founded the Human Beauty Movement, a purpose-driven company that centers around “radical inclusivity, true wellness, and and ecological and social sustainability,” she said.

The company, which launched last month as a certified B-corporation and with certifications from EWG and Leaping Bunny, has introduced its first brand: Humanist Beauty. Its debut stock-keeping unit, Herban Wisdom Facial Oil, pairs a variety of herbs with CBD to aid in stress relief for both the visage and the consumer. “I wanted the oil to give consumers this place where they could almost meditate,” Norman said.

Norman’s approach to her business, despite tall ambitions, also involves slowing down. “It’s really about ‘slow beauty,’ I will launch one more product this year, but I want to make sure the formulas are right, because formulating naturals is tricky. It’s wasteful and not very mindful to rush things to market.”

Norman hoped to make her product as accessible to users as possible, down to the attachable braille tag that comes with each bottle. Industry sources expect sales for the facial oil to surpass $2.5 million for its first year on the market.

During her time as a beauty editor, Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro was frustrated by fragrance line extensions, especially those that bled into body care. “You always love the scent, so you get the oil, the lotion and the cream, and they’re always jammed with fillers,” Shapiro said. “I knew that if I was going to choose to do body care, skin care would be a focus, and I also wanted the gorgeous fragrance.”

Enter Ellis Brooklyn’s Myth Spectacular Scented Body Oil, named and scented after one of her bestsellers, Myth eau de parfum. “It is distinctly different from old-school fragrance brands because they put so much time and effort into the fragrance. They’re not thinking about skin care,” she continued. “There’s no fillers whatsoever—no water, no silicones, and squalene is one of the first ingredients.”

Shapiro’s retail partners have also taken note. While the product launched on Ellis Brooklyn’s website this week, the oil will be distributed in Sephora and Ulta Beauty next month. Industry sources estimate the body oil will reach $1,000,000 in first-year sales.

Ellis Brooklyn Myth Spectacular Scented Body OilAVAILABLE FOR $65 AT ELLISBROOKLYN.COM, SEPHORA AND ULTA BEAUTY.

Humanist Beauty Herban Wisdom Facial OilAVAILABLE FOR $100 AT HUMANISTBEAUTY.COM.

Then I Met You Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask AVAILABLE FOR $56 AT THENIMETYOU.COM

After two years on the market—and garnering fans like skinfluencer Hyram Yarbro—Then I Met You is adding a treatment mask to its lineup. Charlotte Cho, cofounder of Soko Glam and Then I Met You, is expanding her brand’s offerings with the Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask, which gets its name and exfoliating properties from a blend of AHAs and BHAs.

Cho’s approach to all of her ventures is heavily influenced by the Korean philosophy of Jeong (the deep emotional connection between people, places and objects). “It was my North Star, getting through the challenges of being an entrepreneur,” she said, adding that it also affects her product development. “Western skin care tends to put a lot of acids in products. I wanted to approach this mask from the Korean perspective, too, which meant using the optimal percentage of acids for your skin without over-exfoliating.”

Given Soko Glam’s wide-ranging appeal with consumers, and brand matrix spanning price points, Cho said the mask is meant for a more niche, sophisticated skin care consumer. “It’s for the people who are looking for a next-level skin care experience and are in tune with their skin ingredients and what makes a big difference,” she said. Industry sources think the mask could exceed $1,000,000 in sales during its first 12 months.

Prim Botanicals CandlesAVAILABLE IN A LITTLE MAGIC, A WARM HUG AND A FRESH START AT $34 EACH, AT PRIMBOTANICALS.COM.

After debuting one of the first acne patches in the skin care market, Hero Cosmetics founder Ju Rhyu is no stranger to pioneering formats. For her latest acne-fighting launch, Rhyu is introducing a Superfuel Serum Stick, a hydrating and soothing offering to quell inflammation.

“The idea for Hero is to make sure we offer as many acne solutions as we can, and we want to have a solution for every time of pimple problem out there,” Rhyu said. She added that personal experience led to the product’s inception. “Last summer, I was traveling, we had to wear masks and it was really hot. I wanted an on-the-go acne product that also feels super fantastic,” she said.

The serum stick also boasts probiotics to protect the microbiome, and although it can be used any time, anywhere, the brand recommends keeping it chilled in a refrigerator to enhance its cooling properties. Industry sources estimate the product could reach $1,000,000 during its first year in retail sales.

Hero Cosmetics Superfuel Serum StickAVAILABLE FOR $12 AT HEROCOSMETICS.COM AND TARGET.COM NEXT MONTH.

Footwear Foundation

EVENT SPONSORS:

FRANK KELLER SVP, Consumer, In-Store & Digital CommercePAYPAL

MELISSA WORTH SVP, North America NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS

RICHARD JOHNSON Chairman & CEOFOOT LOCKER INC.

JOHN LEGEND Artist & Philanthropist

TACEY POWERSEVP & GMM, JWN ShoesNORDSTROM

ERIC WISEGlobal GM, adidas Basketball, and Co-executive Sponsor, adidas United Against RacismADIDAS

BRITT OLSEN GM, North America ON

KRISTINA BLAHNIK CEOMANOLO BLAHNIK

JIM WEBER CEO BROOKS RUNNING

TOMMY HILFIGER Principal DesignerTOMMY HILFIGER GLOBAL

DAVE POWERS President & CEODECKERS BRANDS

BRENDAN HOFFMANPresidentWOLVERINE WORLDWIDE

KENNETH COLE Chief Creative Officer & Founder KENNETH COLE PRODUCTIONS

MATT PRIEST President & CEO FOOTWEAR DISTRIBUTORS & RETAILERS OF AMERICA

KEDAR DESHPANDE CEO ZAPPOS.COM

SHAWN OSBORNE CEOTWO TEN FOOTWEAR

COURTNEY COLEMAN Program Director, SKYPAD SKY I.T. GROUP

DEE OCLEPPO HILFIGERFounderDEE OCLEPPO

KEITH DUPLAIN Division President, Brand Portfolio CALERES

For more information, visit fairchildlive.com

Attendee Inquiries: Lauren Pyolpyo@fairchildfashion.com

BUY TICKETS Sponsorship Inquiries: Amanda Smithasmith@fairchildfashion.com

JUNE 9–10 // VIRTUALCEO SUMMIT

REVOLUTIONL E A D I N G T H E

Join Footwear News as the industry’s best minds examine the hot markets and

trends that companies should capitalize on now — from the booming athletic

business to comfort and wellness to the luxury resurgence.

PRESENTED BY:

STEPHEN HAWTHORNTHWAITECEO & Co-founder ROTHY’S

11

MAY 28, 2021

Ph

oto

gra

ph

by

Lexi

e M

ore

lan

d

FOUNDER'S CORNER

NIKKI ESLAMI MAY have stepped away from the day-to-day operations of Bellami, the hair extensions brand she cofounded and built into a sizable enterprise, but she is still very involved in growing things. Literally.

Eslami is an avid hydroponic gardener, whose interest was piqued a few years ago when she started thinking about her next act and went

through the certification process to become a health coach.

“I learned a lot about how food is grown and became really interested in that,” she recalled. “I learned how intensive traditional agriculture is and as I looked for different solutions, I came across hydroponics.”

Hydroponics is a type of horticulture in which plants are

grown without soil and instead cultivated in mineral-rich water.

“You have nutrients for your body and each person requires different nutrients — plants are the same,” said Eslami, who notes the method conserves significant amounts of water, too. A full-capacity hydroponic farm that can grow about 4,000 heads of lettuce uses just five gallons of water a day, for example, versus conventional farming that uses 250 times more water.

Eslami herself has multiple hydroponic farms, both a commercial-size venture with about 500 square feet of space in a shipping container, which produces the same amount of food as five acres of traditional farmland, as well as a smaller vertical

garden in her Manhattan apartment, where she grows cherry tomatoes, basil, mint, red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce (“it explodes when it grows”), peas, baby lettuce, mini cucumbers and edible flowers.

The entrepreneur insists she doesn’t have a green thumb, and said the parallels between building a business and growing produce are many. “Hydroponics thrive in the right environment — the right nutrients, enough sunlight. If you compare that to a business, it’s the same,” she said. “You have to have the right team and resources.”

Recently, for example, she woke up one morning and noticed that one head of lettuce had completely wilted, while the rest were thriving. “I checked the water levels and pH levels and everything was fine,” Eslami said.

Then she noticed that this plant was closest to the heating vent in her apartment. She moved it, gave it light and kept it hydrated, and within a day, it was starting to show signs of life again.

“Business, it's the same,” she said. “You really have to tend to it and if you give something love and care and you have the right people and right intentions, it makes a big difference.”

Eslami’s interest in health and sustainability has also informed her newest venture, Wild Elements, which she called a “purpose first platform. It will have philanthropy, storytelling and brands under it,” she said, “all fueled by the idea of the power of three and the symbiotic union between animal-kind, humankind and plant-kind.”

The first brand is set to launch in 2022.

Eslami is also an investor and board member of Selena Gomez’s brand, Rare Beauty, and, through Wild Elements, is supporting female-led brands that are creating impact in their communities via a grant program. Recipients thus far range from a hydroponic farmer in Liverpool, England, to a woman who works with lions in Kenya.

“My next chapter is building businesses with purpose in a way that enriches people and the planet,” Eslami said. “This new way of building with intention and with a triple bottom line — people, planet and profit. I’m focused on how do you build a new model of business that authentically looks at all three equally.”

Growth Pattern Nikki Eslami has a new business venture that marries her passion for hydroponic farming with a desire to create a more sustainable business model.BY JENNY B. FINE

“You have nutrients for your body and

each person requires different nutrients — plants are the same.” — nikki eslami, wild elements

Nikki Eslami in her New York City apartment.