Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas, and vampire perfume.

Included in today’s issue: Armani Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, Corpus, Devachan, Dieux, Dior Beauty, Glossier, Heretic Parfum, Huda Beauty, Kiehl’s, Kopari, Lana del Rey, L’Oréal, Le Monde Gourmand, Marlowe, Native, Naturium, RoC, Skkn by Kim, The Rootist, Vitamasques, and more.

But first…

Eight blocks from the Met steps where Serena Van Der Woodson and Blair Waldorf once bared their fangs, Georgia Louise is telling me to relax. The celebrity facialist is lathering her new products — including a lactic acid cream cleanser and vitamin A serum, which launch today on Amazon Beauty, along with her best-selling balm made with chamomile and mango butter — onto my skin in slaps and swipes. “Sandy said this part helps her skin look smooth in photos without any touch-ups,” said Louise, a UK native. She means Sandra Bullock. Louise also tends to Jennifer Aniston, Emily Blunt, and Linda Evangelista, whom Louise tells me was the guinea pig for her new product formulas. “She tested everything. There were lots of notes.”

Louise has been a Hollywood beauty insider for nearly 20 years thanks to Evangelista, who first hired Louise to fix the model’s at-home facial laser. (“I was basically her handyman, then she realised I knew how to optimise the results!”) In London, Louise had a cult following of models and aristocrats; now in New York, she serves a steady stream of celebrities and 1 percenters. But though she met Evangelista while working on machinery, Louise’s current clients don’t want it. “They’ll be like, ‘I can’t do a microcurrent. It’s too overstimulating. Please just use your hands,’ “That way, I can feel texture points and help speed up the lymphatic system and blood circulation.”

Louise says those texture points are like a secret language for an expert facialist — one that gives ‘manual labour’ a new context. “You know, before Amy Schumer realised she had Cushing syndrome,” a condition that inflames the body with the stress hormone cortisol, “I said, ‘This lymph node is swollen. Something is up.’ Maybe one day a robot will do that, but not yet. Now, your facialists do.”

Just before the CFDA Fashion Awards on Monday night, Dr. Barbara Sturm agreed that her famous clientele (such as Mrs. Hailey Rhode Baldwin Bieber, etc) were most excited about skincare rituals that involved hawkishly supervised ingredients and expert massage techniques. “Technology is amazing but you cannot replace real, human expertise guiding that technology,” Sturm said. A large scale language model, after all, does not know how it feels to glow.

Fashion tide pools favoured by the super-wealthy, like knitwear label & Daughter and Melissa Ventosa Martin’s made-to-order Old Stone Trade, tout their small-batch drops and handmade Cowichan sweaters as central to their brand’s appeal and value. Likewise, elite celebrity facialists are charging over $800 for their services — not because high-tech machinery and medical-grade procedures are happening, but precisely because they aren’t.

“The women in Hollywood and in these ultra-rich circles who come to me, they don’t want injectables,” said Louise. “Even people on Ozempic, who have lost a lot of fatty tissue in their face. Nobody is coming to me anymore saying, ‘I want to look 20 years younger.’ They’re saying, ‘I want to look ageless.’ Sure, you can get a facelift around 50; some people do. But until then, no lasers. No shots. People are really trying to keep it simple.”

Hollywood studio executives approve of her advice, which is why they’ll contract her to care for famous faces before and after film shoots. ”If you have great skin going into a shoot, there’s a lot less you need to spend on retouching and post-production costs,” she explained. “And no executive producer wants to wait another two days for somebody’s skin to calm down from a laser treatment or an extra shot of Botox. That’s $100,000 down the drain.”

What Else Is New

Skincare

RoC Skincare dropped a Hydration+ duo of moisturiser and serum on Oct. 24. Each product is $33, which feels high for a drugstore brand, but maybe perfect for women who refuse to spend over $60 on a moisturiser knowing that the $15 off-label formula from Ocean State Job Lots might not work.

Kompari’s first-ever self tanners, a $32 face serum and $36 body mousse, launched Oct. 25. The Hawaiian-born brand is known for its viral scented hair mists, which it spun off into scented, shimmery sunscreen this summer. Will they replace Sol de Janeiro? At this point, it doesn’t feel like anything will. But they’re playing in the same space, which we know has lots of shoppers, and not everyone wants to smell like Cheirosa 62.

Uma’s Wellness Magnesium Oil Sprays hit shelves on Oct. 28. They come in two $60 scents — Pure Calm with vetiver and chamomile and Pure Rest with ashwagandha — and one promise to harness magnesium’s muscle relaxing properties.

Willie Norris Hive rise up! On Oct. 29, the designer and downtown babe announced her partnership with Dieux, which minted bright red eye masks that blare the text “Promote Homosexuality” and deliver hydration benefits. The patches are $25, and 100 percent of proceeds go to the trans advocacy group G.L.I.T.S. As Dieux navigates some Reddit drama thanks to the departure of their co-founder (and fellow downtown babe) Marta Mae Freedman, the partnership is a wise PR move by the brand to get us talking about something else. It’s also a good test of Norris, who is certainly glam enough for beauty brands to start testing her conversion rates in bigger ways.

Symbiome’s Essence Rejuvenating Mist hit stores on Oct. 29. The $50 spritz claims to “eliminate acne causing bacteria, protect against sun-related skin damage, and provide instant purification and pH balance.” Symbiome’s “creative advisor” is Kate Hudson, and I will do anything to look like her, so let me spray this on my face all week and report back to you.

Evolvetogether and Goop have partnered on a $20 exfoliating soap bar duo with biodegradable packaging that dissolves in water to reduce waste. (Yay!) It debuted Oct. 29.

Bonjou Beauty made a turmeric soap ($25) and turmeric clay mask ($20) for its holiday skincare drop. Available Oct. 29, the products go hard on the “antibacterial” messaging. The orange herb is also an anti-inflammatory, and I know some of this weekend’s marathon runners have been pounding turmeric shots every morning as part of their training. (Good luck, Upper West Side Run Club!)

On Oct. 30, Glossier introduced a solid stick version of Futuredew, their “targeted glow serum” that brings a little gleam to cheekbones and lids. It’s $26.

Marlowe’s Santal Deodorant dropped on Oct. 30 for $14, joining similar products by Aesop, Salt & Stone, and Saltair. Santal vibes were climbing in popularity before Taylor Swift revealed her love for Tom Ford’s Santal Blush perfume last month, but the fragrance co-sign will keep the category buoyed through 2025.

Also in deodorant land, Corpus debuted deodorant sprays on Oct. 30 in four of their signature scents, including Third Rose, which counts violet and cedar root as base notes. Intriguing (and $26).

Naturium’s $25 skincare product, Multi-Rich Peptide Cream, hits their website today. The E.l.f.-owned brand has mastered the balance of excellent formulas at reasonable prices; let’s see if a slightly more expensive formula can keep their shoppers hooked.

Kiehl’s will open a new boutique in New York’s Moynihan Train Hall, the gleaming new Amtrak hub at Penn Station, on Nov. 1. Its holiday pop-up store will feature free gift-wrapping and lots of mini sizes.

On Nov. 2, Native is testing a pop-up “beauty truck” model at the Third Street Promenade in Los Angeles. The truck will have Native’s Fall Market collection — honeycrisp moisturisers, apple strudel body butters — with free samples available to those who tag the brand on social media or leave product reviews. Smart, if a little cloying.

Cosmetics

Did you have Armani Beauty x Blake Lively on your CFDA bingo card? The actress and her makeup artist, Carolina Gonzalez, paired with the L’Oréal-owned brand for the Oct. 28 event. Lively even did a detailed Instagram story about her matte pink lipstick. Despite recent Twitter tantrums surrounding the actress, I’ve heard from multiple brands that when Lively drops a brand name, sales and social media spikes follow. We don’t yet know if she can sustain a full brand — Target insiders tell me her hair care line, Blake Brown, is selling nicely, if not with the same constant thrum as Lemme — but for a one-and-done product hit, she’s a proven cash win.

CLE Cosmetics, known for its upscale branding and clean formulas, dropped its Color and Shine Set on Oct. 28, with four shimmery lip shades and a clear glaze. It’s $48.

Skkn by Kim’s Silk Matte Lip Color hit stores on Oct. 29 with 10 hues and a smooth, deep colour payoff. They’re $29 each and you can layer them under RMS Beauty’s legendary lip oils, which also debuted on Oct. 29 and come in eight glossy shades. The tagline is “high-impact shine, low-maintenance lip colour.” Nice.

Some campaign news: Chicken Shop host Amelia Dimoldenberg is the new face of Charlotte Tilbury’s holiday campaign, which debuted Oct. 29. She joins Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue. Yes, this is a big deal. Also cool: Urban Decay unveiled their newest face, WNBA star Cameron Brink, on Oct. 30. She plays for the Los Angeles Sparks and like U.D., she seems to really dig smudged-in eyeliner.

Huda Beauty’s Icy Nude palette hit Sephora on Oct. 30. It’s got 18 shades, and joins other Icy Nude items — a “face gloss,” two bronze-toned liquid blushes, and a lip gloss — to give your holiday glimmer a jump start.

Vitamasques $5 Lip Butter Balm hit Target on Oct. 30. It’s in a slim pink tube the same shape and shade as Rhode’s Strawberry Glaze Peptide Lip Tint, but skews a tiny bit deeper (Valentino Pink instead of Barbie Pink) out of the tube.

Welcome to New York, Dior Beauty! On Oct. 30, the French luxury brand opened its first standalone boutique for makeup, skincare, and scent on Greene Street in SoHo, next to its mens and womens apparel stores. It’s got a gold Christmas tree in the centre that’s ringed with every Dior fragrance. Impressive.

Hair Care

Celebrity hair guru Tracey Cunningham is now the US creative director of colour and technique at Schwarzkopf Professional. Cunningham is behind Lana Del Rey’s dark brown strands, which might be the 2024 version of Mary-Kate Olsen’s “almost plain brown, but cooler because it’s expensive” shade of the early aughts.

The Rootist hired Whitney Port to hype their Densify Collection in an Instagram video on Oct. 8. Since then, searches for the brand have creeped up 40 percent, according to Google Trends data, which is a tidy conversion rate for someone who hasn’t been a TV regular in almost 15 years. I thought it was interesting that Port slid into the Marina McManus show at New York Fashion Week — quiet, cool-girl luxury at its most sincere — and now I’m hearing some Real Housewives murmurs around the 39-year-old. Let’s keep an eye on a a possible TV return … and see what kind of brand she’ll try to launch in tandem.

Fragrance

You knew it was coming: Le Monde Gourmand has finally unveiled their candy cherry scent, called Cerise Riche Eau de Parfum. It’s $25, premiered on Oct. 25, and comes with a very fun launch party: The brand is hosting a screening of “Death Becomes Her” next week. Meanwhile, the Broadway musical version has made marketing materials based on ‘80s fragrance ads, because what’s more luxurious than being undead?

Speaking of the undead, Heretic Parfum launched a collaboration with Focus Features pegged to the Dracula movie “Nosferatu” on Halloween. It smells “cold, pale and pellucid” (really it smells like violet and petrichor, the earthy after-rain scent, but okay?) and is called Eau de Macabre.

BDK Parfum’s Rouge Smoking Extrait hit Neiman Marcus for $305 on Oct. 28. It’s got cherry, almond, and bergamot, and says it’s inspired by Pigalle, the Parisian district that used to be seedy and now serves oat milk lattes for 10 euro.

Kenneth Cole’s Hyper Violet perfume dropped on Oct. 30. This is great because there are no violet notes in the fragrance! It’s got plum, tangerine, and sandalwood, though, and comes in a sleek purple bottle for $45.

And Finally

Do we need to do a beauty podcast roundup? After L’Oréal dropped “This Is Not a Beauty Podcast” — which is, in fact, a beauty podcast — on Sept. 29, Devacurl founder Lorraine Massey debuted her own, called If Your Curls Could Talk, on Oct. 21. To me, it’s weird keeping beauty, an aesthetic practice, in an audio space. But if “Top Chef” can make an entire TV franchise based on watching, not tasting, new recipes, certainly we can listen to people talk about pretty privilege without viewing it.

I assume that’s what we’re discussing on a podcast about aesthetic power. We’re not going down an ‘inner beauty’ rabbit hole while shilling products … right?

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and an intriguing argument for Hedi Slimane at Chanel. (Hint: lipstick.)

Included in today’s issue: Credo Beauty, Cyklar, Evolvetogether, Finneas, Glossier, Lionel Messi, Mooncat, Mustela, Oak Essentials, Oribe, Prequel, Ralph Lauren, Roblox, Smashbox Cosmetics, Solawave, Topicals, and Twinkies.

But first…

In August, Rare Beauty launched a lip and cheek duo tied to “Only Murders in the Building” and its winsome leading lady, Mabel Mora, played by Rare’s founder, Selena Gomez. “Only Murders” is the rare TV comedy that’s actually funny. “Only Murders” is the rare TV comedy that’s actually funny. It’s also focused on Jane Lynch getting shot in the heart, then thrown into an incinerator so her body turns to dust. Should that sell beauty products? No. And yet, Rare’s gift set sold out in three days.

“Only Murders” is fictional, but the true crime genre that dominates podcast charts and Netflix documentaries is also a stealth beauty converter. That’s most obvious on the YouTube channel Murder Mystery and Makeup, which follows a simple formula: Beauty influencer Bailey Sarian applies MAC eyeliner and Haus Labs blush into the camera while talking about serial killers, sexual predators, and secret cannibals. Sarian has nearly 7.5 million subscribers on YouTube alone and is successful enough as a content creator that she’s signed to WME, the same mega-agency that reps Gomez herself.

When a reporter asks how you’re making cold hard cash from cold-blooded violence, the smartest thing to do is ignore her interview requests — which Sarian did. (Cue “Jurassic Park” voice: Clever girl.) So I rang up Dr. Honor Doro Townshend, a criminologist in London who studies the public fascination with true crime.

“From a brand perspective, I see why beauty companies link to true crime content,” she said. Townshend explains that ultimately, true crime content is considered entertainment by its fans. “We might not talk about deriving pleasure from the experience of true crime, but that is part of it.” True crime content has also been found to promote feelings of security and self-awareness, two intended byproducts of cosmetic application.

And while some brands use Halloween to tread into gorier territory — perhaps as a plausible shield of deniability for anyone objecting to the tactic — others have used darkness in evergreen marketing. Makeup brand Rituel de Fille has a vein-matching lipstick called Written in Blood that featured in ads for season nine of “American Horror Story.” Urban Decay’s original 1990s lip colour “Gash” is also still going strong, along with a gunmetal shade called “Uzi.” Black Moon cosmetics sells lipsticks in tiny coffin carriers, and has hue names like “Elm Street,” “Hellraiser,” “Omen,” and “Dracula.” The perfumer Kilian has a $295 Black Phantom fragrance that claims notes of cyanide (!) and TokyoMilk made an Arsenic scent in the mid-2010s that remains a top seller on resale sites. There’s even an entire Florida-based brand called “Makeup a Murder” that sells $20 glitter palettes inspired by various crime scenes, alongside knife-shaped lip glosses. And CrimeCon, the gathering of wannabe CSI directors that Gomez herself has attended, sells a $10 cosmetics bag with an “I Know Things” graphic.

Is this a scary smart move on behalf of brands? “It’s clearly working, but it’s odd!” said Townshend with a laugh. “But, you know, listening to true crime stories can be a form of self-soothing behaviour. Makeup application is another way that some people self-soothe.” The link between beauty and death can also manifest in many people’s obsession with their own mortality. Looking “more youthful” can help us pretend we’re not inevitably going to die. Likewise, listening to stories of someone else’s demise can reassure us that we’re still among the living—and that we have the power to help stop killers, and therefore help prevent death. In that way, said Townshend, the leap between applying blush and obsessing over a stranger’s murder “isn’t as big a cognitive switch as you think.”

What Else Is New

Skincare

In 2004, Gwyneth Paltrow showed up for the “Anchorman” premiere in a strapless dress that revealed bruises from a spa cupping treatment. (Classic!) On Oct. 16, the influencer and Finneas video star Claudia Sulewski debuted a $20 “body toning cup” as part of her Cyklar beauty line, which also includes a $35 “sensory cleanser” and $29 body cream. I cannot wait to debut my own pooled blood marks under an Isabel Marant strapless dress this weekend. Goop vibes, undefeated.

Oak Essentials premiered its Nourishing Cleansing Milk on Oct. 15. It’s $45 and makes a fascinating claim: Apparently, this stuff “counters the effects of hard water.” Honestly, I love that a liquid soap is coming for the booming (and landfill-loading) shower head market, and this won’t be the last time we see that kind of messaging in a cleanser this season. Stay tuned.

Solawave’s LightBoost Topicals line dropped on Oct. 16, with four products—a face serum, a neck serum, a moisturiser, and an eye cream—that claim to work alone and enhance the results of SolaWave’s “light therapy” gizmos. They cost $38 to $56 each.

Prequel’s Gleanser + SA, a face wash with 1 percent salicylic acid, dropped on Oct. 15. It’s spelt with a “g” because of glycerine, which features heavily in its $20 formula, and aims to tackle the delicate balance between zapping zits and keeping the face moisturised.

Credo Beauty now stocks three deodorants from Evolvetogether. They hit shelves on Oct. 15.

It’s a big week for Thea Green, the beauty founder whose Nails.Inc and Holler & Glow brands just got acquired by the Pacific World Corporation. That’s cool, but the “yippee!” moment for shoppers might be with Green’s other brand, Inc.redible. On Oct. 14, it dropped a collab with Twinkies and Pop Tarts. The merch includes “frosted” strawberry and vanilla body washes, plus tiny sponges that look like snacks. The Twinkies one is particularly fun.

Makeup

Celine’s first lipstick, a satin red shade called Rouge Triomphe, hit shelves on Oct. 15. It’s $75 and claims to be the brainchild of Hedi Slimane, marking the designer’s first public steps into franchised colour cosmetics. If Slimane ends up at a mega-luxury brand like Chanel, he might need—or want—to be more involved in its beauty business, especially since it accounts for so much brand revenue. This lipstick is particularly good, formula-wise. It’s also a built-in vehicle for Slimane to prove he can lead a fashion brand that’s also a beauty company.

On Oct. 15, KJH.brand introduced Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek stick, which costs $24 and promises “the longevity of a powder with the effortless application of a cream product.”

Glossier brought back its Cookie Butter, Espresso, and Biscotti lip butters for the holiday season; you can get them as singles or part of a little ornament duo. Adorbs.

Isamaya Beauty has three new shades of Liplacq 2.0 serum, including Ultraviolet, Beetle, and Lotus. They’re basically shimmery lip glosses and cost $38 each.

On Oct. 13, Smashbox Cosmetics unveiled FlashFX lipstick in shimmer-infused red shades. They’re limited-edition holiday colours and cost $22 each.

Mooncat’s Pandora Unboxed collection hexed itself into existence on Oct. 18. It includes four shades including Green Eyed Monster, which glows in the dark and costs $15.

Haircare

If you would rather pay $$$ than gift wrap anything yourself, Oribe is your friend. On Oct. 10, it launched six gift sets with vibrant packaging by the Kenyan artist Thandiwe Muriu. At $50 to $295, the boxes are costly. But if you get night sweats thinking about scotch tape and corner-edge folding, perhaps the value here is undeniable.

Mustela’s Detangling & Nourishing Cream Shampoo dropped Oct. 18 on Amazon. It’s $14 and made for children with tighter curls and tangle-prone hair, although the kid in the “before” and “after” pics looks perfect both ways!

On Oct. 15, Nutrafol introduced Active Cleanse, a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner formulated for men. Why the gender designation? The brand says it’s because “men have a weaker scalp barrier” that needs some extra care. This care specifically costs $44.

Fragrance

Do you want to smell like Lionel Messi? His eponymous cologne hit JCPenney on Oct. 9 with notes of cardamom, cyprus, and vanilla. The fragrance is distributed by Sheralven, whose CEO Steven Koss says, “We are confident that with Messi’s devoted fan base, we will hit the projected retail sales of $100M by 2026.” BRB, setting a calendar alert to check back in 14 months…

More in athletic smells: Lewis Hamilton is famously a Tom Ford dude, but his fellow F1 driver Lando Norris is the newest face of Ralph Lauren Fragrances. On Oct. 15, he debuted as Polo Red’s new campaign model, wearing a red racing suit and clutching a bottle of cologne in the ad pic.

Rather smell like an extremely talented and perpetually underrated Disney star? Ashley Tisdale’s fragrance line, Being Frenshe, dropped a $15 scent called Moon Milk on Oct. 15. It has notes of orange, nutmeg, bergamot, cardamom, cinnamon bark, warm oat milk, and vanilla. If you don’t want to mist yourself with it, try ordering that flavour combo at Starbucks. Sounds amazing.

Fine’ry is “the fastest-growing fragrance brand at Target,” according to Fine’ry. On Oct. 15, they unveiled a new Roblox space that combines super-soothing chime music with giant computerised bottles. It’s cute!

And Finally

Did you peep the Topicals under-eye masks backstage at the Victoria’s Secret show? VS doesn’t sell the brand… but gosh, what if they did?

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and Katseye, the Netflix reality show K-pop band that could sell a lot of lip gloss.

Included in today’s issue: Alpyn Beauty, Armani Beauty, Augustinus Bader, Biossance, Blake Brown, Bubble Skincare, Cartier, DS & Durga, Fable + Mane, Guerlain, Hermès, Huda Beauty, La Mer, Kiehl’s, Kleos + Klea, Kulfi, Lancôme, Lottie London, Mara, Moroccanoil, Naturium, Oars + Alps, Redken, Saie, Trinny London, Victoria Beckham, Wyn Beauty and that sand tiger from “Aladdin.”

But first

In May, Katie Sturino sat across from Oprah Winfrey and told her she was wrong.

“I’m done with women feeling bad about their bodies for no reason,” said the Megababe founder and CEO, who was a guest on Oprah’s questionable weight-focused TV special. Sturino was taking the mogul to task for “inspiring” millions of women to crash diet, sometimes for decades. In her view, large bodies aren’t the problem — bias in healthcare and thin-worship from beauty and fashion brands are the real dangers.

Sturino has harnessed this belief in her popular #SuperSizeTheLook social media posts, where she recreates celebrity fashion looks with plus-size options. On Instagram, she has 812,000 followers; on TikTok, she has been tagged over 2 million times.

That mega-reach also helped Sturino in starting Megababe, a personal care brand that specialises in making body “problems” cute, in 2017. Got back zits? Use its adorable “body acne mist” with tiny magic rabbits on the bottle. Scared of sweat stains? Try a pale pink “dust puff” covered in smiley clouds.

“The purpose is to make you feel less alone and eliminate shame about body issues,” says Sturino. The brand is most famous for its Thigh Rescue, an anti-chafing stick so undeniably useful to women that it is stocked everywhere from Anthropologie to Goop.

On Sept. 12, Megababe will launch Butt Stuff, a new $28 tightening cream meant for haemorrhoids. It is packaged in an avocado green tube (“It’s the colour of a Vespa I saw in Italy,” Sturino said) with cheery pink swirls up the side. The cream counts popular skincare ingredients like aloe and calendula, plus 5 percent lidocaine and phenylephrine, which help numb nerves and constrict blood vessels.

Devoted readers of Allure and Cosmopolitan know that haemorrhoid cream is also a “beauty secret” to reduce puffy under-eyes. Sandra Bullock claimed it was her big hack on Miss Congeniality; makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic has used it on Kim Kardashian before a big photo moment. “I would be thrilled to see it in a makeup artist’s kit,” Sturino admits. “But of course, that’s not the intended use.”

Still, the implication that you might be buying Butt Stuff for undercover skincare instead of for a sore toosh is there, which might make it even easier for people to purchase without feeling embarrassed. (There is already a test case for this: Megababe’s Le Tush, a mud mask for your rear end, is also used by many as a face mask.)

This August, revenue increased 50 percent year-over-year, and Sturino made a mega-decision for Megababe. “The goal is acquisition now,” she said. “I wasn’t always sure, and I don’t want to leave the company! But we’re self-funded. We’re profitable. We have no debt. And I know a lot of other brands out there are looking to get acquired, but I don’t see them as competition. There is not another skincare brand out there that can do what we do.”

What Else Is New

Skincare

We begin with the OG luxury beauty brand, La Mer, which introduced its Rejuvenating Night Cream on Sept. 1. It claims to use a new “sea-born renewal complex” to target eight key situations: fine lines, plumpness, softness, radiance, firmness, smoothness, texture and wrinkles. It costs $450, so you’re paying about $56 per promised benefit. The jar is a deep jade with a satisfying shimmer finish.

Like “Cobra Kai” via “The Karate Kid,” Kiehl’s has revamped its existing Ultra Facial Cream as a body product. It costs $49.

On Sept. 2, Alpyn Beauty dropped a Clarifying Facial Oil for $56. It contains two forms of retinol, including one made of pink algae. You know what that means: Pond Scum Beauty Ingredient Watch is back! Huzzah.

Moroccanoil introduced a Shampoo, Conditioner, Scrub and Tonic on Sept. 1 that promise “bioactive ingredients” meant for a healthier scalp. I keep imagining tiny versions of the “Veggie Tales” heroes making my hair shinier. This is not an unpleasant thought.

Welcome to the world, Kleos + Klea! The skincare line by Tammy Demos promises to “embrace ageing skin” instead of fight it. It launched Sept. 5.

Naturium’s AHA Exfoliating Face Mask hit stores on Sept. 6. If it’s as good as the Vitamin C cleanser, expect Target to be cleared out by Sunday.

Bubble Skincare is launching its first lip balm, called Tell All Juicy Secret, on Sept. 5. It comes with a pink ball chain so it can dangle from your backpack. This is Gen Alpha candy for sure, and I know the cleanser especially is a big hit in homes with primary-school age girls. But I’ve tested the balm myself, and it’s a perfectly serviceable adult product, too, especially in summer, when you want some moisture but not a super-thick slather.

Oars + Alps launched its Anti-Everything System on Aug. 29, which includes acne-targeting face wash, serum, lotion and body wash. If you have guys in your house who say their skincare routines are “no big deal, seriously,” then you already know they’re gonna buy it.

Makeup

What’s with all the lip liners? On Sept. 1, Wyn Beauty introduced Starting Line Peptide Infused Lip Liner, which promises a “firmer” pout. Saie Beauty’s Lip Liner 101 dropped on Sept. 5 in five shades.

Gloss is also staying strong for fall. Mara’s newest Sea Silk Lip Balm hit stores on Aug. 30. It’s a creamy coffee shade called Sea Latte, which sounds like a great recipe for Erewhon’s test kitchen. On Sept. 3, Biossance launched Pro Peptide Lip Perfector, a tinted glossy balm that comes in deep berry, bubblegum pink, or shiny clear. Each tube costs $18, and I bet they look super-glamorous when smeared on one of the brand’s rose gold status straws.

More of a lipstick girl? Trinny London’s Just Joyous, a high-shine formula, hit shelves Sept. 5. It comes in 11 shades and claims to plump lips, too.

It is also “concealer season,” and Victoria Beckham is playing to win. Her new Concealer Pen with TFC8 is a collaboration with the wealth creamery Augustinus Bader that blends high-pigment coverage with smoothing and tightening effects. It comes in 16 shades, cost $68, and is maybe the most spot-on collaboration of the year. Looking to spend less? Ciele Cosmetics rolled out Conceal + Protect concealer on Sept. 3. It has SPF 50+ and comes in 20 shades. It’s $36 at Sephora.

Some retail news: Kulfi Beauty expands into all Sephora doors this September. This is major for an indie beauty brand, and it means your teen niece might start asking for some Black Cherry Staining Lip Oil. (It’s $24, so just expensive enough that her mom will never buy it for her…) Meanwhile, Lotte London hit Amazon Beauty on Aug. 30, which means its $8 Superfake Mascara can come in the same delivery as your Swiffer refill packs. Nice.

Huda Beauty released Easy Blur foundation, $37, and Easy Blur primer, $29, on Sept. 2. Both are excellent if you want high-coverage glam, but if you’re going for the foundation, get a shade darker than you think you need. My first swatch attempt was a little less “beauty editor” and a little more “Mischa Barton in ‘Sixth Sense.’”

Armani Beauty is very smart to hire Camila Mendes and Lili Reinhart for its Venice Film Festival invasion. The young actresses are brimming with talent, fun and true affection for each other. It’s a kind of Blair-and-Serena wish fulfilment for Millenials, plus a “Riverdale” reunion for Gen-Z.

Hair Care

Redken re-released its Stay High mousse on Sept. 1. The brand says the product is “back by popular demand from 500 stylists.” Will those stylists use this foam during Fashion Month? Please stand by…

Fable + Mane cast Mean Girls: The Musical bombshell Avantika Vandanapu as its “goddess of hair care” for a new campaign, which highlights the brand’s HoliRoots hair oil. She seems great, and the campaign is funny, without losing sight of its main goal: To make you want shiny hair.

Blake Brown is now pitching its “masking system” to beauty editors and influencers without any mention of its founder, Blake Lively. Interesting.

Fragrance

Hermès has a new fragrance called Barenia Eau de Parfum that debuted on Sept. 2. It promises hints of lily, ginger and patchouli. The bottle is based on the label’s Collier de Chien bracelet, which translates to “dog collar.” I remember Jessica Alba and Emma Watson wore the cuffs pretty enthusiastically circa 2012.

Also in scented luxury goods, Cartier’s La Panthère Elixir hit stores on Sept. 3 with notes of jasmine and musk. The bottle has an etched panther face at the front, which is gorgeous and also reminiscent of the magical “Cave of Wonders” sand tiger from the mesmerising animated “Aladdin” film of 1992. You can almost hear the glass hissing, “Who dares disturb my slumber?!” when you stare at it. It’s really great.

Guerlain’s new perfume, Patchouli Paris, debuted Sept. 3. It’s billed as “a game of contrasts, where the immediate freshness of the banks of the Seine leads into the intoxicating warmth of the Parisian theatre… like skin a-tingle.” Oh my. While I’m sure smelling like the Seine would indeed be tingly, Guerlain’s scent smells like “patchouli, iris, vanilla, ambergris and musk” instead of le rive. Phew.

DS & Durga’s Big Sur Eucalyptus first launched as a limited-edition “Studio Juice” in November of last year. It sold out in less than a day, and now the brand has created a more permanent release, out on Sept. 3. The $210 fragrance also comes as a $70 candle or a $60 pack of air fresheners for your car. It smells like “deep spicy green groves on the cool California coast.”

MCM Diamond dropped on Sept. 3. It’s $79, with notes of espresso, lavender and sandalwood, and comes in a teeny — but sadly fake — MCM black backpack. I am once again asking MCM to make the backpacks detachable so you get a fragrance and keychain-size accessory all at once.

Lancôme is launching its new La Vie Est Belle L’Elixir perfume with a travelling sample truck that hits New York on Sept. 6-8 before making stops in Miami and Los Angeles. The pop-ups tie into a commercial, starring Julia Roberts and directed by Damien Chazelle. I would love (x10) to see Julia Roberts surprising people by handing perfume samples out of a truck in Soho. TikTok will certainly surface the evidence if it happens, perhaps even faster than Lancôme can.

On Sept. 4, LoveShackFancy uncapped three new body mists: Sugar Blush, Velvet Sun and Berry Kiss. They look like the Strawberry Shortcake shampoo I used to beg for as a small child, and will likely sell out in seconds. But if you’d rather smell like honey than a pack of wealthy teen girls, Gisou has a new Honey Infused Lavender Berry hair perfume that came out on Sept. 4.

And Finally

Netflix’s international K-pop band, Katseye, has booked an American Eagle campaign. This is great for the all-girl group, but curious because their big single is called “Pretty,” with lots of clips showing its stars posing in a lipstick-smeared mirror. So here’s a fun game to play as you get bored at Fashion Week parties: Which beauty brand should claim these kids first? (Also, obviously, justice for Emily.)

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and a wild HR update.

Included in today’s issue: Act+ Acre, Charlotte Tilbury, Féria, Glossier, Kylie Skin, Loops, Lys Beauty, MAC, Morphe, Oribe, Ouai, QiQi, RMS, The Hair Shop, and Kate Beckinsale’s stealth beauty influence.

But first…

I’ve been judging books by their covers. (Oops.) It’s partly because I’m shallow, and partly because on a recent romp through Barnes & Noble, I spotted multiple new releases that looked more like TikTok beauty campaigns than book-club fodder. Chief among them is “Lady Macbeth,” the bestseller by Ava Reid that reimagines Shakespeare’s murder babe as… actually, no, she’s still a murder babe.

On the cover, Reid’s anti-heroine stares down her audience with matte skin, taupe eyeshadow, dagger-sharp lashes, feathery brown brows and a lip so defined and glossy, it begs the question: Did Tarte’s Maracuja line exist in mediaeval Scotland?

It’s clear from the cover that Anya Taylor-Joy should play this character in a movie. It’s also evident that fictional heroines can no longer just be archetypes or vessels for reader imagination. Now, they need to be beauty icons, too.

More examples: “Where Are You, Echo Blue?” the Hayley Krischer thriller about a missing celebrity who appears on the cover with perfectly-shaggy blonde hair straight out of an R+Co. campaign. “Sleep Like Death,” the Snow White rewrite by Kalynn Bayron, has a cover vixen with rose-red lips and glimmering, Cécred-adjacent curls. “We Love the Nightlife,” a vampire revenge comedy, has glossy pouts begging for recreation on makeup artist Val Garland’s reality show, “Glow Up.” Perhaps most endearing: The young heroine of “Kween,” Vichet Chum’s radiant coming-of-age novel about a Cambodian-American teen, boasts a perfect cat-eye, glossy nude lips, and a scarlet scrunchie topping her half-ponytail like a crown.

“I thought the girl from ‘Kween’ was a TikTok influencer, not a fictional character!” said Jazzi McGilbert, the founder of Rep Club, a bookstore and community space in Los Angeles devoted to amplifying the Black experience, when I asked about the book-cover-to-beauty-shoot trend. “It’s definitely something that makes you stop and stare.”

McGilbert is an expert in stop-and-stare literature. Before founding Rep Club, she was a fashion editor and celebrity stylist who was part of Teen Vogue’s original (read: luxury-forward) masthead. And she was early to book-beauty crossover trend: she sometimes stocks her favourite beauty products at the store, in case shoppers want to buy an indie scent or lip balm along with the latest Kiley Reid novel.

“Book covers have historically taken cues from, or even outright copied, fashion editorials,” McGilbert explained. But lately, she says, they’ve embraced beauty campaigns and influencer vibes instead, because as women’s aspirations change, so do cultural aesthetics. The goofy illustrated skirt suit on the original “Devil Wears Prada” cover looks dated, not iconic. The peekaboo doe-eyes on “Valley of the Dolls” are camp, but not exactly coveted. By contrast, these new books aren’t trying to sell a story with their covers—they’re trying to sell a character as someone you want to be. That begins and ends with beauty.

It also means as women clutch new releases like “Lady Macbeth,” they’re also lugging around the pink lips and spider lashes that will, eventually, seep into their brains. Which means — all together now — there’s a major opportunity being ignored on the market, and it’s the blank space between publishing houses and beauty brands. As McGilbert plainly put it, “People like to recreate book covers on BookTok.” (In fact, almost 40 million TikTok posts exist in that space.) “So if Pat McGrath Labs sponsored the lipstick for some iconic cover, it would absolutely drive sales and awareness.”

It just has to be the right story. Do we need a “Handmaid’s Tale” hand cream? We do not. A six-shadow smoky eye palette for the Fleetwood Mac-inspired “Daisy Jones and the Six,” however, is a different story.

What Else Is New

Skincare

Glossier’s Crème de You body lotion hit stores on Aug. 28. It’s a dense, moisture-loaded formula infused with their signature scent. The product, with 100 percent recyclable packaging, costs $45.

Should you launch a sun-care product at the end of summer? Sales numbers will tell, but I say absolutely — sun damage is a year-round thing. RMS seems to agree. The label by makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift debuted its SunCoverUp tinted SPF 50 on Aug. 27. It’s available in 13 shades.

Makeup

Westman Aterlier’s Vital Skincare Concealer debuted on Aug. 27. It contains high-coverage pigment, plus antioxidants and peptides to treat tired under eyes.

On Aug. 28, Charlotte Tilbury unveiled Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara, a tubing formula that costs $29 and promises a 94 percent approval rating for all-day wear. Readers, I wore it all day, and it made my lashes look so long and defined. It also smeared a bit on my under-eye area after I rode the subway. I recommend a lower-lash blot before heading out!

Lys Beauty spun its best-selling bronzer sticks into a new foundation formula. On Aug. 27, the brand introduced Triple Fix Skin Tint Blurring Foundation Stick, an “all-in-one serum, primer and foundation” that “enhances your natural beauty.” It comes in 22 shades and costs $25, but don’t worry — your “natural” beauty is still priceless!

Kylie Skin has three new dessert-inspired lip oils out Aug. 27 in a trio of beige and wine shades that scream ‘off-duty cool girl.’ Bloomeffects launched a similar tinted lip oil at Credo on Aug. 28. It skews more ‘pretty-girl pink’ and also has SPF 40.

Morphe’s $15 eyeshadow stick, called Mixed Signals, came out on Aug. 29. It comes in six shades of K-Pop (baby shimmer pink, iridescent ice blue, etc.) and, like all Morphe products, boasts an extremely satisfying colour payoff. Still, you’ve gotta be a glitter girl to enjoy these.

Celine Beauté's global pre-launch is happening via a pop-up at the Exhibition Windows in Harrods, where products will be displayed alongside the womenswear winter 2024 collection. It opens Aug. 30 and will run through Sept. 2.

Hair Care

The Hair Shop, a wig and extension company, announced that it’s “sponsoring” some of Jenna Ortega’s press tour looks for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Ortega will look flawless and stylist Bobby Eliot will nail every angle. They’re both absolute stars with massive campaign potential — Ortega may even have Zendaya-level fashion appeal. So I wonder how their A-list teams are reacting to a mass email about “sponsored” hair extensions — especially since Dior would never call Ortega’s red carpet finery a “sponsored” endeavour, despite their commercial alignment.

Kate Beckinsale is pink! Dimitris Giannetos did the colour, which he’s calling “Strawberry Whipped Cream,” using Féria Permanent Hair Color.

More proof that hair fragrance is the new body mist: On Aug. 26, Ouai dropped a limited-edition hair oil infused with a super-popular St. Barts scent. It costs $30 and smells like summer.

Also on Aug. 26, Oribe launched its Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment, a cuticle-smoothing formula that helps eliminate frizz and protect against breakage. It’s interesting how many of these serums are taking the place of anti-frizz masks—Ouai and Amika have similar formulas, too. They’re certainly easier to use in the shower, because they take just a minute or two to activate.

On Aug. 19, Act+Acre’s Daily Hydro serum became available. It promises to relieve dry, itchy scalps while promoting hair strength, and leans into the “scalp care is skincare” messaging with its hyaluronic acid.

QiQi’s Hydration Fixation Conditioner hit shelves on Aug. 31. It’s a super-smoothing formula in a very kooky bottle—silver and space-y—that costs $42.

And finally…

Some interesting staffing news happening—and not just for Willa! At MAC Cosmetics, Emily Bromfield is the new SVP of global marketing. She comes from long stints at Charlotte Tilbury and Dr. Barbara Sturm, which might give us a hint at MAC’s pop-culture and prestige goals in the future.

Meanwhile, Loops has hired Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor as their head of brand marketing. If you were an OG Indie Sleaze kid, you likely remember Taylor from her It Girl days, modelling for Juicy Couture and Net-a-Porter. Now Taylor is something of a triple threat — an absolute gem of a human, a hard-working and smart entrepreneur who has worked with buzzy labels like womenswear seller Miaou and athleisure company Girlfriend Collective, and — yes — a nepo baby whose father, John Taylor, is in Duran Duran. Loops is lucky to have her, but also, that brand is taking off and she’s joining at the right time. Wins all around.

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and an “Emily in Paris” branding bonanza.

Included in today’s issue: Act+Acre, Baccarat, Calista, Clinique, Inhibit Collection, John Masters Organics, Kaja, Kylie Cosmetics, Lancôme, Lake & Skye, Le Mini Macaron, Mara, Naturium, OneSkin, St. Tropez, Tatcha, The Rootist, Tower28, Trixie Cosmetics, Ursa Major, Youngblood and Mayonnaise.

But first –

Last month, I realised Lemme was a big deal. I was on the New York City subway, where tons of wellness brands advertise. But Lemme doesn’t need to, because bouquets of women — mostly young, mostly chicer-looking than I can manage on a sauna-y subway platform — were popping the recognisable swirl-patterned gummies from Williamsburg in Brooklyn to the Upper West Side. I even spotted several discarded Lemme wrappers overflowing from a subway garbage can in SoHo.

Perhaps this is not surprising. Lemme was founded in 2021 by Kourtney Kardashian Barker, after all, and though she is the chillest of the megastar sisters, she is still so famous that her Instagram followers outnumber the population of Brazil at 222 million.

This week, Kourtney Kardashian Barker called from the tour bus of her husband, Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, while stopped in Minnesota. She was phoning to talk about Lemme’s first steps into wearable wellness.

“Wellness” is a fraught term, of course. And just like the grating practice of models championing inner beauty, very wealthy and beautiful women speaking of a heightened wellbeing is tough and sometimes hurtful. Staying well relies so much on access to clean food and trusted medical care, and the reassurance that your body is valuable. Supplements help us feel like we have more agency over our health, but there’s no replacement for systemic care. And I cannot speak to whether chewable ashwaganda aligns with a higher quality of life.

I can, however, speak to cool girls and Kardashian Barker may soon have them in a lock. She’s debuting a gummy-holding charm necklace with the Brooklyn-based indie jewellery brand Haricot Vert, which she fell for on Pinterest. “I always carry a ton of supplements with me,” said Kardashian Barker when we spoke by phone last week. Instead of a clinical pillbox or pharmacy vial, she wanted to “do something that kept wellness playful.” Each necklace holds one gummy — Lemme makes eight kinds, including Lemme Sleep with melatonin and Lemme Glow with biotin. The piece retails for $199.

In a way, Lemme’s new drop plays into the trend of accessory-led beauty that’s currently being mined by Hailey Bieber’s Rhode lip case and LoveShackFancy’s Stanley Cup collaboration. But Kardashian Barker sees the project not as a category extension, but as “a one-off” that speaks more to making wellness more fun. “How can we make taking care of ourselves more of a treat? To me, that’s always the goal. At the same time, I’m not going to make a new product just because it’s new. Every launch, even smaller collaborations like this one, has to serve a purpose.”

Kardashian Barker is smart to align Lemme’s sassy-but-mainstream brand identity with the artsy Gen-Z girls who flit through Haricot Vert’s kitschy wonderland. And certainly, the tiny accessories label will be buoyed by the (extremely cute) collaboration. But KKB also understands Lemme’s appeal is part of a bigger world-building exercise, one that lets everyone think they can have a tiny piece of Kardashian Barker’s unbothered allure.

“I think of Lemme’s world like Candyland — we actually call it ‘Lemmeland’ — where it’s supposed to be fun, over-the-top, but also calming,” she explained, with pastel-clad ‘60s girl groups and ‘80s starlets wearing frosted lipstick serving as muses for the “Lemmeasthetic.” On August 1, Kardashian Barker posed in a pink feathery bodysuit with a teased-out Bardot bouffant to launch Lemme Glow lollipops for $12 per pack.

“But look, I have a baby sleeping on me right now as I talk to you,” she said. “I understand the balance of that fun fantasy with the reality of being a very busy person.” Kardashian Barker’s youngest child, Rocky, is nine months. She’s also mom to Reign, 9, Penelope, 12, and Mason, 14. (“He’s starting high school this fall. High school. I am definitely not okay!” she said laughing.)

The balance she speaks of, brand-wise, happens when “Lemmeland” collides not just with wellness, but with actually feeling better. “As my wellness routine evolves, I think of new things that could be cool for Lemme. But we have to back up our ingredients with science. We have to be laser-focused on innovation. We have several new launches in the next few months … but we never release a product until the quality and effectiveness are clear.” Otherwise, she says, you lose people’s trust — something Kardashian Barker says she’s “proud” to have earned from shoppers.

I guess that one of her future launches will be a functional fragrance. “It’s such a good idea,” she said. “But the formula would have to be a hundred, million percent clean. Otherwise, I couldn’t do it. There’s other really special things coming, though. You’ll see.” So will 222 million people on Instagram — and then many will click to buy.

What Else Is New

Skincare

The Lede Company is a heavyweight PR firm that represents Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter and Ashley Park. Now it also represents Clinique, and yes, I’m already dreaming of (their client) Addison Rae starring in an Almost Lipstick campaign. Bring it.

When Oneskin introduced its $54 OS-01 Body SPF this summer, it vowed the formula could “undo the effects of skin ageing.” So I tried it. My skin is not younger (sorry!) but it is indeed more supple, and unburned despite several long beach days. I am actually impressed.

Ursa Major’s Green Slate Mineral Polish hit stores on Aug. 15. It counts volcanic ash, birch sap and aluminium oxide as ingredients. It seems like a satisfying scrub if you like a little mud. (I really do.)

St. Tropez Self Tan Express Tropical Colada Mousse hit Sephora on Aug. 14. It’s got the brand’s normal formula, along with an exclusive coconut-y fragrance that makes me wonder if Sol de Janeiro has thought about launching a proper self-tanner.

On Aug. 16, Mara launched Clear Skin Mineral Milk, a salicylic acid solution formulated with anti-ageing benefits that targets those with adult acne and dryness. This seems canny — many Millennials (including me!) have skin that’s too sensitive for Stridex swipes. And perimenopausal acne, while often discussed, doesn’t have many targeted solutions.

Inhibit Collection debuted High Definition Lifting Cream, a tightening and plumping moisturiser, on Aug. 15. The product’s claim is pretty lofty — it will “defy the effects of gravity and define the lower facial third” — so if you’ve spent the $400 to get it, please DM us @businessofbeauty and share your thoughts.

If you see a Tatcha truck stationed outside Sephora in NYC today, get your free samples of Dewy Skin Cream and Water Cream. It’s part of a new seeding campaign to boost the products’ visibility online and IRL.

Is Walmart’s beauty stash getting really good? Last week, Futureyouth launched there. On Aug. 13, so did ITK, with a new Blemish Spot Cream + Gentle Retinol Serum.

Make-Up

Lancôme’s Teint Idole bronzer launched Aug. 13. It was developed partly by makeup maestro Lisa Eldrige, who has her own excellent beauty brand.

Is apple cider replacing pumpkin spice as fall’s beauty flavour? Some new evidence: Kaja’s Juicy Lip Glass Oils added an apple cider colour on Aug. 13, along with Cherry Cola and Fig Smoothie, which is perhaps the only flavour of smoothie you cannot find at Erewhon.

On Aug. 14, Le Mini Macaron debuted a Y2K collection, including tiny nail gems and a hot pink box that says — in “burn book” letters — “You’re like really pretty!” I guess I could say something snarky about this blatant “Mean Girls” reference, but whatever, I’m getting cheese fries.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics introduced its One-Swipe Gel Eyeliner on Aug. 13. There are three shades — copper, brown and black — which retail for $26 each. The tip is a little wider than the Valentino gel pencil, but smaller than Bobbi Brown’s, so you can expect a nice smudging effect, but not exactly a full smoky eye.

Trixie Cosmetics unveiled a new range of lipsticks on Aug. 13 called the 9-to-5 Collection. Inspired by Dolly Parton’s epic 1980 office comedy, the range features a matte mauve shade called HR Hunny that’s pretty delightful.

Kylie Cosmetics has a Lip & Cheek Blush Tint launching Aug. 13. It comes in six shades, including the dusty mauve “She’s It,” and costs $26. Speaking of blushing, I’m embarrassed because last week, I said Kylie’s birthday was on Aug. 7. Fans corrected me: She was born Aug. 10, 1997. Thanks, Kylie-verse!

It’s also John Masters Organics’ 30th birthday — older than Kylie! — and to celebrate, there’s a limited-edition Birthday Lip Calm collection, featuring two cake-and-raspberry scented balms. The set of four retails for $29, and is packaged with similar imagery to a Kylie Lip Kit. Leo Season brings out the drippy pink graphics in us all, I suppose.

Attention, Ulta Beauty shoppers: Naturium has restocked its best-selling Phyto-Glow Lip Balm in all five colours. They cost $10 each.

Tower28′s new GetSet Blur + Set Pressed Powder was unveiled Aug. 13. It comes in four shades, with kaolin clay to help mitigate shine.

Hair Care

Calista’s Jousse Styling Elixir hit shelves on Aug. 13. It’s a “3-in-1 product that helps smooth like a cream, control like a gel, and plump your hair like a mousse thanks to ingredients like wheat protein and collagen.” The 3-in-1 spray costs $26 — so, like $8.66 per function.

The Rootist has a new Densify trio — serum, shampoo and conditioner — hitting Sephora on Aug. 16. The products come just as consumer trend firm Spate reports a 67.4 percent spike in Google searches about hair loss, year-over-year. For a more personal take on hair loss, I recommend this excellent beauty interview with Elle fashion features director Veronique Hyland.

On Aug. 19, Act+Acre’s Daily Hydro serum became available. It promises to relieve dry, itchy scalps while promoting hair strength, and leans into the “scalp care is skincare” messaging with its hyaluronic acid.

Fragrance

On Aug. 13, Hellman’s Mayonnaise unveiled Will Levis No. 8, “the world’s first parfum de mayonnais.” Please excuse me while I scream into the void.

Baccarat perfume may be an actual plot point on “Emily in Paris,” but Literie Candles has its own branded EIP scents flaring up on Aug. 15: the gourmand Pain Au Chocolat, the floral Berets and Bouquets, and the vanilla-scented More French By the Day. Cute!

Lake & Skye launched 11 11 Vanilla on Aug. 9, exclusively at Ulta Beauty. It retails for $98, but perhaps the brand should do a special $11.11 promo for the first few bottles. You know, for luck.

And Finally

Lemme isn’t the only wellness supplement with news this week. On Aug 13, SoWell launched their GLP-1 Supplement Support, the first-ever packet of powder designed to reduce the side effects of Ozempic. Oh my.

Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your complimentary, must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis.

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and tequila. It’s truly just that time…

Included in today’s issue: Catherine Earnshaw, Davines, Glo Skin, Guerlain, Ilia, Jo Malone, L’Oréal, Lottie London, NEST New York, Pacifica, Peter Thomas Roth, Pucci, RéVive, Saint Jane, Saltair, Stix, Tweezerman, Valentino, Who Is Elijah and Blake Lively.

But first

At its core, skincare is about flaw reduction. Retinol “corrects” wrinkles and cleanser “manages” breakouts.

For years, brands believed they needed to blur this messaging, shouting about empowerment, self expression, innate glamour. Basically, anything but the brutally honest “how you look really matters — and you look bad.” Call it the fourth wall of skincare: We usually don’t acknowledge that if a brand claims to make you look better, the implication is that without it, you look worse.

Lately though, some are starting to chip away at that fourth wall, acknowledging and even teasing fans about their faults, goofs and obsession with perfect skin.

Take Kiehl’s, which just did a partnership with the online meme factory the Fake Rothko. The Instagram account claims its mission is to “stand up to toxic positivity,” and regularly roasts of-the-moment status symbols like Cartier Love bracelets, On running shoes, and Carbone reservations — signs of easy wealth that we all covet a little too hard, but refuse to admit are important. (Kind of like wrinkle-free skin, no?)

Last week, The Fake Rothko began posting their signature memes — “starter packs” of items associated with wealthy, carefree, cringe-inducing New Yorkers in high-rent neighbourhoods like the West Village and Tribeca — that included various Kiehl’s products. The memes were tagged with #KiehlsPartner (a euphemism for #sponcon) and referenced the brand’s summer pop-up shop in Montauk.

“It’s the first time we’ve done a true branded post,” said Brandon No-Last-Name, the anonymous editor of the Fake Rothko. He and a college friend began the account five years ago from their Ivy League dorm room. “We are not extremely wealthy!” he said, laughing. “But we’ve been around the lifestyles we spoof on the account quite a bit. And yes, lots of our classmates did use Kiehl’s! As do I, honestly. It’s very good.”

Brandon’s day job is in social media, and he says this collaboration — a respectable (but not ridiculous) six-figure deal — is performing well in terms of conversion behaviours like click-through rates to the brand’s social media pages. Engagement is about the same as a typical non-branded Fake Rothko post, which speaks to its seamless content integration.

Still, he cautioned that “when a brand wants to work with a meme page, it should be less about directly converting to sales, and more about being part of a conversation, or dare I say it, the zeitgeist.” Even getting the product in front of the account’s followers — most of whom are Gen-Z or young Millennials; all of whom are conversant in luxury culture — should be enough of a reason for brands to pounce on the opportunity, said Brandon.

“Some of these groups of people are really hard to crack,” he added. “Letting people see, ‘Ok, here are my options for skincare or for clothes or restaurants,’ even laid out as a satire, is extremely valuable.”

But isn’t this Kiehl’s ad just mocking its potential customers and their trust-fund, clear-skin aspirations? “A lot of our followers might be kind of loath to admit it,” said Brandon, “But they probably see a heightened or more dramatic version of themselves in these memes. It lets them laugh at themselves.” Harnessing that humour can be a key pathway to brand recognition and allegiance. Laughter lights up a different part of the brain than aspiration, broadening the literal mindshare.

Of course, not everyone wants to be spoofed — something the Fake Rothko learned after including a luxury fashion brand in a meme this Spring, then getting a strongly-worded objection to the roast. But the company also left a comment on the Fake Rothko’s post, which harnessed their existing audience at no cost to them.

Even those who truly revile the Fake Rothko’s spoiled archetypes seem invested in their product hauls, according to the page’s analytics. “When you’re thinking of a West Village trust fund princess, maybe she’s not the most fun to be around,” said Brandon. “But you better believe that she has good taste in skincare.”

What Else Is New

Skincare

As extreme heat waves continue, more skincare lines are (wisely) introducing intense moisturisers in a lighter gel form. RéVive’s Hydrogel Moisturiser Hyaluronic Acid Water Cream fits that bill; it became available on July 25.

On July 30, Saint Jane hit Amazon Beauty. I’m a big fan of their retinol cream, which works without causing peeling, but the label’s higher price point makes me curious how it’ll do on such a mass platform.

Also on July 30, Versed released a “hydration trio” including Soft Launch Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Water Rush Intensive Hydrating Serum and Hydrating Eye Gel at Target. There’s a lot of aloe in those formulas, which retail for under $15 each.

Tweezerman released twelve Disney Princess tweezers on July 29. I find this hysterical, because although Belle, Jasmine, etc. have wonderful cartoon brows, I cannot picture them yelling “ow!” in the mirror whenever one goes astray.

Saltair introduced body oil with SPF 30 on July 25. It’s $26 and seems like a great way to get Gen-Z to help prevent sun cancer without feeling like it’s a chore. If you’d rather fake your sun entirely (smart!), Ilia Beauty’s new Sunshift Cream Bronzer dropped on July 30 in four shades.

Do very long names make skincare products sound more effective? Peter Thomas Roth’s two new products might make the case: Even Smoother Instant Reveal Facial Peel + Microdermabrasion Exfoliating Pore Purifier hit shelves on July 29.

Makeup

Pucci’s designer Camille Miceli and Guerlain creative director Violette Serrat have collaborated on a deeply gorgeous mini-range. Products include bronzer, eyeshadow palettes and lipstick, all packaged with the brand’s iconic swirly patterns. The items launch on August 26. I’m letting you know about it now, because this type of designer buy-in, at a much lower price point than sunglasses or shoes, will likely sell out fast.

Youth culture brand Lottie London dropped a Soft Grunge palette on July 25. This is unsurprising — we know teens are obsessed with the 1990s — but it’s still funny to see an $8 beauty palette named after institutional rage. But the actual shades are great.

Also on the 1990s beat, Glo Skin Beauty launched Satin Lipstick and Conditioning Lip Gloss on August 2. The products have seven “nude” shades for maximum “Living Single” beauty inspo. (For the Gen-Z readers among us: Queen Latifah’s character on the show Kadijah James was everyone’s lipstick muse circa 1997. Google her!)

Prefer your beauty references from the 1980s? Nudestix released Stax, a 3-in-1 cream-to-powder blush, on July 29. It comes in nine shades and retails for $24 each.

On July 30, Valentino’s new Colourgraph Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Pencils hit Sephora. It costs $38, expensive for eyeliner. But if you still mourn the loss of Marc Jacobs gel crayons, this is basically a resurrection. Shop in peace.

Haircare

Davines hit Sephora on July 30, making them one of the few B-Corp brands in the store. I’m a big fan of Davines in-house ingredient cultivation; like the fashion lines Maggie Marilyn and Christy Dawn, they’re obsessive about their supply chain to ensure no ethical boundaries are crossed.

Pacifica launched five (!) new collections at Ulta on July 29, including banana cream (texturising), pineapple papaya (curl care), jasmine agave (strengthening), coconut vanilla (moisturising), vanilla oat milk (volumising), and rosemary mint (scalp health) varieties.

Briogeo is doing a partnership with the spa brand Heyday; their newest signature treatment, a Soothing Scalp Revival massage, is now available to book.

TikTok moves the needle again: Google Trends reports after the “boots and a slick-back bun” chant went super-viral on the app, searches for “slick back bun” are at an all-time high. Gel and scrunchie brands, your time is now.

Will you try Blake Lively’s haircare line, Blake Brown, when it launches on Sunday, August 4? The concept is that conditioner doesn’t work, hair masking is the answer, and Hollywood stars like Lively have known this for years. I find the messaging shaky, since many masks and deep conditioners have near-identical ingredients. That said, those items can cost $50 or more; Lively is bringing them to Target at a cap of $25. If the formulas are excellent — fingers crossed — this might be a new must-have.

Fragrance

A quick scan through the news proves we all really need a drink right now. Fortunately, several new scents have mixology vibes, which hint at a luscious bar order while staying sober-curious. On July 30, Nest New York unveiled Vanilla Bourbon Eau de Parfum. It has a cocktail-y blend of brown sugar, orange bitters and whiskey. Meanwhile, D.S. & Durga launched a Jalisco Rain candle on July 31 in partnership with LALO Tequila.

On July 25, Who Is Elijah? launched Cherry Fiesta, described as being so good, “everybody will be asking what you’re wearing!” That’s the kind of messaging we love to see in fragrance — straightforward, fun, and with a clear benefit besides vague emotional promises.

Jo Malone London’s Sea Salt and Wood Sage fragrance is available as a home diffuser, starting July 31. It has “fresh mineral scents of rugged cliffs.” Which leads to two questions: Are they remaking “Wuthering Heights” again, and do they need a beauty sponsor?

On August 1, CK Fragrances launched CK One Essence, a new unisex fragrance that’s “offering a premium take on the original scent.” It has notes of Italian Bergamot and Blood Orange, and instead of Kate Moss, the scent is fronted by models like Abby Champion, Blesnya Minher, and Mathilda Gvarliani.

And finally, congratulations to Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher, L’Oréal’s newest model!

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and a return to slime.

Included in today’s issue: Ciate London, Cover FX, Elemis, Hanni, Henry Rose, Joylux, Kiehl’s, the Lip Bar, Merit Beauty, the Outset, Pat McGrath Labs, Phlur, Prada Beauty, Snif, Tarte, Too Faced, Tonymoly, Tower 28, Undefined Beauty and the luscious reign of pond scum.

But first

When the sheet mask brand Loops looked at their 2024 numbers, they saw something new: Profitability. The New York-based company hit the scene in 2020 with a line of super-squishy face masks made in Korea — right when stay-at-home beauty rituals became a self-soothing mechanism for millions of quarantined Americans.

In 2022, the indie brand made its first big hire with CEO Meg Bedford, who began her career in magazine publishing before helping Tom Ford and Pat McGrath launch their nascent beauty lines.

Bedford’s strong digital background, combined with her Hollywood-adjacent career, put her in a unique position at Loops: She knew the indie brand needed to stay in its lane as “simplified skincare” — or as I call it, “drunk girl skincare,” which she didn’t disagree with — but also amplify its social media presence and diversify its product line beyond masks.

Enter the Wrapping Mask, a tube of extra-hydrating serum drops today. Loops claims has all the benefits of a hyaluronic sheet mask, but without the actual sheet. (In this way, it’s a bit like the “tightening” body creams that promise to be like invisible corsets. It’s launching today after a year in development in Seoul, Korea, and comes with a co-sign from Camila Mendes, the actress who also became Loops’ “creative director” in 2022, shortly after Bedford’s tenure began.

“We love her, obviously,” said Bedford, noting that Mendes has been styling and art directing shoots for the new product, along with a line of biodegradable skincare wipes for concerns like hydration, brightness, and oil, which also debut today. “She has such a creative mind, and is amazing at collaboration and connection.”

The popularity of Mendes is one reason Loops has hit their financial benchmarks, says Bedford, but the investment in quality formulas is another. “We try not to scale too quickly because we know if we don’t get the actual product right, it won’t matter,” Bedford explained. “It’s amazing that celebrities and influencers and micro influencers want to talk about our product.” (TikTok posts have included Loops Beauty products in nearly 4 million videos; according to social media analytics, Loop Beauty content has been viewed over 300 million times on that platform alone.)

Now, Loops Beauty is confronting something far larger, and less sexy, than celebrity buzz. “I lie awake at night thinking about air-shipping versus ground shipping,” she said. “We launched in CVS in April in 3800 doors. Now they want another 1500 doors. Do we meet the demand, but have less profitability because [of rushed production]? Do we lean into scarcity a little bit more? It’s such a good problem to have,” she laughed. “But it’s not going to be solved by star power.” Just good ol’ data analytics, and a lot of bouncy skin.

What Else Is New

Skincare

Indie skincare darling Tower 28 dropped SOS Daily Balancing Gel Cleanser on July 22. It claims to remove SPF and makeup in one go, and helps the skin replace electrolytes because Gatorade is cheaper than a facial.

Hanni has 10,000 aura points, or at least 10,000 people on its waitlist for Good Aura Body Oil. After being sold out for nearly a year, the product is back with new aluminium packaging for optimum recycling.

On July 23, Kiehl’s launched Auto-Tone Discolouration & UV Solution. But don’t let the name freak you out: It’s basically just SPF 30, in a formula that evens out the skin tone. It costs $52.

Also on July 23, a new brand — Heavenly by Nia — launched with a Soothing Star Moisturiser and Sky’s Foam Cleanser. The products are the brainchild of a young woman named Niamarie Vargas, who developed the line to help her little sister get clearer skin. They come packaged in Brat Summer green tubes, with throwback computer fonts last seen on Oregon Trail screens.

The skin barrier continues to prosper! Undefined Beauty debuted its R&R Repair Mist, “a versatile skin barrier boosting spray, supercharged with Hypochlorous Acid,” on July 23. It’s $18.

Also back in the spotlight: premium pond scum. On July 23, Elemis introduced its Pro-Collagen Future Restore Syndrome, which includes “marine microalgae diatoms” — tiny organisms that live in silica drops the way snails live in shells.

The gap between sex care and skincare continues to close. On July 22, Joylux rolled out a small red-light wand that it claims can help users “experience more natural lubrication, increased sensation, a stronger pelvic floor and a feeling of tightness.” So … Sola Wave for your uterus? It’s $400 and counts an OB-GYN, Dr. Sarah de la Torre, as a co-creator.

Ciate London launched a combo lip-balm-and-mask on July 19. It’s called Watermelon Burst and smells a tiny bit like a Jolly Rancher.

The Outset’s Cool Cream Smoothing Mask hit shelves on July 26. It promises a cooling sensation along with more moisture, and counts “electric daisy” — also called the “toothache plant” for its herbal healing history — as a key ingredient. Cue the ScarJo + Colin Jost video tutorial in 4…3…2…

Makeup

Prada Beauty released its ever-so-slightly green setting powder on July 22. It claims to control shine and deliver a soft matte finish, and costs $90. I’d wager that $80 of that is for the mixed-metal packaging stamped with Prada’s pristine logo, but hey, it’s extremely chic.

On July 25, The Lip Bar introduced its Nonstop Liquid Matte Lipstick in a hot pink, shimmer-infused shade called Very Rich. It is Barbiecore-adjacent and looks quite divine in colour swatches.

Tonymoly’s new lip balm dropped July 25, too. It’s a collab with the toy brand Squishmallows, and has tiny cartoon cats and pigs. Adorbs, but also: When is Jellycat going to release a jelly gloss line? Surely ColourPop or e.l.f. are on this beat…

Getting picked last in gym class always sucked. Getting picked last in the WNBA draft, though? That gets you a beauty deal, at least if you’re Cover FX. The makeup brand’s new campaign, “Ms. Irrelevants,” launched July 24 with basketball star Angel Jackson, tennis pro Solymar Colling, and soccer player Talia Gabarra — all of whom “are the last pick” of their respective league drafts, according to a press release. It’s always fun to root for underdogs, but a campaign like this needs a heavy dollop of wit to show the brand isn’t negging its talent. To me, the imagery looks a little too harsh to read as an inclusive, subversive gag. It’s not there yet. But the women’s foundation-dabbed skin? Flawless.

Palette news! Pat McGrath Labs launched two new shadow quads — Opalescent Orchid and Nirvana Nectar — on July 23. They both boast super-rich colour payoffs and ultra-fine grains of glitter. Also on July 23, Too Faced unveiled Appley In Love, an 18-shade compact that, like Elle Woods’ resume, is scented. (This one has a whiff of caramel.) Tarte has a new palette, too, for its 25th birthday. It launched on July 19 and has the 28 best-selling shades from the brand. It’s $54, so … uh … $1.90 per shadow?

On July 26, Merit Beauty debuted Brow 1990, a gel pencil in four shades. They tapped author and mental health advocate Gemma Styles to test it out on her Instagram — and show her super-thin brows circa 2010 in a flashback photo. It’s a cool way to tap into celebrity culture and cultural discourse all at once, and the formula looks effective onscreen.

Fragrance

Phlur’s new hair and body mists — Coconut Skin and Caramel Skin, which smell exactly like they sound — dropped on July 24. They cost $38, and speak to the fact that premium scents are going hard on the category, too. I’m still an eau de parfum girl, but I also still use PowerPoint instead of Canva. This body mist move feels like the fragrance equivalent.

Snif’s collaboration with YouTuber Monet Mcmichael is finally live on its website. The scent is called Rose Era, and has notes of flowers along with “clean laundry accord” — basically, just a whiff of soft cotton and fabric softener.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s brand, Henry Rose, introduced its Jake’s House BVI scent on July 22. It has “marine citrus skin musk” which sounds like you’re eating oranges in the ocean. Could be fun.

Also, wait, did you guys know Sabrina Carpenter was launching a perfume?!

And finally…

It’s really interesting that The Sloomoo Institute — a “slime museum” in New York City that’s part Instagram content factory and part extended gift shop — has poached Sandra Gil as its marketing head, since Gil was head of brand at Vintner’s Daughter. Is Sloomoo headed into a product expansion phase aimed at Gen Alpha? Slimy self-care could be a good bet. Plus, Sloomoo’s co-founder is Karen Rabinowitz also co-founded the influencer agency Digital Brand Architects, a cash machine for TikTok stars and beauty brands.

Sabrina Carpenter is working late — but not just ‘cause she’s a singer.

The 25-year-old is also a budding beauty mogul: her third fragrance, Cherry Baby, launches on July 25 in partnership with perfume maker Scent Beauty. And while Cherry Baby is as “playful” as her two prior scents, chocolate-scented Sweet Tooth and Caramel Dream, Carpenter said, it’s also a “little bit more sophisticated.”

“It has a bubbly feel that’s like a Cherry Cosmo or a Shirley Temple, but it’s also very rich,” she told The Business of Beauty over Zoom from a Los Angeles dance studio, where she’s rehearsing for her upcoming global Short ‘N Sweet Tour. “I would say this fragrance was the hardest one to get right, because we needed to smell the actual cherry. I didn’t want it to feel like it was synthetic in any sort of way. It can be playful,” she insisted. “But not fake.”

That emerging brand ethos — steely authenticity, dipped in a glossy vinyl coating with a cheeky pink tint — doesn’t just apply to Cherry Baby, but Carpenter’s entire fragrance platform, and really, all her creative work. Just look at the campy nods to teen films like Sandra Dee’s “Gidget” and pop art like Lichtenstein’s “Girl With Ball” in her “Espresso” music video, which doubled as a mini-ad for Supergoop sunscreen. It’s there in her new hit single “Please Please Please,” too, as Carpenter employs a babydoll twang to masterfully drop the F-bomb. And it’s propelling the former Disney Channel star to record-breaking heights on the pop charts, where her songs remain undefeated summer anthems.

Internal projections from Scent Beauty expect the fragrance to break records, too.

“Sales have been extraordinary,” said Scent Beauty CEO Stephen Mormoris of Carpenter’s perfume trio. Both earned over $15 million in net profits within a year of their debuts, which began in 2022; Mormoris added that it is the fastest-growing fragrance brand at Walmart. When Carpenter posted a link to her new website, FragranceBySabrina.com, on July 18, the website crashed from the traffic surge; Scent had to quickly ramp up international distribution to meet growing demand worldwide.

“The closest sales trajectory that Sabrina Carpenter, as a brand, has is that of Jennifer Lopez,” noted Mormoris, who was formerly chief marketing officer of Coty’s fragrance division. “Cumulatively, that’s about $1 billion in sales.”

But that type of payday takes years to build, even for a star like Carpenter, who currently has 59 million followers across social media — equivalent to the population of Italy. For her part, Carpenter says her personal goals aren’t framed in terms of revenue milestones.

“I try not to think too hard about the way [business] things go,” she admitted. “For me, it’s whatever feels right. I know that sounds a little cliché, but I feel like that [principle] has guided me to where I am … I have lots of big plans, always. But I like to start small. Get my foot in the door. See how other people connect to things, but also, how I connect to things!”

Instead of sales projections, Carpenter wants to focus on building emotional worlds for her fans — an art-before-commerce strategy that connects Carpenter with her former tour mate (and current pop ruler) Taylor Swift. She hopes Cherry Baby becomes a permission slip for fans, many of whom are Gen-Z, to explore flirtier sides of themselves.

“It’s something that we as young women can wear while growing into adult women,” she explained. “Cherry Baby is just sweet enough.”

Gen-Z’s Golden Girl

Currently, 83 percent of Gen-Z uses at least one fragrance, according to market research firm Circana’s 2023 fragrance report. Perfumer Gil Clavien, who collaborated on Cherry Baby with Carpenter, says they want scents that “evoke a sense of security” along with “comfort and playfulness.” (Clavien’s past work includes Y2K scents for Victoria’s Secret, whose wings-with-a-wink playbook aligns nicely with Carpenter’s vibes.) A 30 ml bottle of Cherry Baby fragrance costs about $30, with Sweet Tooth body mists starting at $10 to allow an easier onramp for young shoppers.

“They really want to be part of Sabrina’s emotional aura,” said Mormoris of Carpenter’s teen fans. “And they’re buying her fragrance, which has those childhood smells of chocolate or cherries, but also goes deeper, as a form of escape.”

Carpenter appreciates that the affordable price point allows “girls to be able to relate to what I’m building right now.” But what happens if-slash-when Carpenter grows up, and wants to play in a bigger luxury arena?

“Well, later, other endeavours will be other endeavours,” she said. “If that means creating something else that reflects a new time in my life? Then that’ll be what it is. And I’m just really lucky that right now, I’ve gotten to make something that feels perfectly suited to where I’m at.”

That’s no accident, according to perfumer Clavien. “Sabrina knows exactly what she likes and what she doesn’t like,” he said, while Mormoris added that it’s “fascinating to work with her.”

“She’s a quick learner in terms of the technical parts of the business,” he said. “But she also respects and trusts her audience immensely … she knows they can tell if something doesn’t smell ‘real,’ because she can tell.”

I asked Carpenter if she has any business mentors or role models — someone like Swift or her album’s super-producer Jack Antonoff, but in beauty. She thinks for a moment. “On the one hand, we’re all on our own paths. There is no right or wrong way to go through life, and there is no exact way to do something,” she said. “I am still very green in my own ways, and I’m learning a lot.” And on the other hand? “I mean, I look at Rihanna, and I think she’s a genius. Do I ever want to make as many bras as she’s made? Absolutely not!” Carpenter said, laughing. “I don’t know if I could ever handle that. Like, she runs an empire.”

Carpenter also cites her close friend, the internet polymath and Cartier ambassador Emma Chamberlain, 23, because “everything she does is so true to herself.”

“As much as [beauty contracts] seem so methodical and calculated, a lot of the stuff that I feel really grateful to be a part of, like the fragrances. It ends up just kind of happening,” she said. “It’s a happy accident mixed with hard work and creative ideas. But having fun, and letting myself have fun, that’s what’s always led to success for me.”

The success of Carpenter’s tour, meanwhile, seems a given. When passes went on sale this week, the Ticketmaster website crashed; average seats now command over $1,000 on resale sites. Carpenter and her team — including older sister Sarah, who serves as a creative director for Sabrina’s music and fragrances — are committed to ensuring her fans get an immersive experience, including personal moments with the fragrances.

Though it’s clear that Carpenter’s sense of fun is fearless, it’s also exacting — a bit like her signature corset dresses from Ukrainian designer Frolov, which feature highly constructed bodices painted with frolics of pink swirls.

“It’s true that I really like jokes,” she said with a laugh. “I love to make them. And I really love to be in on them.”

Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your complimentary, must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis.

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and the tiniest temptation to ask JD Vance if he’s wearing guyliner. (He is… right?)

Included in today’s issue: Addiction Tokyo, Amika, Coach, Doré, Fendi, Gucci, Lancôme, MakeUp Eraser, Naturium, Olive & June, One/Size, Paula’s Choice, Rare Beauty, Voesh and Minions! Yay Minions!

But first…

In 2019, a new phrase began climbing on Google Trends: “skin barrier.”

Until then, the term — which basically just refers to the top layer of our skin — was a snoozy descriptor usually only heard in the dermatologist’s office. But as TikTok de-fanged scientific terms while widening their reach, that all changed. Sleeper brand CeraVe harnessed its gentle approach to the skin barrier to become a viral sensation. Calm-but-firm skin-fluencers like Hyram Yarbo and Dr. Muneeb got millions of views on TikTok posts explaining its importance. And brands that seemed miles away from the term — like the rave-fuelled Milk Makeup — began using it in their marketing materials.

Today, searches for “skin barrier” are higher than ever before, with nearly a 400 percent spike in just the past two years. You know what term has nearly the same trajectory? “Emotional boundaries.”

Just as “the skin barrier” became a cheat code for TikTok views about beauty, “emotional boundaries’' soared as a social media buzzword about mental health. As “boundaries’' became an online catch-all to define everything from petty annoyances to outright abuse — not to mention fodder for Reddit’s “Am I the A***hole” thread and restraining order requests alike — beauty brands like Dove, Glow Recipe and Lashology have all incorporated the term into their marketing speak. There’s even an “empath shield perfume” from indie brand Sage Goddess to help the wearer “maintain better boundaries.” Really.

As science and psychology become further flattened on social media, here’s my prediction: Boundaries and barriers will be further conflated and thus, further hijacked by brands looking to tap into their customers’ heads. A damaged skin barrier will continue to grow as a symbol of all the things invading our physical space — pollution, extreme heat, crammed aeroplanes, aggressive flirts — and eventually become a stand-in for personal boundaries themselves. Watching the news and feeling like we have so little control — over our bodies, our financial savings, our political future, our planet’s health — we’ll keep clinging to tiny pieces of agency as a way to stay sane. (And to stay well-moisturised, because in most creative industries, looking competent and being competent have never been more inseparable.)

Perhaps we cannot put a barrier up to shield ourselves from toxic fumes or toxic friendships. But investing in a skin cream or a mascara that claims to respect our personal space, and help protect our bodies from disruption? Sure.

What Else Is New

Skincare

On July 16, Paula’s Choice introduced Pro Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment — don’t get dizzy from all the words, it’s just a wrinkle cream. They’re saying it’s better because their retinal absorbs into the skin faster and more effectively than regular retinol, supercharging results.

Body and foot care brand Voesh debuted some fascinating “Gua Sha” Cleansing and Shampoo Bars on July 16. They’re solid soap bars, but shaped like lymphatic massage tools, so you can stimulate the scalp and skin in the shower, without buying anything besides the actual cleanser. By the time it melts down to a stub, you won’t get the massage benefits anymore — but you won’t get the clutter of “one more thing in the shower” either, which feels significant.

In retail news, e.l.f.-owned Naturium rolled into Ulta Beauty on July 16, with 43 products total. Three of them — Barrier Bounce moisturiser, Vitamin Bright eye cream and the new product Glow Getter body oil — are exclusive. Meanwhile, their $19 Vitamin C face wash continues to be the most effective summer cleanser I’ve ever used on sweaty skin. I’m annoyed with how good it is.

Also on the store floor, congrats to Doré, the skincare brand launched by photographer and all-around ace human Garance Doré, for launching in Sephora on July 17. The brand claims a 50 percent revenue growth since 2024, with just over $4 million in raised capital. I like their Botanical Cleansing Water better than Bioderma, even though that was the clear inspiration!

And Naked Sundays hit Ulta Beauty on July 18, with new shades of their CabanaGlow Drops.

Makeup

Rare Beauty’s Soft Touch Setting Powder and Baking Puff Duo — a powder and fuzzy pink applicator — hit Sephora shelves on July 17.

Shopping at Credo instead? LYS Beauty unveiled their Triple Fix Loose Setting Powder there on July 16, with seven shades. I’m a big fan of LYS founder Tisha Thompson because she’s managed to brand her “clean” beauty line with ultra-glam imagery that sometimes borders on camp, instead of the traditional plants-everywhere vibe that’s typical in the category. Her makeup feels like a party instead of an assignment.

Speaking of synthetic puffs, MakeUp Eraser’s new Minions collection dropped July 16, with seven little cartoon sponges. MakeUp Eraser claims they’re better for the planet because you can use them over and over — not nothing, considering all the disposable wipes out there! — and the press release for these guys came with the phrase “mom-hack,” as in, “mom-hack your way to less sticky skin, use these sponges with water on your kids after meals.” Interesting!

Lip liners continue to come in hot. On July 16, Lancôme introduced Lip Idôle Lip Shapers, a range of 12 matte lip pencils that claim waterproof, 8-hour wear.

One/Size launched Oil Sucker, its mattifying primer, on July 16. It promises to rebalance an oily complexion while mattifying, with 12 hours of wear. My favourite part of the product is the instructions: “For best results, allow the product to dry for 3 minutes while remaining expressionless.” Extroverts, the gauntlet has been thrown.

Addiction Tokyo introduced its Lip Balm Glow Tint on July 15. It’s a sheer lip tint available in 9 shades. My favourite is “Date at Opera,” which sounds like an Andrew Lloyd Weber stage direction, but is in fact a deep maroon gloss.

Speaking of gloss, here’s a weird one: On July 18, nail brand Olive & June rolled out a Lip Gloss Mani Collection, a new range of six nail polish shades inspired by the trending makeup product. How is it different from regular shimmery, shiny nail polish? Still unclear, but the shades — especially a slightly lavender hue called Passionfruit Gloss — are very cute.

Hair Care

Amika’s Bit Hit collection of volumising shampoo and conditioner launched on July 16, along with a new Rising Star volumising spray. If you’ve been watching the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader documentary on Netflix — or the women speaking at political rallies for either party — you know that bouncy barrel curls continue to dominate many American mood boards.

Fragrance

Would you like a $540 perfume? Meet Amouage Guidance 46 Extrait, which claims to be “a study in light and shade, fragility and strength, subtlety and ostentatiousness.” (As usual, I want whatever LSD these copywriters are on.) The fragrance claims its formula is 46 percent perfume oils, and says it comes from a “High Perfumery House,” which is an interesting attempt to align scent with high jewellery.

On July 14, Auden Lueur introduced its new candle scent, Maris. They say it’s “a scent that transports you to a cliff’s edge where the ocean meets the sky,” which is great, because after watching the news this week, the edge of a cliff is exactly where I want to be.

Jayson Tatum is the new face of Coach Men’s fragrance. The brand announced the deal on July 16, with a press release that used the word ‘basketball’ exactly zero times. That’s weird, because Mr. Tatum is the star power forward for the Boston Celtics. Anyway, as a Massachusetts native, I have no choice but to stan for this collab.

And Finally

Merit Beauty and Allyson Felix really smashed it with this treadmill beauty tutorial, huh?

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and a tiny suggestion that scrunchies might be a viable accessory now. (Sorry.)

Included in today’s issue: Allies of Skin, Alpyn Beauty, By/Rosie Jane, Fenty Beauty, Gen See, ghd, Hanni, Hourglass Cosmetics, J.R. Liggett, Louis Vuitton, Morphe, Naturium, Nyx, Pottery Barn, Quip, RMS Beauty, Snowfox Skincare, and Tamagotchis.

But first…

I’m friends with a TV star who rose to fame as a dream-girl blonde in the 1990s. She’s now 55, but her face doesn’t look it. “Fillers?” I asked her. “Estrogen,” she corrected. “You get it prescribed as a cream during menopause. You’re supposed to use it vaginally. But everyone in Hollywood uses it as a skin cream, even in their 30s and 40s. They’re doing it off-label.”

Her phrasing made me curious. Even five years ago, “off-label” was a medical term. Now the phrase — which means using a prescription substance for something other than its intended purpose — is a rising beauty buzzword. That’s mostly thanks to Ozempic, the diabetes regulator that’s now used as weight loss candy off-label, of course.

Today, “off-label skincare” is a popular TikTok tag, with recent view surges for the Juvaderm injectable Skinvive, along with estrogen and tretinoin, a Vitamin A derivative used for acne and fine lines. Even Josie Maran, the Maybelline model turned natural beauty entrepreneur, told her 260 thousand followers that she was using her argan oil “off-label” in a recent Instagram reel. She was employing it as a heel moisturiser and cuticle oil.

Why is “off-label” so on-trend? Partly because in today’s super-stressful medical landscape, feeling like you might know better than your doctor — and certainly better than Big Pharma — is a way to take back some agency from opaque insurance bills, impossible appointment bookings, and the very real fear that your doctor just isn’t listening to you.

Who is listening? Marketing executives and entrepreneurs.

Which brings us to the menopause-led brand Alloy, one of the brands hopping on the off-label tagline with their M4 Estriol cream. Created last year and available for about $50 per tube, the cream is “a powerhouse for ageing skin,” according to Dr. Corinne Menn, one of Alloy’s prescribing physicians, who dealt with early menopause herself after combating breast cancer.

“Estrogen is responsible for stimulating collagen production and creating hyaluronic acid,” said Dr. Menn. “That’s what fillers are made of — but we can stimulate our bodies to create it naturally when estrogen is around. In my opinion, that’s a much better way to go.”

Many studies and doctors agree with Dr. Menn. Many others — including my gold standard, the OBGYN Dr. Jenn Gunter, have said there’s too little evidence and too many unknowns, which is a real risk when dealing with skincare chemicals. So this week, Alloy released a new peer-reviewed study about the cream’s safety and effectiveness when used as directed by a doctor. Dr. Menn hopes that Alloy and other companies can use the added science, along with studies by menopause experts like Dr. Ellen to take the off-label trend and turn it into an on-label reality.

“I once used my vaginal cream as an eye cream for sure,” she laughed. “And it was good! But that part of the body is… uh… wetter. Your face absorbs products differently. So when a brand gives you an on-label option, you know, it’s not trying to trick you. It’s trying to give you better results.”

What Else Is New

Skincare

Allies of Skin introduced its Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum on July 10. It “promotes skin recovery by addressing the seven telltale signs of a damaged barrier,” and comes in the deep blue packaging also favoured by Augustinus Bader and Prequel.

Starting July 10, Alpyn Beauty’s Willow & Sweet Agave Plumping Lip Mask will be available in a tube instead of a jar, which is great for anyone trying to apply in-flight skincare without actually touching the face.

J.R. Liggett’s Body Oil in a Bar is a solid moisturiser that boasts plastic-free packaging (yay!). Available starting July 9, it’s meant to be used wet or dry, and made with coconut, lavender, jojoba and almond oils.

Quip’s 360 Oscillating Toothbrush launched on July 10, with a teeny tiny head to actually scrub every individual tooth. Have you heard of people using (new, clean) Quip brush heads as pedicure tools during DIY spa days? It’s happening.

Snowfox Skincare’s Anti-Pollution Bio Polymer Serum hits shelves on July 11. Its founder, Phoebe Song, says “pollution is one of the worst enemies of sensitive skin.” She is totally correct — which is why I assume all her products are made without plastic or single-use packaging, right? Right? (Insert Natalie Portman Star Wars meme here.)

Hanni — the self-proclaimed “go-to for lazy people”— has a new body care stick called The Fatty. It hit shelves on July 9 and includes lots of fatty acids to help moisturise skin. It does not include fragrance, which might be why the National Eczema Association gave it their seal of approval, a first for the brand.

On July 8, Herbivore unveiled Blue Wave, a salicylic acid serum with blue tansy, a teeny tiny flower that grows around the Mediterranean shoreline, and has been used as a folk remedy for burns.

Makeup

Naturium’s first batch of Phyto-Glow Lip Balms sold out four times. Its new range, the Fruity Collection, drops on July 12 and includes watermelon, strawberry, mango and peach flavours. They cost $10 and the tweens in my life have already swiped them from my purse.

Fenty Beauty’s hotly anticipated Gloss Bomb hybrid lipsticks and Trace’d Out lip pencils go live on their website starting July 12. There are ten shades each, including the absolute banger of a name “Blaz’d Donut.” It’s a light pink beige and I’m sold.

Want a cheaper option? Nyx Cosmetics introduced six new shades of their Fat Oil, which is also a hybrid lip pigment, on July 9. It’s about half the price of Fenty, but the names — “Chillin Like a Villain” and “Living the Cream”— could use some work.

More blush! (Who’s surprised?) Gen See’s Flush Glow sticks launched on July 9 with five cheeky shades that can be used as a blush, highlight or contour. It features the cream-to-powder finish that seems to be very popular this season, and also appreciated in a heatwave, where you don’t want to feel like your creamy makeup is melting off. Meanwhile, Morphe’s Hot Shot Blush Drops debuted on July 11 with a water-based formula that lets colour build from sheer to “Dove Cameron at Valentino.” There are also Hot Shot Sun Drops for bronzing. And Hourglass Cosmetics has Unreal Liquid Blush, a serum-like formula, dropping the same day.

A certain corner of the internet is going insane because Tamagotchi, that little Japanese toy that looks like a robot egg from a Happy Meal, is getting its own makeup line — mostly pots of jelly-coloured lip gloss. It’s courtesy of parent company Bandai, and hit the internet on July 5.

Hair Care

On July 10, ghd released its Duet Blowdry tool, an electric dryer wand that uses “20 percent less energy consumption” than previous models while promising zero heat damage and visible shine and body. It’s $400, or about 8 blowouts at Drybar.

Fragrance

RMS Beauty’s first perfume, Scarlet Moon, launched on July 9. It’s a collaboration with Douglas Little from Heretic Perfumes (which makes a surprisingly good bug spray!) and smells like blood oranges.

On July 9, By/Rosie Jane introduced its Missy fragrance as a body oil. It’s still got pineapple, mandarin and amber notes, but now it can slide around your legs after a shower.

Louis Vuitton unveiled a campaign for its LVERS fragrance on July 10. The scent is “inspired by light and photosynthesis” and the imagery includes sun-drenched shots of shirtless men in jorts holding perfume bottles like skateboards. This is actually kind of thrilling, and it seems Pharrell is determined to shake up the ways men see luxury fragrance. Let’s see how it goes.

And finally

Did you know Pottery Barn sells $40 scrunchies now? There are also sheepskin Prada scrunchies happening. I fear this is going to be a thing.