The Business of Beauty Haul of Fame: Show, Don’t Smell

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and a record number of beauty launches! Don’t forget to hydrate, everyone.

Included in today’s issue: Acaderma, Amouage, Aveda, Beekman 1802, Benefit Cosmetics, Bloomingdale’s, Bubble, Ciele Cosmetics, Christen Dominique, Cyklar, Divi, Dolce & Gabbana, Dominique, E.l.f. Cosmetics, Ellie Bamber, Ellis Brooklyn, Face Reality, Flamingo Estate, Guerlain, Henry Rose, Ilia, Jacana, Jil Sander, Kerastase, Kiehl’s, La Roche-Posay, Lacey Chabert, MAC Cosmetics, Maybelline, Mane, Meghan Trainor, Ouai, Pat McGrath Labs, Philosophy, Revolution Beauty, Rhode Skin, The Way Apothecary, Verdoie and a cameo from my psychiatrist.

But first…

In a white room with black curtains is the perfume. Distilled in a glass bottle the size of a gold bar, it’s called Valaya Exclusif and made by Parfums de Marly, the upstart fragrance house that’s now “the third largest luxury perfume brand in America,” according to the brand’s US president Yvan Jacqueline. He drops this business morsel at Valaya Exclusif’s official launch dinner, a three-course meal served on lily-topped tables at the Museum of the City of New York. The actress Dasha Polanco is there, along with Cipriani’s membership czar Paula Sanders and influencers like Mina Zibayi and Coco Bassey. Everyone is beautiful and beaming; many are live-streaming about the perfume while sipping white wine, which counts for Dry January because it is a chardonnay. The social media follower count in the room is over 7 million — a number even more dizzying than the museum’s famous curved staircase, which the influencers tackle in their Pedro Garcia and Stuart Weitzman stilettos with practiced, strident glamour.

The whole thing is, truly, a Scene. It also might be unnecessary, because Parfums de Marly’s latest scent has already been rhapsodised on TikTok, saved on Pinterest vision boards and ordered thousands (and thousands, and thousands…) of times online in less than a week. There’s just one little thing: Even though Valaya Exclusif is already a top seller on the brand’s DTC site, and even though the fragrance is a hefty investment at $250 and up, most people who ordered it haven’t smelled it yet. “I actually had no idea what it smelled like until I got to this party,” said Jelena Weir, a New York-based creator. “But I love the brand, so I thought it would be really sophisticated, and I was right.”

Welcome to the world of “blind buys,” where people spend hundreds of dollars on scents without knowing how they’ll actually smell. Blind buys have their own Reddit threads, their own subgenre of YouTube “react” videos, and their own TikTok livestreams where users give “first impressions” of a fragrance their followers cannot possibly smell through the gorilla glass of their own tiny screens. In this way, perfume has shifted from a sensory enhancement that can only be detected in real life to a visual performance that doesn’t even need a sense of smell to exist. It’s like having a favourite “British Bake-Off” contestant without tasting their Victoria Sponge recipe. To put it another way: Perfume is now a personality hire.

To be sure, fragrance has always been as much of a world-building exercise as a sniff test. Chanel No. 5 endures because we believe it smells like elegance; CK One remains legendary because it defined the exhaustion and anger of teen spirit by making it look like a party you might actually get to crash. For every girl who truly loved the smell of Marc Jacobs Daisy, there was another who wanted a Blair Waldorf “Gossip Girl” dress but couldn’t afford it, so she got the perfume instead. If you couldn’t be Chloë Sevigny, you might as well wear Eau de Chloé along with your hard-won Opening Ceremony jacket.

Every few years, there’s a rumour that Taylor Swift will release a perfume. But in a way, Taylor Swift already is a perfume. Her very essence is both super-personal and also inescapably everywhere, a vapor we breathe in like air and breathe out like a sigh, or a song lyric, or a scream. Many perfumes want us to aspire to their aesthetic. But the ones making real money — the stuff from Glossier, Sol de Janeiro, Tom Ford, Phlur, and Baccarat — know that aspiration is fine, but respiration is better. We don’t want perfume as a promise of a more expensive, more sophisticated self. We want it as an aura that already exists all around us, ready to be harnessed and, naturally, live streamed.

Parfums de Marly has made quick work of that promise, turning its DTC website into a video-first showcase for its frosted glass bottles, baroque tasseled toppers and vaguely ancient French origins. (In truth, the brand was created in 2009, but named for King Louis XV’s 18th century party palace.) The homepage doesn’t mention top notes, or any scent qualities, until below the fold. Is the fragrance quality excellent? Oui. But when Advent International paid $700 million for the label, along with its smaller sister brand, Initio Parfums Privés, in 2023, they understood that while many brands can make beautiful smells, this one makes fan bases.

“I like the brand a lot. I think everyone wants to feel sophisticated, but not necessarily really flashy or obvious,” said Instagram royalty Natalie Suarez, who came to the Parfums de Marly dinner with her sister, fellow ring-light wizard Dylana Suarez. She noted the perfume bottles are recognizable to fans, but only have a tiny, faint logo on the cap. “And I don’t think you need to smell a perfume before you buy it any more than you need to try on clothes before you buy them online. You know yourself, and who online has similar tastes. Technically, most things are a ‘blind buy,’ right?”

For the risk averse, there is a work-around: Before launching in mid-January, Parfums de Marly invited shoppers to request a sample vial before pre-ordering a full bottle. Still, the blind buys continue. “For every one sample we sent out, we got about three orders,” said an employee. “Online, it’s not really about what you smell like. It’s that you can hold up the bottle like a prize.”

What else is new…

Skincare

Jacana is a small Jamaican-based wellness brand infusing the island’s native plants with CBD oils. On Jan. 21, it launched a $40 Facial Serum with vitamin E, grapeseed oil, and CBD with the aim of quelling redness and irritation.

The skincare nerds at Acaderma debuted an Oasis Revival Mask on Jan. 24. It’s a $75 formula made with kinkeliba, a remarkable West African plant that’s been proven to stimulate liver health and digestion. On your skin, maybe (?) it’ll help reduce inflammation.

Welcome to Bloomingdale’s, Flamingo Estate. The farm-to-red-carpet brand by ad executive Richard Christiansen arrived at the New York department store on Jan. 24, with a pop-up market boasting bath and body products, candles and a very luscious pile of tomatoes.

On Jan. 26, The Way Apothecary introduced The First Body Wash, a cleanser developed for perimenopausal and menopausal women. The California-based company claims to “address emotional needs while supporting hormonal balance” by including clary sage, which “acts as a euphoric, antidepressant, and reduces anxiety.” I called both my naturopath and my psychiatrist to check that fact and got some good giggles, but if you’d like to spend $50 for some very nice soap, amazing. I wish you well(ness).

French girl skincare continues! On Jan. 27, the Paris-based brand Verdoie arrived on the global market with La Crème Hydratante, a mushroom-based moisturiser, and Le Complément Alimentaire, a skin-health supplement. They’re both $88; Founder Sonia Gaillis-Delepine formerly directed social media at dsm-Firmenich, the perfume powerhouse behind manyyyyy designer fragrances.

The face mist trend continues… for the body. Beekman 1802 introduced a $49 Milk Shake Moisture Mist on Jan. 28 with hydrating properties for your butt, your back, your… well, you know the rest.

As of Jan. 28, Kiehl’s is the official skincare partner of Jackson Hole’s Mountain Resort. This pairs nicely with the brand’s Montauk takeover last summer, and keeps establishing them as the go-to brand for sporty folks with second homes. In other words, “Rich, but not, like, talking about it.” Smart.

It’s nice to see Lacey Chabert getting her flowers — and by flowers, I mean endorsement deals. The face of Millennial rom-coms and toaster strudel is Philosophy’s new face, with a campaign for their best-selling Purity cleanser debuting Jan. 28.

Après ski vibes continue to thrill the beauty world. On Jan. 29, Ilia debuted its collaboration with the activewear line Halfdays with a custom ski suit in Ilia’s signature dusty rose shade. All purchases come with a complimentary $64 jar of Barrier Build moisturising cream.

Guerlain unveiled its Youth Watery Oil Serum on Jan. 29 featuring “repairing power from three honeys produced by the black bee,” which is known for its high calcium, magnesium and antioxidant count. It’s $150 and claims that “after one hour, wrinkles are reduced by 25%.” This feels both insane and like a gauntlet for my Botox provider.

Face Reality’s HydraRemedy serum hit shelves on Jan. 31. It has the same hyaluronic acid as a cream-based moisturiser, but with a $45 formula that’s better suited for oily complexions. It’s also a smart option for all skin types in sweltering heat, but this is the wrong month for “don’t sweat off your skincare” content.

Hide your kids, hide your… other kids. Bubble is coming to 1900 Target stores, and to the superstore’s website and app, on Sunday, Feb. 2. The brand is also hiring a ton of new positions, so if you’re looking to work for a startup with big acquisition potential, visit chief executive Shai Eisenman on LinkedIn. (Don’t forget to ask for equity. You never know.)

Makeup

There’s been some fuss around Pat McGrath Labs’ peel-off glass skin mask, but it’s telling the hero product at Paris couture week was something altogether different: The brand’s Divine Skin: Rose 001 essence, which was swiped on the dewy cheekbones at both Lanvin and Schiaparelli.

Dolce & Gabbana makes makeup brushes now — 10 of them, in fact. They debuted on Jan. 23 and cost between $40 and $55. Will they make a backstage beauty appearance at the brand’s Feb. 25 show in Milan? Well, that would be smart, especially if a TikToker is there to stream it. (Tree… forest… existence… etc.)

The influencer and makeup artist Christen Dominique launched two primers on Jan. 24. One has a dewy effect and promises hydration; the other comes with a matte finish and an oil-free formula. They’re $32 each.

Benefit’s Bad Gal Bounce mascara hit stores on Jan. 26. It promises a 242% boost in volume, which is the kind of precise number that lends way more authenticity than a “ten times the size” claim. Related: When you schedule an email for, like, 8:32 AM instead of 8 AM.

Maybelline announced its title sponsorship the Women’s Lacrosse League on Jan. 27; the brand also sponsored the New York Marathon last November. It’s exciting to see these new investments in women’s sports, but don’t think they’re off red-carpet duty just yet: The company’s newest face is Ellie Bamber, the excellent British actress who’s been relegated to “up-and-coming” status for nearly a decade. She may finally break into billboard territory with “Moss & Freud”, the biopic where she plays a young Kate Moss, filming now.

Revolution Beauty dropped its Skin Silk Marble Blush Stick on Jan. 28. It comes in six shades of pink and costs $9.

Ciele Cosmetics introduced Glow & Protect SPF 50 on Jan. 28. It’s a liquid highlighter with UV protection available in three shades, including a gold-toned hue called “Church” that’s odd in a very good way.

The MAC “send nudes” campaign just hit the next level. On Jan. 28, Julia Fox appeared naked in the subway to promote the skin-toned lipsticks. Tiffany Pollard and Martha Stewart are also in the campaign, though the 83-year-old mogul kept her silk robe on during the photo shoot. It’s all very fun, and maybe a signal that parent company Estée Lauder Companies is ready to come up fighting — or that they’re polishing the brand for a sale.

Meghan Trainor’s latest E.l.f. campaign launched on Jan. 29, for the brand’s Cloud Skin range. Besides the singer dressed up like a retro flight attendant, the makeup label also leaned into the “airport tray aesthetic” trend first captured by Willa Bennett’s team at High Snobiety last August. This is super clever on E.l.f.’s part, and an instructive time stamp on the subculture-to-pop-culture pipeline. (Five months!) Like Bubble, the brand appears to be on a bit of hiring spree right now, which speaks to their optimism in the market, and seems like a genuinely fun place to work.

Rhode’s $24 Peptide Lip Shaper dropped Jan. 30 at 9 AM Pacific Time, a considerate nod to the West Coast girls who don’t ride at dawn, even for their favourite makeup brand. It comes in 11 shades and counts singer Tate McRae as the face. Makeup artist Lilly Keys did the campaign.

Haircare

On Jan. 23, Aveda introduced a hydrating scalp and hair mask for $56 that’s meant to ease itchy, dry skin and stop flakes while moisturising strands.

Divi’s Air Dry cream dropped on Jan. 24. It’s a $24 formula that claims to help hair dry faster and shinier.

Call it the Boygenius of hair care. On Jan. 27, Jen Atkin formed a supergroup with her product line Ouai and her tool line Mane for the first time. The result is the Anti-Frizz Kit, a bundle including a new electric straightening brush plus a full-size Anti-Frizz cream. The kit costs $98 and it’s a Sephora online exclusive. Ouai’s first face cleanser launched on Jan. 22.

Balmain Hair launched a range of colour-deposit masks called Couleurs Couture on Jan. 27. The treatment comes in six shades, including red, golden blonde and violet, and retails for $84 at Neiman Marcus.

The Pantene backlash begins. In early January, Kérastase did a big TikTok push for its $62 fortifying serum — and the L’Oréal brand says it promptly sold out. On Jan. 28, the serum returned to store shelves. K18’s Molecular Repair Hair Oil debuted the same day, promising similar results, plus heat protection.

Fragrance

On Jan. 28, Jil Sander unveiled six gorgeous fragrances, intriguingly named things like “Smoke” and “Leaf” and bottled in white-capped porcelain. The scents were “designed under the guidance of co-creative directors Lucie Meier and Luke Meier,” which is fun because; rumours. (Personally, I hope they stay. Professionally, this reminds me of Hedi Slimane’s sly lipstick launch for Celine in October. A linger, in the best way.)

So many perfume houses are like, “This is our new fragrance, Galactica Bourbon Eau de Helvetica,” and Michelle Pfeiffer is apparently over it. The actress-turned-perfume-creator released her new vanilla scent on Jan. 28 and it’s called “Dave.” She named it after her husband, prolific TV producer David E. Kelly, which might mark the first time “The Practice” has indirectly inspired a fragrance. (Hopefully not the last, though.)

Ellis Brooklyn’s Marshmallows hair and body mist launched on the 28th. I always think of Ellis as a brand whose mantra is, “I’m adulting now,” so it’s interesting watching them vie for the girly-sweet world of candy scents. This one’s $45.

Amouage introduced Purpose 50, a Frankincense-based scent with 50 percent fragrance concentration, on Jan. 28. It’s $520 and please, don’t drop the bottle inside a tight space.

The “Babygirl” school of marketing is the gift that keeps giving. On Jan. 28, Cyklar debuted a range of six perfume oils, including Sex Musk, a $24 vial that “creates an irresistible trail that lingers close to skin.” How about that!

And finally…

Spotted: Leonardo DiCaprio’s longtime bodyworker, the massage therapist Ashley Black, in a weeklong residence at midtown Manhattan’s Lotte Hotel, aka Serena van der Woodsen’s former “Gossip Girl” digs. Black is helping select industry folk (think: the biggest models in the industry…) with their posture pre-Fashion Month. She’s also gearing up to launch a new body-focused tool this summer, further confirming that the gizmo mania for skincare is about to migrate south.

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