ISSUE#12MAY 22, 2020

A Publication of WWD

Eyes of WonderIn these coronavirus days of mandatory (or voluntary) mask-wearing, all eyes are

on the, well, eyes, so Beauty Inc asked leading makeup artists to create their ultimate eye-catching look. Here, Sir John’s super-striking creation. For more, see pages 4 to 10.

PLUS: Unilever’s Vasiliki Petrou and is the KKR deal good for Coty?

Beauty Bulletin

2

MAY 22, 2020

THE BUZZ

1. dermalogica gains new u.s. general managerDermalogica has hired a former L’Oréal executive, Paul Schiraldi, as the new general manager in the U.S.

Schiraldi has worked at L’Oréal brands Matrix, Biolage and Redken as a general manager and has experience across marketing, sales and brand strategy. At L’Oréal, Schiraldi led a period of omnichannel growth across brands. For Dermalogica, the hire comes after the business set out salon safety guidelines as it gears up to reopen U.S. salons after closing them due to the coronavirus pandemic. 2. kosé hires new gm from revlonSharon del Valle is Kosé’s new general manager, North America. Del Valle was brought onboard from Revlon, where she was the head of marketing for Elizabeth Arden. Before that, she worked at the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., Chanel and Naturopathica. According to a statement put out by the brand, del Valle’s track record includes bringing Chanel skin care to

“unprecedented profitability.”Del Valle will be reporting to

the chief executive officer of Kosé America, Osamu Naito. She will oversee all aspects of Decorté, from sales and e-commerce to education, operations and marketing. 3. l’oréal promotes myriam cohen-welgryn to president of active cosmeticsAs previously reported by WWD, Myriam Cohen-Welgryn is succeeding L’Oréal’s Brigitte Liberman as the president of active cosmetics. The two will work together for the remainder of the year until Liberman's slated retirement.

A graduate of France’s Essec business school, Cohen-Welgryn most recently was a regional director of pet food activity at Mars. Cohen-Welgryn has experience brand building as a means to increase profits, L’Oréal said in a statement. 4. allergan aesthetics promotes carrie strom to presidentAllergan Aesthetic’s Carrie Strom has a new global position

following the brand’s acquisition by AbbVie. The Allergan Aesthetics veteran is now president of the brand and senior vice president of AbbVie.

AbbVie sees the aesthetic component to Allergan’s business — namely Juvederm and Botox — as key opportunities for growth and expansion, the company said in a statement.

5. skyn Iceland taps shiseido exec kelley martinSkyn Iceland hired Kelley Martin as its new chief marketing officer. She was most recently at Shiseido, working as vice president of marketing for Buxom Cosmetics. Martin began her career at Clinique and has also worked at Shiseido-owned Bare Minerals. At Buxom, she amped up the brand’s digital and influencer marketing presence, and during her time at Bare Minerals, the brand went to the top five of makeup market share. Skyn Iceland’s founder and ceo, Sarah Kugelman, highlighted Martin’s digital expertise as a point of expansion in a statement provided by the brand. — James Manso

The Beauty Carousel1 2 3 4 5

¬ Sephora is launching on Tmall.The specialty beauty retailer is

launching cross-border on Tmall with “cloud shelves” stocked with products from new-to-China brands like Natasha Denona and Sunday Riley. The store will carry 25 international brands, including Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, Bon Parfumeur, Farmacy and Dermalogica, and more than 600 products.

“Based on our long-term relationships with global beauty brands, we are glad to cooperate with Tmall Global to introduce overseas brands into [the] China market,” said Benjamin Vuchot, Sephora Asia president, in a statement. “This initiative is very

special to Sephora, as we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Sephora in China this year. The opening of the Sephora Tmall global flagship store offers a great opportunity for Sephora to continue reinforcing its commitment to the China market by catering to the Chinese consumer's ever-changing trends and evolving needs to enhance their beauty power.”

The move comes as many beauty brands look to China to increase sales as stores in the U.S. and Europe have closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Sephora has around 250 stores in China, but launching a cross-border operation will allow Sephora to sell cruelty-

free brands that cannot be sold in Chinese retail environments. — Allison Collins

Sephora Sets Up Shop With Tmall Global

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna is one of the brands that will be sold in Sephora's Tmall storefront.

Transformation challenges are

taking over social media.

While at home during the

coronavirus quarantine, users are

dusting off their makeup brushes and

getting creative with their content.

The #PasstheBrushChallenge

compiles snippets of TikTok-ers

making up their fresh faces. James

Charles spearheaded a beauty

guru edition that features Nikkie

de Jager, Patrick Starrr, Nikita

Dragun, Bretman Rock, Manny

MUA and Gabriel Zamora, among

others. The influencers start and

end their respective segments

of Charles' compilation video by

pretending to pass their makeup

brushes on to the next guru.

Charles' version is one of the top

videos from the TikTok challenge. It

has been viewed more than 35 million

times, generating 8.2 million likes and

more than 110,000 comments.

Other versions show users

transforming into fantastical

creatures from movies and characters

from popular culture. Overall, the

challenge has racked up more than

1.2 billion views on TikTok and

200,000 posts on Instagram.

A similar challenge, the

#DontRushChallenge, features

influencers and celebrities making

themselves over to the tune of “Don't

Rush” by Young T and Bugsey,

featuring Headie One. Influencer @

lase_asoloo is credited with creating

the challenge, which has prompted

participation from celebrities such

as Marsai Martin, Storm Reid, Skai

Jackson, Tamar Braxton and Kollin

Carter, Cardi B's stylist.

The #DontRushChallenge

now has more than 550 million

views on TikTok, and nearly

450,000 posts on Instagram.

Social media seems to remain

enthusiastic about makeup despite

reports of the category's decline.

Some beauty brands who ramped up

digital efforts during the pandemic

have already seen the payoff. TikTok,

in particular, has seen a surge in

usage since the coronavirus started.

Its algorithm allows for influencers

of all sizes to go viral.

The Thread: Beauty Gurus #PassTheBrush on TikTok The transformation challenge has gone viral, prompting beauty influencers such as James Charles and Nikkie de Jager to participate. BY ALEXA TIETJEN

3

MAY 22, 2020

NEWS FEED

WHEN COTY INC. unveiled a

deal for the company's professional

division, Wall Street analysts seemed

to have expected the company to sell

the entire thing.

That would have allowed Coty

to reduce leverage as well as

operational complexity, which were

two of the company's key talking

points when it said it had hired

Credit Suisse to explore options for

the segment in October.

Instead, the proposed deal — which

is not yet final — has KKR taking a

60 percent stake in a joint venture,

with Coty holding the other 40

percent. While the brands involved,

Wella, OPI, Ghd and Clairol, will be

ultimately carved out and put into the

KKR-controlled joint venture, Coty

will still have a level of operational

involvement under terms of a

temporary service agreement, as well

as a minority owner, sources said.

The deal is complex, and as one

source put it “confusing” — and Coty's

stock has paid the price. Shares had

dipped nearly 40 percent since the

deal was unveiled, as of press time.

“The longer people have sat with

the deal and dug into the details,

it has become less comfortable,

not more,” said Jefferies analyst

Stephanie Wissink.

“It’s probably a good deal for both,

but obviously they — they as in Coty

— are doing it because they have to,

as opposed to want to,” said Stifel

analyst Mark Astrachan.

“The capital majority is owned by

KKR, but the operating partnership

relies on Coty’s ability to continue

to own and operate that business

as a minority partner. This doesn’t

actually simplify, de-complexity,

slenderize the business. It does from

a financial org chart perspective,

it makes it a minority position

in a business, but you still have

operational responsibility to see

it through,” Wissink said. 

Coty insiders contend that the deal

will still allow the company to focus

on core categories and turn around

the operation, which has struggled,

particularly in the mass market,

since the 2016 acquisition of

Procter & Gamble's beauty portfolio.

Peter Harf, Coty chairman and

founding partner at Coty majority

owner JAB provided an exclusive

statement of deal support to WWD:

“KKR's investment and partnership

will significantly strengthen Coty's

balance sheet, and by carving out

Wella, Coty will become a more

focused and agile business that

is positioned to capture top-line

growth in the next phase of

this economy.”

Coty's chief operating officer,

Pierre-André Terisse, said in a

statement to WWD that when the

deal closes, “Coty will carve out Wella

into a stand-alone company, with its

own separate governance structure

... board of directors, [chief executive

officer], executive committee ...

thereby allowing us to dedicate our

resources to growing our fragrance,

cosmetics and skin-care businesses.”

But analysts still cast doubts

over Coty's future, noting that the

company is under-penetrated in

China relative to beauty peers, and

won't be allowed to make major

acquisitions for about a year under

the terms of an amended credit

agreement, meaning it'll have to work

with the brand portfolio on hand.

As Coty works to reinvigorate the

remaining business during a global

pandemic, the business is also aiming

to finalize the KKR agreement by

the end of the month, with closing

in six to nine months. The PE firm

is also providing a $750 million cash

infusion, and Coty has said it will

begin a multiyear, $700 million, cost-

restructuring initiative.

And add in yet another layer of

complexity in terms of management

changes — incoming ceo Pierre Denis

assumes his role in June — and the

picture is far from clear. “You're doing

all of what's going on right now with

a new ceo coming in,” said Astrachan,

“which obviously complicates things

even further.” 

With KKR Deal, Will Coty Actually Simplify the Business?Coty says “yes” — but analysts aren't so sure. BY ALLISON COLLINS

COSMETIC EXECUTIVE Women,

CEW, has a new program aimed

specifically at helping brand founders

navigate business during the

coronavirus pandemic.

The group aims to bridge the gaps

between founders and resources with its

new #Fight4FemaleFounders initiative,

which is geared toward supporting

founders and small businesses with

CEW’s network and business know-

how. The resources, which will live on

Fight4FemaleFounders.org, include

information on grant and loan

applications, a mentorship platform

connecting entrepreneurs with industry

veterans, and weekly webinars,

dubbed CEW Founder Fridays. Brand

founders make up 15 percent of CEW

membership, the organization said.

While CEW's in-person events

have all been postponed, the group

is seeking to make up for that

networking with its mentorship

platform. Brand founders can

either be connected with business

advisers or via a directory of over 40

experts, ranging from authorities in

the legal sphere, communications or

supply chain. CEW has also decreased

membership costs for the months

April through December for those

seeking out industry support, and

lowered ticket prices for digital events.

However, according to Carlotta

Jacobson, president of CEW, despite

efforts to give back, the current climate

does have some drawbacks for the

organization. “Our events generally

give us the revenue to operate, but we

did have reserves and we decided we

would open up the information we had

that is just generally for members,”

said Jacobson. Jacobson also said they

are orchestrating seven webinars per

month, as opposed to the initially

slated seven per year. “We increased

what we were doing, and just made it

free to the industry. Our newsletter is

no longer behind a wall. Our database

has now 25,000 people that are going

through it. People need information.”

Beyond access to information and

mentors, #Fight4FemaleFounders

also puts the spotlight on the group

that needs the assistance. “We have

this social media campaign of women

talking about what actually happened

to them and their business during

the virus, what their hopes are,”

Jacobson said. One of these includes

Tina Hedges of Loli Beauty, whose

story Jacobson found particularly

resonant. Hedges, after years of

building her business, was met with

halted investor talks as the pandemic

hit. Jacobson said stories like Hedges’

are becoming more common. “A

lot of them are also positioned in

brick-and-mortar, not all of them are

direct-to-consumer, and those are all

closed. They don’t have the reserves

to get through this. That’s why we

specifically went after with this

group,” she said.

Founders have been a recent

focus for CEW, who also had their

inaugural Female Founder Awards

two years ago. As for how they are

able to continue their ongoing efforts,

Jacobson credits the network CEW

is touting as its greatest asset. “We’re

very fortunate to be a part of a very

generous industry,” Jacobson said.

“We couldn’t do this without the

beauty industry and the people in it.”

CEW Unveils Fight for Female Founders InitiativeThe campaign aims to invigorate founders during the coronavirus pandemic. BY JAMES MANSO

Loli Beauty’s Plum Elixir.

Pierre Laubies, Coty’s outgoing ceo.

4

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

ERIN PARSONS, MAYBELLINE NEW YORK GLOBAL MAKEUP ARTIST, @ERINPARSONSMAKEUP “ I was inspired by brows circa 2000. This is how I would wear them 20 years ago. The eyes transformed into a Peggy Moffitt-esque moment. And the mask was painted on using black paint and flocking powder.”

Eyetopia Beauty Inc asked leading makeup artists to create their ultimate eye looks. Here, the fantastical results. BY JENNY B. FINE AND ALEXA TIETJEN

FACE MASKS ARE now a wardrobe staple, causing the eye to gravitate to,

well, the eyes.

That may be good news for eye makeup, which is making a return to the

spotlight. According to The NPD Group, makeup sales rose 6 percent week-

over-week for the period ending May 8, with the eye category gaining 13

percent, versus a 1 percent uptick for lips. The biggest winners: eyeliner

and mascara, both up 18 percent, and brow products, which rose 15 percent.

While the makeup category has been challenged for much of the last year, the

coronavirus crisis could help it make a comeback. "This could be a bright spot

for makeup," said Larissa Jensen, vice president and beauty industry analyst

at NPD. "Consumers are still at the level of caution in terms of going out and

revenge shopping, but when you look at sales on a week-by-week basis, we're

definitely seeing a lot of growth."

Here, Beauty Inc asked some leading makeup artists to create an ultimate

eye look for the new normal.

LINDA CANTELLO, INTERNATIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST, GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY “This look is simple, easy and efficient but also sultry.”

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

J O I N A

Provide of-the-moment, relevant thought leadership

content and share solutions from your company with

a custom webinar discussion.

W E B I N A R

6

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

PAT MCGRATH, FOUNDER AND CEO, PAT MCGRATH LABS, @PATMCGRATHREAL“Masks are an opportunity for everyone to ROSE TO THE OCCASION with divinely dramatic eyes. This look is created with Pat McGrath Labs new Mothership VIII #DivineRoseII Eye Palette. This sublimely sultry smoke creates a ravishing rose look using shades ‘Xtreme Burgundy,’ a deepened burgundy matte, on the crease and ‘Rose Seduction,’ a vivid magenta satin, on the center of the eye. BLOOM WITHOUT CAUTION!”

FRANÇOIS NARS, @NARSISSIST“Put the emphasis on your eyes, because it ’s all you can see with the mask. Make them as big as possible. I wanted a very smoky eye, and directed and photographed the concept for this look with Lena Koro, global artistic director for Nars with whom I’m in quarantine.”

FULVIA FAROLFI, CHANEL MAKEUP ARTIST @FULVIAFAROLFI“ I picked this eye makeup look shape because it is the most flattering on every eye, with some adjustments. If someone has a signature look, l ike glitter or an eyeliner look, then go for it! However, going for something beautiful, soft and fast that makes you emphasize the eyes and lasts all day while wearing a mask is the best way to go!”

7

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

ANGEL MERINO, FOUNDER, ARTIST COUTURE, @MAC_DADDYY“Just because we have to wear face masks doesn’t mean your eyes have to be boring and basic! They’re the windows to your soul and now your canvas to express yourself! I l ike for my eyes to look more ‘foxy’ and I achieve that look using Mink eye shadow from my Supreme Nudes palette to create a smoked-out wing when I ’m feeling extra sassy!”

HECTOR ESPINAL, GLOBAL MAKEUP ARTIST, FENTY BEAUTY, @ARTBYHECTOR“This look is a celebration of color, freedom and strength. We should all play with color right now as an uplifting experience and demonstration of our strength, through bold lines and bold shades.”

LISA ELDRIDGE, GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR, LANCÔME, @LISAELDRIDGEMAKEUP“This look was all about the eyes. I sketched out a strong shape using smoky tones of black and gray eye shadow and then added highlights of metallic bronze to the venture of the top lid and along the lower lash line. Black kohl pencil through the waterline and lashings of black Hypnôse Drama mascara finished the look.”

SIR JOHN, L'ORÉAL PARIS BRAND AMBASSADOR, @SIRJOHN“With everything that is going on, ours eyes have become more of a focal point in our daily routines. Here I wanted to create a sense of punctuation for the eyes by incorporating some shine. Add a bit of reflection to the center of the lid to create a focal point and enhance the natural shape of the eye with deeper taupe tones to refine the look. Our skin is still equally as important. Even though we are wearing masks we must continue to protect the skin underneath. Be sure to hydrate the skin and lips for a perfect canvas. Add a bit of light reflection to the high points of the face, enhancing your cheek bones”

8

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

PETER PHILIPS, CREATIVE & IMAGE DIRECTOR, DIOR MAKEUP, @PETERPHILIPSMAKEUP“For this look I opted for an out winged smoky cat eye. I started with a primer, then I applied a soft matte clear shade all over the eyelid, up until just above the ‘crease.’ I blended gently a darker shade into the inner eye corner and an even darker one on the outer corner. In the middle of the eyelid, I used a luminous satin gold, the contrast between the darker shades and the luminous shade will give extra depth to your eye. I avoided putting too much makeup on the bottom part of the eye. The masks tend to rub against the under eye area, and that creates ‘raccoon eyes.’ Also make sure to properly draw and fil l in your eyebrows."

DANIEL MARTIN, @DANIELMARTIN“My inspiration was taken from being in Paris for fashion week right before the quarantine happened. It's all about vibrant Day-Glo color blocking in a range of colors, contrasted against radiant, dewy skin. The full look is optimistic, refreshing and fun!”

LYNE DESNOYERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAKEUP ARTISTRY, MAC COSMETICS, @LYNE_DESNOYERS“Big and bold. When a trend in makeup takes on an ‘all eyes’ direction then it ’s a good time for a no-holds-barred approach, with brighter color, inky lines, strong Sixties shapes and, of course, never skimping on the mascara. There’s no better moment to make some experimental choices and throw everything at it .”

GILBERT SOLIZ, GLOBAL MAKEUP ARTIST, MARC JACOBS BEAUTY, @GILBERT_SOLIZ“Purple Eyes inspired by the Daisy Sweet Pea birth flower of April . Its meaning represents purity, innocence, and blissful pleasure.”

9

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

GUCCI WESTMAN, FOUNDER, WESTMAN ATELIER, @GUCCIWESTMAN“ I ’m super excited about our upcoming launch — the Eye Pods Collection. They’re luminous cream-powder eye shadows designed for blendability and rich color-payoff minus any questionable ingredients. I love earthy, metallic shades around the eyes for a modern smoky eye.”

MANNY GUTIERREZ,

@MANNYMUA733

“A soft peachy look,

perfect for spring and

summer and a false

lash really brings

attention and drama

to the eyes.”

VIOLETTE, GLOBAL BEAUTY DIRECTOR,

ESTÉE LAUDER, @VIOLETTE_FR

“Creating a professional smoky eye doesn’t require

you to have professional gear. Anyone can create an easy smoky eye look

using one pencil , to keep the focus on the eyes.”

10

MAY 22, 2020

DEEP DIVE

KEIKO LYNN, @KEIKOLYNN“This look is a blend of smoky halo eye shadow and Sixties graphic eye makeup: up top, a peachy matte and grays on the inner and outer corners, blended through the crease, and with a shimmery peach patted into the center of the eyelid. The bottom has a graphic lower liner reminiscent of the Sixties, but smudged and softened. Lashes up top and bottom!”

DEEPICA MUTYALA, FOUNDER, LIVE TINTED, @DEEPICA“A beautiful berry shade on my eyes keeps me happy right now. Bright colors are intimidating to wear, but the Live Tinted Huestick in Free makes it super wearable and easy. All you do is swipe and dab it out.”

DONIELLA DAVY, HEAD MAKEUP ARTIST, HBO’S “EUPHORIA,” @DONNI.DAVY“Blue Skies Ahead. Done on a hot day in L.A. while thinking of swimming pools. I blended several shades of milky blue eyeshadow from ColourPop’s Blue Moon palette; incorporating a darker shade into my crease, swooping a medium shade out toward my temples in a cat-eye shape and finishing with a lighter shade blended up into my brow bone as well as in the inner corners of my eyes. I embellished the look with three long tear-drop-shaped iridescent gems on the outer corners of my eyes and a single tiny round gem on my inner corners. I paired the look with a rich warm coral-peach lip to complement the cool tones on my eyes.”

JACKIE AINA, @JACKIEAINA“My favorite color is blush pink, and I’m always finding ways to incorporate pinks in my makeup looks. For this look, I used the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Vol. 4 eye shadow palette to create a subtle and flirty, everyday wearable eye look.”

I S S U E 0 6 . 2 2 / C LOS E 0 6 .16MATE RIALS 0 6 .18

This June, WWD will honor Pride Month with a special issue centered around the

LGBTQ community and the celebration of all human rights. WWD will delve deep into

the history of NYC Pride, the celebration’s global impact on the fashion, beauty and

retail communities and how COVID-19 is affecting this year’s festivities.

PRIDEC E L E B R A T E S

MONTH

OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

CUSTOM WWD STUDIOS FEATURE

BRAND AD ALIGNMENT

SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT STEPHANIE SIEGEL, VP, SALES & MARKETING AT SSIEGEL@WWD.COM

12

MAY 22, 2020

LAUNCH PAD

Eye on the Prize Call it a happy coincidence: many makeup brands are focusing on the eyes with their latest launches. Here, the newest products for lashes, lids and brows. BY JAMES MANSO

When Maybelline New York started concepting a touchless, mono-shade eye shadow pen over a year ago, the team didn’t see a global pandemic on the horizon. Instead, it hoped to innovate in a category saturated with multishade palettes. “People weren’t using [palettes] and consumers weren’t responding to them,”said Amanda Griffin, vice president of marketing, eye. “We saw an opportunity to focus on a mono-format. Historically, monos were really basic in every sense of the word. There wasn’t a lot of innovation in the market.” So the team perfected a formula with a 12-hour-wear claim, not to mention both a precision brush and smudger for ease of application. “You can achieve really beautiful strokes, really easy lay down with minimal expertise,” Griffin said. While Griffin’s team had a lot of luck on timing (they narrowly avoided any supply chain disruptions), they are also seeing high bounce-back from the eye category overall. “From a performance standpoint, it has been the category that’s been the most resilient in the wake of COVID,” Griffin said.

Maybelline New York Color Strike Eye Shadow PenAVAILABLE IN NATIONWIDE MASS MARKET RETAILERS IN 10 SHADES FOR $8.99.

Too Faced Melted Chocolate Matte Eye ShadowAVAILABLE IN EIGHT SHADES ON TOOFACED.COM AND SEPHORA.COM, $21.

Jerrod Blandino, cofounder and chief creative officer of Too Faced, finds liquid eye shadows disappointing. “We were always overpromised and underdelivered,” he said. “The things we loved about liquid eye shadows was that blurred look, but they either creased or oxidized.” After seeing the ombré lip trend take off in east Asia, however, he had the idea of modeling a matte eye shadow after a matte lipstick. The result — a waterproof formula with a 24-hour crease-proof claim — meets Blandino’s standards. The key was to include a primer for longer wear. “We wanted to create a range of skin-centric tones to also be used as a tinted eye shadow base,” Blandino said. “It also gives you freedom to play and layer on top.” Blandino sees the world shifting toward a more monochrome, pared-back aesthetic. Plus, the eye shadow’s chocolate scent is a clinically proven mood-booster, he said. “We’re going back to a base of neutrality. You don’t need to buy 40 different things, or spend two hours in the mirror. Most of us aren’t even wearing pants anymore.”

Huda Kattan is breaking back into eyes. After starting with false lashes in 2013 and expanding, Kattan is launching its first mascara: actually, two. “You’re getting two full-size products in one for maximum effects. It was important to have a custom formula and a custom brush,” a spokesperson for the brand said of the double-ended mascara. “Many consumers were layering mascaras, and Huda didn’t want people to make combinations themselves,

Huda Beauty Legit LashesAVAILABLE ON HUDABEAUTY.COM AND SEPHORA, $27.

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Milk Makeup Kush Triple Brow PenAVAILABLE IN EIGHT SHADES AT MILKMAKEUP.COM AND SEPHORA, $22.

Making a brow marker both hydrating and waterproof presents challenges, but for Milk Makeup, keeping the formula as clean as possible to maintain its Clean at Sephora certification added extra hoops to jump through. Building off of its preexisting Kush Brow Gel, the Triple Brow Pen features the same hero ingredient, cannabis seed oil, as its predecessor. “The oil makes it hydrating and not crunchy. We wanted the hydration,” said Dianna Ruth, cofounder and head of product

development at Milk Makeup. Ingredients aren’t the innovation, though: the three-pronged brush is said to achieve the effects of microblading. “We liked the effect of natural-looking hairs and how to mimic hairs,” said Ruth. “We didn’t have something long-wear and hardcore. We wanted to do the triple-applicator to mimic microblading with the intensity of a marker.” The resulting formula is available in eight shades and a little goes a long way, said Ruth. “It’s not your standard brow gel, it takes a little practice to get the right pressure. If you press really hard, you’ll get a lot of ink,” she noted. “You need to have a delicate hand to get your desired effect.”

As makeup artist Gucci Westman sought to expand her namesake line, Westman Atelier, she wanted to bring her trademark rigor to the product-development process, this time focusing on the eyes. The process took a little longer than usual, but the resulting Eye Pods were worth the wait, said Westman. “I always want to take a benchmark that feels super innovative and exciting in terms of performance and texture, and make that clean,” Westman said. Her goal was to achieve the texture and feel of a silicone-laden product without it. The resulting product uses coconut oil and fatty acids for silkiness and rice extract for a pillowy texture. “It’s makeup you can layer and choose to wear, it’s meant to enhance you and it’s not something too tricky, it’s uncomplicated, chic, performance-driven,” Westman said. The packaging is another point of difference: three miniature pots that stack and click together — “My son was playing with lids from products in our office, and it’s when we came up with the idea,” Westman said — making for both portability and ease of application.

Westman Atelier Eye PodsAVAILABLE IN TWO PALETTES AT WESTMAN-ATELIER.COM, $88.

she wanted to combine formulas herself.” The brand said the combined result took five years to produce. Execs said it was worth the wait, noting that China is also seeing significant increases in the eye category, which it considers a harbinger of positive post-coronavirus sales.

13

MAY 22, 2020

MASTER CLASS

VASILIKI PETROU HAS a mission.

“We need to write history and

create a new culture of beauty, new

language, new business models,

to grow the category in ways that

haven’t been done before,” said the

executive vice president of Unilever

Prestige. “This is something that is

very exciting to me.”

She stepped into her current

role six-and-a-half years ago, when

the executive began building from

scratch the Unilever Prestige division,

which last year generated sales of

approximately 600 million euros,

according to the WWD Beauty Inc Top

100 ranking. Combined with its mass

businesses, Unilever is the second-

largest beauty-maker worldwide.

Petrou keeps cherry-picking

brands for the group’s portfolio. Over

the past 18 months, that’s included

the purchases of Garancia, Tatcha

and Lenor.

Here, Petrou discusses the

COVID-19 crisis, beauty’s changing

complexion and why she asks

interviewees where they food shop.

How is the pandemic changing

the concept of prestige and

high-touch beauty?

Vasiliki Petrou: There is a new

normal that’s being redefined as

we speak. The only thing we’re sure

of at this point is that the virtual

world is taking on a new life and is

replacing, to some extent, a lot of

the high-touch elements of beauty.

Not, obviously, the face-to-face

human [component], but you can do

consultations online that we didn’t

do as much of [previously].

[We’re discovering] a new muscle

— virtual interaction with consumers

— that we didn’t know we had to

that extent. This as a positive thing.

It would be really great to accelerate

that muscle, but then also reinvent

the human touch and the brick-

and-mortar experience, because we

definitely don’t want to go backward.

What’s the future of brick-and-

mortar retailing?

V.P.: It’s going to be more

experience-led, around education,

entertainment, experiential discovery

and human [contact]. Otherwise, you

would wonder what the difference

is between a machine and a person,

and we know that people love people.

That’s what defines humanity. So

nothing will replace the one-to-

one consultation, that intimacy and

privacy. Brick-and-mortar will have a

big role to play, but also I see it in a

newly invented role.

How has the crisis impacted

your thinking on distribution,

where channels such as

department stores are hard hit? V.P.: Unilever Prestige is not exposed

to a lot of heritage retail that has

come under stress. I had the luxury

to choose what channels we can play

in, and we did it with the future lens,

versus the lens of the past.

What is your thinking on

acquisitions?

V.P.: I’ve said all along that we are

always looking at acquisitions. We

are very picky about who we partner

with, because it’s a marriage for the

long term. We’re always looking at

everything. We have said we will not

play — at least for the time being —

in fragrance, because fragrance has

been commoditized over the years.

Can you comment on reports

that Unilever is looking to

acquire Charlotte Tilbury? V.P.: We are a public company, so

we never comment on M&A.

How are you viewing

sustainability in view of the

COVID-19 pandemic? V.P.: If anything our ambition

on sustainability has only gotten

stronger in the post-COVID-19 world.

Sustainability is part of the DNA

of the Unilever company. Unilever

remains committed to reusing

virgin plastic by 2023, with a long-

term goal of [it] being 100 percent

recyclable, reusable or compostable

by 2025. In Prestige, we are working

in the same direction.

We believe that the planet will not

change by one company alone. An

industry game-changing plan needs

to happen.

How is beauty consumption

shifting? V.P.: A consumer change is the use

of technology, [including] the older

population.

I am pretty sure that once people

go out to their companies, offices,

socially, they are still going to use

beauty. They may think twice about

buying an expensive bag, but I

can guarantee they’re not going to

think twice about putting a quality,

premium skin-care brand on their

face or using good color cosmetics or

a good hair-care brand.

We know now how beauty is

synonymous with self-esteem,

making people have positivity, giving

that extra confidence. I’m definitely

an optimist about consumer behavior

being the way it was — and hopefully

stronger in the future.

What are concerns today?

V.P.: What is worrying is what if we

fail to deliver on the opportunity to

reinvent ourselves. We need to look

at everything with a new lens and

reinvent it in a more optimal way

versus just doing the same thing.

That would be disappointing to me.

I have noticed in the industry

that when there is stress people

start accelerating promotions and

not providing the same richness of

content that was the case before. Now,

more than ever, the consumer needs

relevant, engaging but also purpose-

driven content that is useful and shows

that you are empathetic, listening and

responding to their needs.

What have learned about

leadership at Unilever? V.P.: Our ceo, Mr. Alan Jope, has

been the best-in-class example I

have seen of somebody who has

put the safety of people first and

foremost. What Mr. Jope has taught

everybody in Unilever — not just me

— is how our highest principles and

our ethos are quite solid and proven

in times of crisis.

Who are your mentors? V.P.: My inspiration is always the

founders in the business — and I can

call them mentors, as well — because

they are entrepreneurs, always see

beyond what other people see. This is

what I gravitate toward. I love their

pioneering spirit, and they’re always

[reinventing themselves]. We always

talk about: How do we lead beauty?

How do we create white space that

hasn’t been [there] before?

What was your first job? V.P.: I started working in the

summers when I was 13 years old.

My dad encouraged me to work in

the hospitality industry, so I was

a receptionist in a luxury hotel on

Skiathos Island in Greece. It taught

me early to appreciate the ethos of

work — to love what you do, always

be the best you can be and exceed

expectations at all times.

What are favorite questions to

ask during an interview?

V.P.: One is: “Where do you shop

for food?” It links into [people’s]

compass, their ethos, their principles

and values. It’s very much about how

do you treat your body.

The second thing is about what

sports do they do, because that also

gives me an insight into personality,

values, ethos, how curious they are

about life, and how open they are to

exploring new things.

Vasiliki Petrou The Unilever prestige chief shares her vision for the company.BY JENNIFER WEIL

DIRECT CONNECT: @VASILIKIPRESTIGE

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MAY 22, 2020

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The Tiny Face Challenge Takes Over TikTok

The trend emerged last week on the social media app and has since surpassed 5.8 million views. BY ALEXA TIETJEN

SOCIAL MEDIA IS sharing its spin on mask beauty.Last week, a makeup challenge emerged on TikTok of users filming

themselves, mouths covered, painting tiny noses and lips so as to give

the effect of a shrunken face. The trend quickly took off and this week,

the #TinyFaceChallenge surpassed 5.8 million views.

YouTuber Jaime French was widely credited with popularizing the

challenge. French shared a YouTube video of herself contouring and

shaping a tiny nose and mouth on her own face. The video racked up

nearly 600,000 views — a fraction of the hashtag's impact on TikTok.

The #TinyFaceChallenge is inspired, in part, by coronavirus

requirements to wear face masks in public. It seems to be social media's

tongue-in-cheek answer to mask beauty: with face masks likely to be

a permanent lifestyle accessory, beauty enthusiasts are using makeup

to display reimagined versions of their concealed facial features.

The trend is yet another example of beauty's TikTok craze, which

has only grown since the coronavirus began. In April, E.l.f. revived

its viral TikTok campaign, remixing its hit "Eyes. Lips. Face." song

to include lyrics on proper hand-washing and other safety measures.

In March, Fenty Beauty became the first beauty company to open a

TikTok house in Los Angeles. The house, which featured a rotating

roster of residents, closed down shortly after its opening due to social

distancing guidelines.

The #TinyFaceChallenge has surpassed 5.8 million views on TikTok.