July Beauty Business news

from Cosmoss goodbye to Wilder Botanics new chapter, what's worth knowing about this month

Beauty industry never sleeps, with new developments going on behind closed doors and consumers waking up to something new every day. No wonder more and more wellness practitioners are asking us to try and not switch on our phone or laptop until we properly woke up, showered and had our first cup of something - coffee, tea, juice, smoothie. On some days I succeed, on others, which are higher numbered for now, I don’t and reach out for my phone to peak into straight after brushing my teeth and washing my face.

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Cosmoss files for voluntary liquidation

A brand founded and launched three years ago by Kate Moss and with contribution of her friends, model and nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson (who recently launched R Health virtual Club, where unlike Kate, she interviews her famous friends and clients about their wellness) and homeopath Victoria Young, has started the liquidation process. There was much excitement from the beauty press and retailers about the brand and the launch was hosted by Ms Moss in Harrods, but I didn’t see why the brand would hit the mark & fly off the shelves. Whether Kate truly changed her party lifestyle by that stage of her life or not, while she remains the undisputed queen of fashion, beauty guru she never was. There were already plenty of celebrity and model skincare - Miranda Kerry launched hers a decade or so ago and it is still going strong (well, sort of) and herbal teas on the market, did we need more?

Both BoF and Industry of Beauty editorials on the subject seemed to chime with each other that the reason was Kate’s preference to stay in the background, but I don’t buy into that. While I could understand women wanting to buy a range of perfumes from Kate Moss, skincare and herbal teas they can very well buy elsewhere - and at a better price point at that. So my expert opinion is that it wasn’t about Kate not giving interviews and extolling the virtues of her products that was the problem, the problem was her not being the beauty trendsetter, but trying to jump on a popular celebrity beauty bandwagon and see if it rolls or stolls. Will it defer other celebrities from launching their brands? I doubt it, as until investors continue giving celebrities the money for their vanity beauty ventures, celebrity beauty brands will be launched in consumer stratosphere. We all would be better off if instead investors directed their interest towards niche beauty brands with innovative potential, as they are the ones that bring innovation to the industry but struggle to get the funds for the next stage of growth or retail expansion. Food for thought!

Facegym secures investment for expansion to India

British skincare and gadget brand Facegym, founded by beauty glamazon Inge Theron, who has also been consulting luxury spas in the last few years, including the one of Claridges and Emory hotels in London, has secured a strategic investment (amount not specified, but supposedly it is a minor one) to expand brand’s presence and services in India, where beauty consumers are ripe for educating and winning over. With current international presence in NY, Sydney and LA by Facegym, India’s Reliance Investment Venture will power local operations and expansion into a country with vast growth potential is a smart strategic move for both sides of this deal.

Facegym offers it’s sculpting massage facials in stores like Selfridges and its own, stand alone outposts in King’s Cross and Maida Vale, but even though the brand attracts men with their sculpting facials, I have been hearing more women grumble that it is impossible to switch off and enjoy those treatment bang in the middle of chatty Selfridges beauty hall for example. Are you a fan of Facegym skincare? While I have given brand’s face massage ball as Xmas gift, I can’t say that I regularly use Facegym steel massage tool, even though it comes with a scannable code which leads you to the massage video to make sure you use the signature moves, nor does Facegym skincare feature on my bathroom shelf. What about you?

Wilder Botanics to open its new store in Queen’s Park this Saturday, July 5th

Wilder Botanics was founded by former fashion model Rachel Landon and her formulator and detail-oriented husband Charlie. The brand has been making slow beauty skincare, body care, tinctures and herbal tees which used to be sold in their store in Broadway market and select retailers dotted around London. This coming Saturday opens a new chapter for the brand with the opening of their store on Lonsdale road, located at No.55

With lots of light streaming through glass doors, you will find all Wilder Botanics products on display and can get personalised recommendations and matching. In time Rachel will do individual consultations, while aromatherapist and holistic practitioner Tabitha Robertson might provide treatments. She gave hand massages on the morning of the store preview and it was utterly blissful.

Please check store’s opening hours before going, but if you visit in the morning there is a great cafe/restaurant close by, on the same road in fact, called Don’t Tell Dad, which has become a buzzy place to visit among those in the know.

Lovely staff serves coffee and tea and you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to pastries and cookies - I was lucky to indulge in a strawberry pastry after the Wilder Botanics event with a friend and I also loved the decor, as well as a chance to see bakers at work.

And if you visit in the afternoon, there is Pizza Pilgrims to celebrate your Wilder purchasers straight after. I am a fan of Goddess of Protection body oil that reminds me of the warmth of the summer sun, calendula flowers and the blissful state of mind you get in the summer, as well as Phyto radiance face oil and Solstice tea. There are products to help you deal with hormonal issues, stress, sleep and immunity and the energy flows beautifully in the new store, hopefully bringing a stream of naturally minded customers through the welcoming doors. Definitely worth a trip to Lonsdale road that I think is fast becoming a secret destination for those in the know on the subject of food & holistic wellbeing.

Twelve Beauty launches a new face serum to counteract redness and irritation of the skin

Spanish beauty brand Twelve Beauty, available in the UK for several years via online beauty retailer Content, has recently launched its latest innovative product, which was three years in the making, aimed to help those customers who struggle from redness, irritation and rosacea on their skin, namely the face. I have asked the brand to send me the press release, but unfortunately they still haven’t, but luckily some information can be found online .) B12 Calm Serum has a gentle and fast absorbing formula that promises to “reduce persistent redness, soothe reactive skin and restore balance to complexions affected by sensitivity, inflammation, or environmental stress”.

The serum, which colour reminds me of juicy & ripe pomegranates, contains Vitamin B12, botanical extracts and marine bio-tech actives - increasingly used by brands in beauty in order to safeguard the plants in nature - like Alteromonas ferment extract. This face care product is fragrance-free and will be easy to incorporate into your skincare routine, as you can still continue to use your other products alongside it - unless they led to your skin irritation in the first place.

Pedro Catala, Twelve Beauty founder & formulator: “My mission hasn’t changed over the years: soothing and supporting sensitive skin remains the mantra behind every formula I create. B12 Calm Serum is my tribute to those reactive skin types that can’t tolerate anything. Nothing in its composition is accidental; every ingredient has been carefully chosen with one clear purpose – to support and strengthen the delicate structure of compromised skin.”

Key Ingredients:

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): One of the best vitamins for supporting skin regeneration and reducing inflammation. It helps to soothe irritation and promote a more even skin tone, making it ideal for calming stressed or redness-prone skin.

Mallow Flower Extract: Rich in mucilage, this soothing botanical forms a protective film on the skin, relieving discomfort and calming irritation.

Acerola Extract: Exceptionally high in Vitamin C, it supports collagen production, protects against environmental stress, and reduces irritation that can exacerbate redness.

Alteromonas Ferment Extract: A marine-derived active known to treat expression wrinkles, leaving skin smoother and more resilient.

You can use the serum after sun exposure, as it helps to reinforce skin’s protective barrier, cosmetic procedures like dermabrasion or micro-needling or when you skin flares up or feels stressed due top hormones or lifestyle factors. Will it compete with products like that from Rosalique time will tell, but as more people suffer from reactive skin, the more effective formulas there are to address redness, the better women and men suffering from this skin issue will be. And Twelve’s founder Pedro Catala, who is based in Alicante and successfully works with shops and spas in Spain, is a much respected and handsome formulator, cosmetologist and pharmacist, with extensive knowledge of herbology & plants, which are expertly incorporated into Twelve Beauty skin, body and haircare.

Meet “the Crystal Slipper Collection” from RMS Beauty

Trust the RMS team to come up with things you didn’t think you needed, but most definitely want, as soon as you lay eyes on them. Crystal Slipper, not the new shade for RMS, has been a surprising and stratospheric success for the brand, due to its versatility of matching most skin tones beautifully. You can call it a ‘smart no-brainer shade’ just because it is so good in giving skin a natural glow that seems to come from within.

Now there are five ways to wear this shade - on your eyelids, cheeks, lips or wherever else you feel like applying it, for example your collarbones. It adds a subtle, confidence boosting element to your daily make-up and fits easily into luggage, work or gym bag. A secret make-up weapon for attraction! Or as Rose-Marie Bravo, RMS Beauty founder says “you don’t need much to look damn good. Just the right product!’

So, one favourite and flattering shade - think sun kissed pink-buff with a hint of soft, golden glow - that makes skin look sunlit and beautiful irrespective of age. A flattering sun-kissed palette to paint your skin with, distilled into five different products. Living Luminizer, Lip2Cheek, Legendary Lip oil that is non-sticky and non-gloopy, Eyelights Cream eyeshadow & ReDimension Hydra Powder blush. I call this collection ‘flatter and colour me happy’ !

If you prefer cream make-up formulas, the collection hits the mark. And if you prefer powder that doesn’t dry or sink into the creases or wrinkles a few hours after the application, for those of us with slightly more mature skin, than there is no better powder formulas than the ones that RMS Beauty do. The powder stays in place, the colour stays put, enhancing your skin, rather than having an ‘ageing’ effect that many powder make-up products from other brands seem to have on the skin once you hit 35+ or start getting wrinkles. I have tried quite a few over the years and this is the only one I use.

Interestingly and without naming names, I have tried a couple of recent launches from two luxury make-up brands that I generally like - and I am very glad I didn’t buy them or take marketing claims at their word. So this is something for you to be aware of, as you move from the breathtaking youth to confident maturity .)

This Is Silk launches exclusively at John Bell & Croyden

I first wrote about this upcoming and intriguing British beauty brand in February last year, impressed after meeting former criminal barrister, now beauty brand founder Sonal Keay and hearing from her about the idea and evolution of her creative endeavours. You can read in more detail about it here - my posts become paid for after a few weeks, but you can claim a free post, if you are curious!

Fast forward months of hard work behind the scenes and This Is Silk has now launched exclusively at John Bell & Croyden, a legacy Central London pharmacy which has made steady progress since Covid in becoming known as the purveyor of luxury beauty from all corners of the world. I will drop by next week to take the pictures, but can tell you that the brand is a perfect example in ingredient innovation and will surprise you with the positive impact the formulas will have on your skin.

This is all I have for you for now and most likely I will press ‘pause’ on beauty industry news in August, as I hope to empty my head and recharge my internal and creative batteries. Having said that, if anything truly important or worthy happens - fingers crossed NOT - I will spotlight it for you or share news in my NOTES.

If you have interesting news to share or new launches that you want me to spotlight, please drop me a line. And of course, please do share your own beauty discoveries, so we all become wiser and more knowledgable about things, that’s what the community of Substack is all about. Also, please do share this post with anyone who you think might enjoy reading it and I always appreciate your ‘likes’ on my posts, as it helps to increase my visibility of Substack - thank you :))))