Amyris acquires Olika and MG Empower, unveils hair health and color cosmetics NPD

30 Aug 2021 --- Clean health and beauty company Amyris is continuing its growth track with the acquisition of Olika, a hand sanitizer brand, and MG Empower, an influencer marketing agency. The company also completed its three pre-announced NPD launches, including the Terasana brand of clinical skincare, JVN, a clean hair products brand and Rose, a clean color cosmetics brand.

“The brand-building expertise and proven track record of the Olika team will provide us with greater bandwidth for growth,” says John Melo, Amyris president and CEO.

“Both of these acquisitions are generating new revenue for Amyris and represent continued execution and further vertical integration of our leadership in selling direct to the consumer.”

Empowering acquisitions
Olika is a company active in the hygiene category and boasts transparency, combining safe and effective ingredients packaged in nature-inspired design. The company’s main products are its Olika Hydrating Hand Sanitizer collections.

The JVN collection features four accessibly-priced product families that are silicone-free, color-safe, sulfate-free, cruelty-free and vegan.MG Empower, founded by Maira Genovese in 2017, is an influencer marketing and digital innovation partner to brands including Amyris, Inc., Bumble, Chopard, StarzPlay, Deliveroo and TikTok. 

Based in London, England, the agency has built a proprietary influencer CRM and a network of over five million influencers. 

Amyris’ acquisition of MG Empower represents its continued investment in the future of marketing innovation by establishing a unique operating model that places digital technology and influencer marketing at the core of its consumer growth strategy. 

Rose color cosmetics
The company also unveiled Rose, its clean color cosmetics brand, developed in partnership with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. 

Rose is launching its first range called the Modern Essentials collection. Rose is already available globally via multiple retailers.

The brand will build on the success of Huntington-Whiteley’s digital community, which brings together beauty professionals and conscious beauty enthusiasts, the company supports.

“Rose’s products are multi-faceted: effortless and effective, clean, clinically proven and sustainable,” the company notes.

Its non-comedogenic formulas are developed with proprietary bioengineered and sustainably sourced ingredients, including Squalane, Amyris’ pure, sustainable and plant-derived moisturizer that adds weightless hydration. 

Rose is a clean color cosmetics brand, developed in partnership with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. (Image Credits: Roseinc.com)

Moreover, they include Hemisqualane, Amyris’ sustainable and naturally derived alternative to fluid silicones and cyclomethicone. 

Committed to vegan and cruelty-free products, the Modern Essentials collection includes the Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer, Lip Sculpt Enriched Amplifying Color, Brow Renew Enriched Shaping Gel, Blush Divine Radiant Lip & Cheek Color, Radiant Reveal Brightening Serum and Skin Resolution Clarifying Toner.

Clean haircare
Amyris also announced the launch of JVN, a clean hair products brand, in collaboration with hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness.

The JVN collection features four accessibly-priced product families that are silicone-free, color-safe, sulfate-free, cruelty-free and vegan. 

• Nurture: for hair that deserves extra moisture.
• Undamage: for hair that is stressed or overtreated. 
• Embody: for fine hair.
• Complete: for styling hair.

JVN formulas are built around Amyris’ Hemisqualane. This Amyris molecule penetrates the hair shaft, providing weightless nourishment that makes hair more manageable while reducing frizz and preserving color. 

It is an effective, clean, superior product to silicone in haircare that adds softness, slip, shine, and bounce to hair without compromising long-term hair health.

“Haircare is the fastest-growing category in beauty [in personal care],” says Melo. “We believe everyone should have access to effective, clean and sustainable hair care products. This is the third new clean beauty consumer brand we’re launching this month which further fuels continued growth momentum in the second half of this year.”

“The retail launch orders for JVN hair exceed the first full year of Biossance’s revenue indicating amazing interest for what has the potential to be the leading clean haircare brand.”

Eco-friendly beauty
Sustainability is at the core of the brand’s approach to clean ingredients, formulations, and packaging, prioritizing recyclable materials like aluminum and glass and a commitment to become 100 percent plastic-free by 2025. 

Each formula contains ingredients selected on the basis of positive impact on hair and skin health and low impact on the environment, specifically aquatic ecosystems.

Earlier this month, Amyris launched Terasana Clinical, a clean skincare brand. Terasana Clinical’s debut skincare product, Clear + Control Healthy Skin Serum, seeks to tackle dry skin, skin flaking, irritation and redness with its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, which are designed to clear and balance the skin’s appearance.

By Kristiana Lalou