Beyond The Headlines: Ancient Roman banquets inspire fragrance launch, Google & Pat McGrath Lab’s AR pop-up

20 Oct 2023 --- This week, fragrance brand Electimuss London introduced a perfume inspired by the epicurean pleasures of Ancient Rome. Google and Pat McGrath Lab collaborated on “The Art of Beauty” AR beauty pop-up experience, while Revolution Beauty and Warner Bros. debuted a DC Super-Villains Halloween makeup collection. International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) introduced its first audible “sound logo” in collaboration with Paris-based sound research lab IRCAM Amplify.

Business developments and product launches
Electimuss London, a niche perfume brand known for its Ancient Rome-inspired luxury fragrances, introduced the Vanilla Edesia perfume, created in collaboration with master perfumer Cécile Zarokian and now part of the brand’s Nero collection. The Roman goddess of feasting, Edesia, and the extravagant banquets of ancient Rome were referenced as inspirations behind the launch. Designed for both men and women, it features rich vanilla at its core, complemented by notes of mandarin, bergamot, cinnamon, pink pepper, heliotrope, ylang ylang and rose, with a base of musk, leather and robust woods.

Shop with Google teamed up with Pat McGrath Labs to introduce a three-day AR popup experience for try-on makeup services (Image credit: Pat McGrath Labs).Shop with Google and Pat McGrath Labs joined forces to introduce “The Art of Beauty,” a three-day AR pop-up experience open to the public from October 20 to 22. The event combines Pat McGrath Labs’ beauty products with Google’s AR technology, allowing visitors to virtually test the brand’s signature lip products and eyeshadow palettes, shop its collection, book makeup sessions with Pat McGrath Labs artists and take home product giveaways. Google’s AR Beauty tool, launched in 2020, enables users to virtually try on various beauty products, including eyeshadow, lipstick and foundation shades from multiple brands. This collaborative initiative aims to enhance the online shopping experience for beauty enthusiasts by providing a more inclusive and interactive approach to trying out cosmetics.

Revolution Beauty and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products collaborated on a DC Super-Villains cosmetics collection for Halloween. Available at Walmart in-store and online, the collaboration draws inspiration from comic book villains Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. The limited-edition collection offers 15 products, including eyeshadows, lip shades and accessories.

Vellvette Lifestyle, the company behind Sugar Cosmetics, formed a joint venture with Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan to enhance its Korean skin care brand, Quench Botanics. With Korean beauty products gaining popularity in India, this partnership aims to capitalize on the trend by offering high-quality Korean skin care products tailored to Indian consumers at affordable price points. The brand plans to expand its retail presence and aims to generate a net revenue of ₹100 crore (US$12 million) over the next year. The beauty and personal care industry is on a strong growth trajectory in India, and celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan are increasingly involved as strategic investors and brand collaborators.

Brand activities
IFF introduced its first “sound logo,” dubbed “World of Scents,” designed in collaboration with Paris-based sound research lab IRCAM Amplify. This sound logo was designed to evoke the human experience connected with scent. It is a blend of human sounds, upbeat dance music, ambient textures and world instruments. Earlier this year, IFF partnered with IRCAM Amplify to explore the emotional connections between sound and scent, conducting a study demonstrating that a purposefully designed sound boosted scent purchase intent by nearly 60% in an e-commerce setting. 

Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) presented its latest clinical research findings at the 33rd International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists Congress in Barcelona, Spain (September 4 to7). The keynote address by Dr. Nadine Pernodet, ELC’s SVP at Bioscience, emphasized that 75% of the aging process is directly related to epigenetics. Dr. Pernodet’s research explored how external factors and lifestyle influence skin aging, and how understanding positive and negative epigenetic signals can enable age reversal. The presentation also delved into circadian rhythm, microRNAs, mechanobiology and longevity proteins. Dr. Mei Yu, executive director of Clinical Translation at ELC, presented a study on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) across different ethnicities. The research aims to develop inclusive treatment options for PIH resolution.

Awards and recognitions
In-cosmetics Asia unveiled its official shortlist for this year’s Innovation Zone Awards celebrating excellence in cosmetic science across the Asia-Pacific region. The 20 shortlisted ingredients in the Best Active Ingredient and Best Functional Ingredient categories span various applications in skin care, hair care and sun care products. The selected innovations focus on everything from reducing the effects of poor-quality sleep on skin to enhancing the physiological functioning of hair follicles. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony in November, providing insights into the fast-evolving personal care market trends in the region.

DC Super-Villains Halloween makeup collection by Revolution Beauty and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (Image credit: Revolution Beauty).Symrise received double recognition at the 2023 BSB Environment Awards, winning first place in both the “Processes” and “Functionals and Recipients” categories. The beauty and scent solutions supplier’s SymFrequency collection — featuring apple and pomegranate ingredients — was acknowledged for its sustainable extraction technology and environmental impact, while the Upcycled Oils collection — including apple oil, elderberry oil and papaya oil — was lauded for its innovative use of byproducts and sustainable sourcing. 

Social outreach
ELC celebrated the International Day of the Girl by spotlighting its partnership with Student Leadership Network (SL Network) and The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS). For nearly 20 years, ELC and its Charitable Foundation have supported girls and gender-expansive youth from diverse communities. This partnership includes college and career readiness, leadership development and mental wellness programs. Nearly 100% of TYWLS graduates attend college, while many are in STEM-related fields. SL Network graduates have secured around US$1 billion in scholarships and financial aid.

ELC’s Breast Cancer Campaign released a short film featuring individuals from the US, UK, South Africa, Korea and the Middle East about advancing research, education and medical services to combat breast cancer. The campaign funds over 60 organizations worldwide, contributing more than US$118 million for research, education and medical services, including over US$93 million for research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

By Benjamin Ferrer