Beyond The Headlines: Haus Labs’ expansion through Sephora at Kohl’s, Dove’s body confidence tennis campaign

30 Aug 2024 --- This week in industry news, we cover the latest developments in unisex scents and cruelty-free vegan makeup. Notable brand celebrity endorsements also come to light with actress Shay Mitchell and rising tennis star Emma Navarro.

New product launches

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, a clean and cruelty-free makeup brand, expanded in Sephora at Kohl’s stores across the US and on Kohl’s online webshop. The launch features 132 products across eight categories, including 51 shades of Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation and all 31 shades of Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + Depuffing Concealer. It offers a selection of best-sellers, award-winners and viral hits. The expansion furthers the brand’s mission to provide “high-tech and high-performance” vegan beauty products to a wider audience in the US. Following its initial launch in 2022, Haus Labs has grown rapidly, expanding internationally across North America, the UK and Europe. 

Luxury home and lifestyle brand K-3, co-founded by the late designer Kenzo Takada and Jonathan Bouchet Manheim, expanded in the fragrance market with a new collection featuring three unisex scents — 39 Blue Moss, 64 Gardenia and 85 Tonka — crafted in collaboration with perfumers from dsm-firmenich, inspired by key moments in Takada’s life and career. Celebrating the launch, K-3 will reopen its showroom in Paris, France, reflecting the brand’s ethos of “fusing multicultural aesthetics with a contemporary twist,” expressed in the array of home furnishings: textiles, furniture, ceramics, rugs, bath linen, eyewear and various accessories. The new fragrances will be available online at K-3 and ScentBeauty webshops, and in stores across the EU, Middle East and Latin America this fall.

Maybelline New York named actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell as its newest global ambassador (Image credit: Maybelline New York).Campaigns and initiatives

Beauty powerhouse Dove partnered with rising tennis star Emma Navarro to promote body confidence in young athletes ahead of her debut in a major US tennis tournament. Navarro is the first official athlete partner to wear the Dove logo during competition and says she aims to inspire young girls to embrace their abilities rather than focus on appearance. The campaign addresses findings from Dove research that suggests 45% of girls drop out of sports by age 14 due to low body confidence. As part of Dove’s ongoing efforts through the Body Confident Sport program, developed with Nike, Navarro joins other partners in supporting self-esteem initiatives for girls aged 11–17. The program provides “scientifically-proven” online coaching tools to help change negative conversations around body image in sports and empower the next generation of female athletes.

Maybelline New York announced actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell as its newest global ambassador, adding to its roster of “cultural trendsetting ambassadors.” Known for her self-expression and creative approach to beauty, Mitchell will represent the brand in upcoming campaigns, starting with a global brand initiative this fall and two new product launches. Maybelline’s global brand president, Trisha Ayyagari, praised Mitchell for her “unique balance of strength and fun,” embodying the brand’s values of authenticity and individuality. Mitchell, an actress and entrepreneur with over 56 million followers, is known for her roles in “Pretty Little Liars,” “You” and “Dollface,” and for founding successful ventures like the travel brand Beis and tequila brand Onda.

ELF Beauty announced a new share repurchase program authorized by its board of directors, allowing the company to buy back up to US$500 million of its common stock. This follows the exhaustion of a previous US$25 million program, with around US$17 million used for repurchases recently. CEO Tarang Amin and CFO Mandy Fields expressed confidence in the company’s growth strategy and its ability to generate strong cash flow, highlighting that the new authorization offers flexibility for capital allocation while supporting long-term value creation for shareholders.

Executive appointments

Naples Soap Company appointed Andrea Cataneo, a corporate and securities attorney, to its advisory board. With over 25 years of experience and more than 200 capital markets deals to her name, the company says Cataneo brings extensive expertise in legal and business strategy. Naples Soap Company CEO Deanna Wallin praised Cataneo’s entrepreneurial spirit, business insight and legal acumen as valuable assets to the company’s growth initiatives. Founded in 2009, Naples Soap Company offers over 600 skin and hair care products through its retail stores in Florida, online and via wholesale distribution across the US.