Beyond The Headlines: Miley Cyrus’ magnolia season with Gucci, Sheglam unveils Harry Potter wizarding glam kit

04 Aug 2023 --- This week, Sheglam revealed a new Harry Potter Color Collection crafted to blend into everyday makeup routines, adding a “touch of magic and whimsy” to everyday looks. Miley Cyrus was selected for the Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia Eau de Parfum campaign, while Burberry debuted “Barbie” star Emma Mackey as the face for its new Goddess Fragrance. In financial news, Cosrx’s business surged by 138% in the first half of 2023.

Business developments and launches
Cosrx highlighted year-on-year growth of 138% in the first half of 2023. The skin care brand anticipates a two-fold increase by the end of 2023. The success of Cosrx in the first half of 2023 is attributed to four key strategies. The first is #Cosrx, surpassing 2.1 billion cumulative views on TikTok. The second is building and investing in B2C processes with Amazon, Shopee and Qoo10 Japan. Thirdly, the company has expanded customer touchpoints through global retailers like Ulta and Watsons. Lastly, the company has diversified its product portfolio and focused on boosting sales of its “million-seller” products.

Sheglam unveiled a collection inspired by the Harry Potter potions and wizarding school houses (Image credit: Sheglam).US-headquartered sustainable beauty ingredients supplier Inolex is expanding its presence in the growing Indian market with the establishment of a new commercial center in Mumbai. The company will be supplying the Indian beauty industry with natural, sustainable ingredients, particularly aligned with Ayurveda practices that are deeply rooted in the country’s culture. India emerged as a key market for Inolex several years ago as the company resourced further expansion in Asia. The country’s rich heritage of prioritizing wellness goes hand-in-hand with Inolex’s focus on green chemistry and eco-friendly technology.

Bio-based beauty chemistry company Groupe Berkem announced its H1 results while providing information on its latest activities. Two divisions – “Construction & Materials” and “Hygiene & Protection” – were impacted by a building market that has slowed sharply in recent months, due to inflationary pressures. The company says it is offsetting this setback thanks to the “excellent sales momentum” of its Health, Beauty & Nutrition division, boosted by the ongoing launch of new products and an expanding international distribution network, which is expected to accelerate this division in the second half of the year. Revenue in the Health, Beauty & Nutrition division rose by a healthy 6.5%, supported by the launch of new cosmetics products and the signing of distribution agreements worldwide. The Hygiene & Protection division was down by 2%, also impacted by the adverse conditions in the construction sector, with half-year revenue of €6.5 million (US$7.1 million).

Sheglam entered collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products for a collection inspired by the Harry Potter films. The new Harry Potter Color Collection features four eyeshadow quads inspired by the four houses of Hogwarts – Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The collection includes a set of four high-shine lip glosses inspired by magical brews. The Polyjuice Potion gloss, for instance, is enriched with millet seed extract for a moisturizing effect. The Amortentia gloss features physalis fruit extract for an incredibly nourishing finish. The Felix Felicis gloss is infused with thyme extract to nourish lips. For a “touch of mystery,” the Draught of Living Death gloss contains lavender extract.

World of fragrance
Singer and actress Miley Cyrus was unveiled as the face of Gucci’s new Flora Gorgeous Magnolia Eau de Parfum campaign. The new release is part of the house’s Flora Fantasy connection, which Cyrus first worked on with Gucci back in 2021. Acclaimed perfumers Daphné Bugey and Marie Salamagne created the new scent which Gucci describes as being “filled with unexpected yet complementary notes.” The perfume draws inspiration “from free-spirited women,” with the scent built around magnolia alba, an ancient and rare plant that requires a specific harvest and careful distillation process. Its fruity, floral sweetness is balanced by a clary sage-like edge, to reflect an “intuitive nature.” The resulting magnolia essence “exudes cheerfulness and a luminous, noble spirit.” To enhance the sweetness of the magnolia essence, dewberry essence is added for a “fruity, juicy dimension.” Striking a “balance between freshness and sensuality,” patchouli essence is then used to ground the scent. Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia also features blond woods which provide a gentle, sensual touch, while coconut delivers a vanilla freshness. Finally, jasmine sambac lends a green intensity and warmth that comes together with a “mellowing trail of musks.”

Elizabeth Arden launched a China summer holiday campaign in Hainan to feature its range of travel cosmetics (Image credit: Elizabeth Arden).Burberry has chosen “Barbie” star Emma Mackey as its face for the new Goddess Fragrance launch – the brand’s first fragrance packaged in a refillable bottle. Burberry describes “Goddess” Eau de Parfum as a “gourmand aromatic fragrance” led by a trio of vanilla notes. The bottling comes in an elegant design integral to the brand’s heritage, yet modernized with a chic gold medallion. In the campaign, Mackey is surrounded by a group of lionesses, signaling the fierce femininity perfume evokes. “Lionesses represent female unity and strength. They are confident and move together,” Mackey says in a press release. “Much like them, we stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us and those who bolster us throughout our own lives.”

Brand activities and announcements
Sephora launched Sephora Sounds – a first ever music collective to “support and amplify” underrepresented, emerging artists through Sephora’s social platforms. With Sephora Sounds, the beauty retailer seeks to amplify and support diverse voices in the music artist community, and continues to enable creator representation. Since its inception earlier this year, Sephora Sounds has welcomed over 55 musical artists, who reflect the authenticity of Sephora’s broader beauty community, with more than half of the signed artists being BIPOC and female. With support from SixtyFour Music, the collective aims to financially benefit musical artists of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and more. Its goal is to foster a more representative musicscape across Sephora’s social channels such as TikTok, Instagram and more. Artists within the Sephora Sounds program will have their proprietary music and soundtracks featured in Sephora’s social content for followers to listen to, engage, and re-use in their own content. Sephora will continue to partner with more artists and add more musical voices into the mix as the program grows.

On August 8 and 9, Colgate will launch Totally Honest, an initiative inviting people to come “clean about their oral care habits” by anonymously admitting the lies they’ve been telling their dentist inside a pop-up booth. Colgate research finds 82% of people admitted to lying to their dental professional, with more than half (54%) saying they lie “at least somewhat often.” The event will take place at Flatiron Plaza in New York City, US. Participants will receive a complimentary sample of Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release. Participants will also be able to enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release and a US$400 gift card.

As part of the partnership between LVMH and the Paris 2024 Olympics, LVMH is selecting athletes to be ambassadors for its brands. The first athlete is swimmer Léon Marchand who, at the age of 21, is among the leading medal hopes for the French Olympic team. He is a five-time world champion and now the new record-holder in the 400-meter individual medley. Léon Marchand will represent Louis Vuitton as its ambassador for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Next week, Colgate will open a pop-up booth where people can discreetly divulge their oral health habits and lies they’ve told dentists (Image credit: Colgate).Melixir, marketed as Korea’s “first vegan and microbiome-friendly skin care brand,” announced its recent attainment of B-Corporation (B-Corp) certification, joining the ranks of companies recognized for their exceptional social and environmental impact. The B-Corp certification, bestowed upon over 6,000 companies worldwide, including brands like The Body Shop, recognizes positive social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. Melixir’s dedication to sustainability – primarily their recycling campaign called “me:cycle” – was pivotal in obtaining the certification. With the me:cycle initiative, Melixir has reduced over 200 kg of CO2 emissions each year by collecting and recycling its customers’ used and emptied product bottles.

Elizabeth Arden launched a China summer holiday campaign with an island-wide “Travel with Arden” event in Hainan. This year’s “Travel with Arden” campaign takes on a “touch of quirky humor” in collaboration with Parisian illustrator, Marie Assenat, to create large printed installations representing global tourist locations for photo opportunities. The installations debuted inside a pop-up space shaped like a bus, which makes its Hainan tour stops at Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex, Crowne Plaza Sanya Haitang Bay Resort and tourist destination Wuzhizhou Island Wharf. On board the activity bus, customers will be “touring” New York City at night, “skiing” at the Swiss Alps, “sunbathing” at Hainan beach resort and “dancing” in Amsterdam’s tulip fields. Interactive play buttons in the setup enable customers to learn exclusive beauty tips with Elizabeth Arden products in various scenarios: Nighttime, Wintertime, Summertime and Springtime. Customers can also get to trial Elizabeth Arden travel products at the product walls. This summer campaign ties in with the second Hainan International Offshore Duty-free Shopping Festival.

By Benjamin Ferrer