CEW Beauty News presents the latest brand and executive news impacting the beauty world. This week’s Beauty Bites include news on the gaining popularity of menopause as a rising, relevant topic; Estée Lauder’s new prestige brand license; JCPenney’s beauty play, and more.

By Amber Katz

Womaness Launches Menopositivy Tour: In celebration of international menopause awareness month, Womaness is kicking off its Menopositivity Tour at select Ulta Beauty doors.  Appearing at stores in three states this month will be experts talking through the four S’s of menopause: skin, sex, sleep, and stress. The tour looks to create an open space for women to talk about menopause, expanding the topic outside of doctor’s offices and conversations with friends.  “We felt it was important to normalize the topic, by bringing women together and giving them access to learn from our network of experts. We’re thrilled to take The Menopositivity Tour on the road, to continue to destigmatize the conversation about menopause and celebrate this stage of life,” said Sally Mueller, CEO and co-founder, Womaness. Experts include beauty and lifestyle expert Kym Douglas; Dr. Somi Javaid of HerMD; beauty YouTuber Dominique Sachse; sex expert Dr. Emily Morse; trainer and nutritionist Kim Schlag, and more. Ulta Beauty stores in Santa Monica, California; Dallas, Texas; and Northbrook, Illinois are cities planned for the tour.

Estée Lauder Cos. x Balmain Beauty: Estée Lauder has entered into a license agreement to collaboratively develop, produce, and distribute Balmain Beauty, with a collection expected to launch in 2024. Items will be designed to speak to luxury consumers around the world and will showcase Balmain’s Parisian couture techniques and will capitalize on Lauder’s innovative approach to prestige beauty. Guillaume Jesel has been appointed President, Global Brands, Tom Ford Beauty, Balmain Beauty and Luxury Business Development to oversee the effort.

JCPenney Bets on Beauty: JCPenney has announced plans to debut JCPenney Beauty in 600 of its locations by spring 2023. The expansion includes deepening its commitment to foster diversity in beauty with an inclusive brand assortment and an exclusive partnership with online retailer Thirteen Lune. JCPenney Beauty and JCPenney Salon will now offer more than 250 diverse beauty brands, from indie to K-Beauty to BIPOC to female-owned brands in-stores and online. “At JCPenney, our mission is to celebrate and serve America’s diverse, working families with an assortment that best reflects their unique beauty needs,” said Michelle Wlazlo, JCPenney Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer.  “Inclusivity is at the core of what we stand for and the national in-store rollout and online expansion of JCPenney Beauty honors our commitment to make hyper-inclusive beauty accessible across the country.”

Farmacy Leans into International Expansion: Due to high demand at Sephora and Amazon in the U.S, as well as consumer interest abroad, Farmacy has accelerated its expansion to deliver products around the world. Farmacy will now be sold in 40 SpaceNK doors in the United Kingdom; the brand has gained 175-plus doors across the EU in five different countries, and now boasts an online presence in 17 countries. Farmacy is also launching into four duty free doors in Macau (The Londoner, City of Dreams, Galaxy and Four Seasons) due to success among Chinese consumers. In addition, Farmacy will be featured in a new concept store in JFK’s Terminal 4, alongside other top skin care brands. Paul Connors, Senior Vice President of Sales & Education, Global and North America, Farmacy Beauty, said, “By expanding our distribution presence globally, we are ensuring consumers can experience Farmacy’s clean, sustainable, and efficacious formulas firsthand, which underscores the demand and consumer interest the brand has seen in the U.S. and abroad. Our latest omnichannel expansion in the UK with prestige partner SpaceNK is a huge milestone for Farmacy and shows the breadth of our continued growth around the world.”

L’Oréal Acquires Skinbetter Science: L’Oréal signed an agreement to acquire Skinbetter Science, a physician-dispensed American skin care brand backed by dermatological science, combining patented ingredients with luxe textures. Skinbetter Science was co-founded in 2016 by pharmaceutical industry professionals Jonah Shacknai, Justin Smith, and Seth Rodner, and has since become one of the fastest growing medical-dispensed skin care brands in the U.S. The brand is known for formulating innovative products with active ingredients for anti-aging, moisturizing, cleansing, exfoliating, skin peeling and sun protection.  Skinbetter Science recorded nearly $95 million in sales in the past 12 months ending August 31. Headquartered in Arizona, the brand’s leadership team will continue to run the business following the acquisition and will be integrated under the leadership of Christina Fair, President of the Active Cosmetics Division, L’Oréal USA.

Stacy London to Host State of Menopause Summit: Be prepared to hear a lot about menopause, beginning with the first ever State of Menopause Summit, hosted and founded by Stacy London. As the CEO of the summit, Stacy gathered influential voices in women’s health for a long overdue conversation about menopause. The summit will take place on October 18 at 10 a.m. ET at Soho Works, 55 Water Street in New York City. Topics to be discussed include how to educate people about menopause, reframing the conversation on the cultural impact of aging women, what’s needed in research and education to equip women for this stage of life,  and the urgency for legislative reform.