From custom filters to hashtag campaigns to virtual events, brands are offering convenient and interactive experiences to drive excitement and reach consumers where they’re shopping.

Summer Fridays Babymoon
Waitlist worthy: The latest launch from the influencer-led brand is a body balm designed to boost suppleness and elasticity for dry, stressed or overstretched skin. It’s water-free, vegan formula contains pregnancy-safe ingredients, including sunflower and avocado oils, and features a soothing, all-natural calendula scent. “We’ve been dreaming up this formula since I was pregnant with my son, Evan, because I really craved a clean, effective, ultra-nourishing formula that could be used daily. I had found myself especially sensitive to smells and wanted to create the dream belly balm with a calming scent and buttery texture,” explained, Lauren Ireland, Co-founder. “I’m now expecting my second child and have finally perfected our belly balm while testing it on my ever-changing body. I am so happy with how this product has eased feelings of itchiness and irritation that come with being pregnant.”
Marketing plan: Lauren will host a takeover on Summer Fridays’ Instagram the week the product launches, sharing the story behind the creation of Babymoon and her personal journey of motherhood. Additionally, throughout the month, Summer Fridays will feature IG takeovers from other mothers who will share their #BabymoonDiaries across social and also discuss how they balance self-care with motherhood. The brand will also be gifting VIP influencers who are currently pregnant with the new product and a Babymoon journal to write their #BabymoonDiaries during their pregnancy.
Availability: December 7, exclusively at summerfridays.com
Price: $28

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum
Waitlist worthy: The serum aims to help reduce the look of dark spots, sunspots, hyperpigmentation, discoloration and post-acne marks without causing irritation. The formula’s star ingredients include niacinamide, licorice root and golden kiwifruit (a superfruit loaded with vitamin C), which are designed work together to promote a more uniform, healthy looking and radiant complexion.
Marketing plan: “Our marketing plan focuses on educating the consumer on the causes of different types of dark spots and helping him/her understand how the proprietary niacinamide ingredient blend in our product helps treat dark spots at various stages of their development,” said Lilli Gordon, Founder & CEO. “The consumer today is extremely savvy and eager to learn the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind products. We have partnered with top dermatologist Dr. Caroline Robinson on virtual masterclasses with editors and influencers pre-launch, and she will be hosting an Instagram Live on our page to speak directly to consumers. We are also working with several influencer partners, all of whom have been testing the product for months, to showcase the firsthand results they’ve experienced on their acne marks, sunspots, hyperpigmentation and more. Additionally, we will utilize clinical test results and before-and-after photographs online and in-store to demonstrate the product’s efficacy.”
Availability: December 15 at Sephora.com, Ulta.com and FirstAidBeauty.com, and January 1, 2021 in Sephora and Ulta Beauty stores
Price: $42

NYX Professional Makeup #nyxcosmetics21drop
Waitlist worthy: The new spring collection includes six new SKUs: Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pencil, Marsh Mellow Primer, Shine Loud High Pigment Lip Shine, The Brow Glue, Total Control Pro Drop Foundation and Total Control Pro Illuminator and Hue Shifters.
Marketing plan: NYX Professional Makeup is celebrating its spring 2021 product collection with an all-digital, cross-platform approach, bringing together Snapchat and Triller, marking the first sponsored collaboration between the two platforms and a brand. Users will be able to access the NYX Snap Lens within the Triller app, and for the first time, seamlessly be taken directly to Snapchat, where they will experience an immersive AR NYX Cosmetics store (the first-ever in the beauty space) where fans can experience and shop product before anyone else. Additionally, a free virtual concert will be hosted on Triller on the @nyxcosmetics page while also streaming simultaneously on Twitch and YouTube, featuring Bebe Rexha on December 18 at 5pm.
Availability: December 9 at an exclusive Snapchat AR Store as well as NYX Cosmetics, followed by major retailers in December/January
Price: $11 – $17

Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick
Waitlist worthy: This overnight concentrated serum-balm features encapsulated retinol, designed to reduce the ingredient’s exposure to light and air which could decrease potency. It also features a blend of peptides meant to strengthen and smooth skin, while astaxanthin aims to defend against free radicals and environmental stressors.
Marketing plan: “This will be a focused, digital-first campaign. Our video campaign will deploy on social and paid media at launch, as well as a very targeted media approach across our platforms that speaks to our very wide customer base with a focus on prevent, maintain, and refine that supports the customer’s skin journey,” said Erin Murray, Senior Director of Marketing and Strategy.  “We will leverage our strong SMS consumer base and new SMS consumers to provide them exclusive access to our community through campaign activations, promotions, giveaways, etc. Expect some fun activations with our favorite derms, influencers, custom filters, a #refineyourlines skincare challenge, and much more robust education content across QR code tests, TikTok, Instagram, and our additional social and digital platforms throughout December and well into the new year. In January we have some exciting in-store activations supporting the launch with our exclusive partner, Sephora.”
Availability: December 21 at Sephora.com, Sephora.ca and Peaceoutskincare.com
Price: $28

RapidGlam Eyelash Enhancing Mascara
Waitlist worthy: RapidGlam is introducing what the brand said is the market’s first ‘mascserum,’ a fiber-infused primer, mascara and lash enhancing serum combined in one product to offer buildable, voluminous lashes.
Marketing plan: “The product launch includes a partnership with celebrity makeup artist, Kira Nasrat, who will be presenting RapidGlam to a lineup of national editors in mid-December,” said Nicole Pigott, Brand Manager at ROCASUBA, Inc., North American Distributor of RapidLash and RapidGlam.  “We are delighted to work with Kira and get this heroic product into the hands of editors. I think personal trial for the editors will be key so they can see the instant lash volumizing results of the primer and mascara as well as enjoy the long-term benefits of the fortifying lash ingredients.” Additional marketing plans include the launch of the product’s website, Glam.RapidLash.com, social media giveaways, influencer campaigns with special offers for followers, introductory offers in the brand’s salon/spa professional market, launch videos, print ads and editor product reviews and testimonials via Instagram.
Availability: December 1 at Glam.RapidLash.com and on Dermstore.com on January 4, 2021
Price: $35

Artis HyperBlend Pro Pens
Waitlist worthy: “Just like our previous innovations, this product disrupts beauty category norms. In this case, mattifying, highlighting and contouring. Our new pens create subtle accents to the skin that mimic the way our eyes perceive light (or lack thereof) instead of using color to artificially make lights and shadows,” said Leigh Parrinello Adelman, President.
Marketing plan: “Since the product is such a disruption, we’re leading with education in our launch marketing plans. Given COVID-19, our programming will focus on digital education across content platforms and with influencers, including expert makeup artists to help educate on use and demonstrate application techniques,” said Leigh.
Availability: December 14 on byartis.com
Price: $50

Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil-Serum
Waitlist worthy: Designed to be used as a serum and moisturizer, the product’s formula features nourishing ingredients such as camellia oil and sea buckthorn extract to reduce redness and prevent moisture loss. Chamomile extract, vitamin E and sodium hyaluronate are also used to help keep skin hydrated and bright.
Marketing plan: “To support the launch of this product, we wanted a strong digital strategy to combine with something more tangible and experiential. On the digital side, our creative director, Cate White, created some incredible still and video assets that we leveraged across our owned channels (social, web, SMS, and email) along with our first IG filter, Sunday Morning Glow,” said Mia Zee, Marketing Director.  “We also partnered with five top beauty YouTube creators, Susan Yara, Cydnee Black, Karen O, Amanda Ensing, Beauty Within – to cover the oil/serum in the first week after launch. On the experiential side, we took inspiration from the product name to evoke that Sunday morning-feeling through our multi-tiered activation and seeding program. For the activation, we hosted seven top-tier influencers to a staycation at home (the safest way to do this, given the surge in COVID in CA). The morning of the staycation coincided with our launch date. Each influencer received room service-style breakfast at home with a custom Versed newspaper announcing the product launch, plus a bottle of Sunday Morning, all to enjoy while tuning into an educational Zoom call hosted by our Director of Brand and Education, Deven Hopp, and our Director of Product Development, Tamerri Ater. A curated list of 80 additional macro influencers received the Versed newspaper along with a sweet treat on launch morning, followed by our larger seeding list of influencers who received the product the afternoon of launch day.”
Availability: December 3 on versedskin.com
Price: $20

Serumkind’s Chaga Charging Powder, Chaga Charging Drop and Black Blossom Hand Serum
Waitlist worthy: The brand is adding three new products to its collection. Chaga Charging Powder consists of 100 percent Siberian Chaga Mushroon Extract Powder and aims to revitalize and energize skin; it can be  mixed into a drink or applied topically as skin care. Chaga Charging Drop is designed to be  a highly moisturizing serum and features 500,000ppm of Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus Extract) collected from Siberia. The third launch, Black Blossom Hand Serum contains black tulips and aims to help improve the skin barrier.
Marketing plan: “For the fall launch of our Chaga Charging Drop, Chaga Charging Powder and Black Blossom Hand Serum, we wanted to highlight the really special nature of these products by partnering with our favorite makeup artist and beauty expert, Jamie Greenberg. We tapped on her experience working with Hollywood’s top celebrities and saw how skincare is so important to the application of makeup. Her expertise really shined through in a super fun and collaborative Zoom launch party where she conveyed how these new products help protect your skin from inside and out,” said Helen Kim, Head of US Marketing. “We have all the bases covered with the launching trio, the Chaga Charging Drop for the perfect single-step glow, Chaga Charging Powder to help boost immunity from the inside and the Black Blossom Hand Serum to protect your hands from all the hand washing.“
Availability: December 7 at serumkind.com
Price: Chaga Charging Powder ($37), Chaga Charging Drop ($55), Black Blossom Hand Serum ($27):

pH Plex
Waitlist worthy: Formulated to the natural pH of hair and skin, pH Plex is a system designed to protect and repair damaged hair during the coloring or bleaching process, with a two-step treatment that aims to treat hair at the molecular level, while reducing the unpleasant chemical sensations associated with these types of treatments. The system’s third step is a weekly deep conditioner.
Marketing plan: For its U.S. debut, the company will tap into top-class hair professionals in all regions as product ambassadors, as well as beauty influencers, make-up artists and industry experts to showcase pH Plex’s performance.
Availability: December 9 on Amazon.com in the U.S. The brand is looking to expand in Q1 2021 into Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Price: $5 for a double sachet