That’s pretty much the run for GlamGlow, which has earned some major bragging rights in just 18 months in the retail realm. LA-based GlamGlow consists of just two sku’s: Youth-Mud Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask, formulated to brighten dull skin in 10 minutes, and Super-Mud, a blemish-clearing mask. Already, Super-Mud ranks as one of Sephora’s top performing “Hot Now” skincare brands—and the brand only entered the chain in October.
“GlamGlow Super-Mud Clearing Treatment was one of the all-time highest rated products by our sales associates,” according to the retailer, citing an internal survey gauging cast response from assortments.
GlamGlow’s co-founder, Glenn Dellimore, said even Sephora executives were mystified by the brand’s brisk sales.
“[Sephora] asked me ‘What do you think is making this such a success?’ I told them I thought it was a number of things, including aspects of the brand, formula and packaging design.”
It turns out Hollywood studios (everyone from actors to makeup artists to executive big wigs) were the first to get their hands on GlamGlow products, where they quickly garnered a huge celebrity and power exec following. “I think when it hit stores people Googled it and saw where it was born and they wanted to try what Hollywood had become so taken with,” Glenn said.
GlamGlow’s Youth-Mud put the brand on the map. The product, which contains a patent-pending time-release technology formulated to deliver a blend of antioxidants directly into the skin from real pieces of tea leaf, got its big break at the ESPY Awards where stars used GlamGlow before their stage appearance for ESPN. Soon after in 2010, GlamGlow launched in Neiman Marcus, then a partnership was formed with Bliss, followed by W Hotels, Harrod’s, Fred Segal and Kitson. Glenn cites a number of A-listers as to why the brand is now a super star, including Keanu Reaves, Denzel Washington, Jeremy Piven, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Aniston and Beyonce.
Mike Indursky, President of Bliss, said, “Bliss customers have been responding well to GlamGlow on Blissworld.com.”
Adding to its consumer appeal, explained Glenn, is that GlamGlow products sell for $69 and offer instant results.
“In this type of economy consumers want one product that does a multitude of things. That, and it does what it says.”
Glenn hails from London where he said he established the first 5-star luxury health club in Europe, Jealous Luxury Health Club, which he later sold to an investor. He then managed events and served as a consultant for spas. In 2003 Glenn moved to the U.S. to pursue business opportunities. His wife and business partner, Shannon Dellimore, was a legal assistant for a popular entertainment law firm in Los Angeles prior to founding GlamGlow with Glenn.
Sales of both Youth-Mud and Super-Mud (which entered retailers in October 2012) were $4.5 million in 2012. Glenn said the brand has already exceeded 2012 sales during the first month of 2013. Both are now available in 2,000 stores in 52 countries.
Up next is Bright-Mud Under Eye Treatment, which has been circulating throughout Hollywood studios for the past 6 months and will hit shelves in May.
Glenn said he’s even piqued the interest of Wall Street: The company recently turned down an offer of $22 million by an undisclosed investment firm and has been featured in Forbes’ ‘The Rise of an Empire’. One firm Glenn said he spoke with predicted that if demand and productivity remained constant, GlamGlow could generate as much as $300 million to $500 million in wholesale sales over the next 36 to 60 months, with $100 million of that number coming from hotel sales, another $100 million in spa retail distribution and the remaining comprised of retail sales.
But Glenn said that for the now, the company remains small and uninterested in selling out to a larger firm.
“We still work from home, having converted a side of our home into an office, and we still have the same coffee table where we mixed our first batch of product. We are only a team of seven and are looking forward to an exciting future for our GlamGlow brand.”
