CBD wellness brand darling, Lord Jones, had planned a two-day event this week at a New York wellness hotspot to celebrate the launch of its first-ever facial product.

Then COVID-19 hit, and Lord Jones, like numerous other consumer brands, had to pivot.

Instead of a total cancellation, the brand decided to have a virtual launch for its Whole Plant Formula Acid Mantle Repair CBD Moisturizer, arranging for executives to connect with media over two successive Zoom calls.

“Well, here we are,” said Robert Rosenheck, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based Lord Jones, who was on the call with his wife, Chief Brand Officer and Co-founder, Cindy Capobianco. Like everyone at Lord Jones, they were working from home; brand imagery provided a backdrop, so it wasn’t as if attendees could see a kitchen behind them.

“We cancelled the event when things got dire, but we knew we wanted to do this online,” said Robert. “It’s a new world, and one we are all facing together for the first time.”

Robert and Cindy took the opportunity to talk to media members about the new product, which rolls out on sephora.com in early April, and is scheduled to hit 22 Sephora stores by mid-April. (Currently Sephora stores across the U.S. are shuttered. The retailer has said it will evaluate re-opening units at the end of March.) Items are currently available on lordjones.com.

The brand has a body lotion, Stiletto Cream, created in collaboration with luxury shoe designer, Tamara Mellon, and its signature Royal Oil, designed to be used topically or ingested.

“We’d always been interested in getting into facial skin care,” said Cindy. “But we hadn’t really found the right moment to create and formulate a product that we thought would do what our brand has always done – be disruptive and put products in the market that people would need and use and that would make a difference in their lives.”

The new moisturizer, $75, contains a five-ceramide complex alongside the full spectrum hemp-derived CBD oil, said the brand’s Product Development Manager, Jenni Ewing, also on the call. The hyaluronic acid and sustainably-sourced squalene from sugar cane helps replenish skin barrier moisture. Jenni said the product was formulated to help redress the issues created by the overuse of other skin care products.

“Over-cleansing with harsh surfactants or over-exfoliating contribute to the skin being vulnerable,” she said.

The fact that Lord Jones does its own manufacturing, distribution and fulfillment is critical during this time.

Given the challenging times in which an important product was being launched, Robert said that the fact Lord Jones does its own manufacturing, distribution and fulfillment was critical. And although the products are typically only sold online on the brand’s website and sephora.com, there are plans to explore other options.

“We are trying to be here for our customers, employees, retailers and stakeholders. We want to be as accommodating as we can,” said Robert.