CEW Beauty News has compiled a list of beauty launches for May, and how sales and communications plans will adapt to the new climate, including donating proceeds to those affected by the pandemic.

First Aid Beauty FAB AID 101 Limited-Edition Kit
Waitlist worthy: The kit features four travel-size FAB essentials designed to cleanse, hydrate, soothe and exfoliate, including Ultra Repair Cream, Pure Skin Face Cleanser, KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA and Ultra Repair Oat & Hemp Seed Dry Oil. Ten percent of retail sales are added to the brand’s $1 Million commitment, to pay off recent graduates’ student loan debt as part of their FAB AID program. “Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, recent college graduates are facing a very uncertain landscape with regard to both employment prospects and further education, so our program has taken on even greater meaning and importance,” said Lilli Gordon, First Aid Beauty Founder & CEO.
Marketing plan: Initial plans included activations on college campuses and at Gen Z-focused conferences, plus in-store events and visual merchandising at Sephora. But the brand had to pivot towards engaging digital experiences. First Aid Beauty will now partner with Sephora on prominent organic and paid digital marketing efforts, and in place of in-store events, samples and FAB AID information will be sent in outgoing Sephora.com packages. Additionally, First Aid Beauty has replaced activations at Her Campus’ Her Conference events in NY and LA with a key sponsorship of their #ImStillGraduating virtual graduation ceremony on May 15 and participation in online conferences this summer. Recognizing that their audience, which includes many recent graduates, is more concerned about finances than ever, FAB AID Advisory Board member Bola Sokunbi of Clever Girl Finance will produce financial literacy content and host live Q&A sessions about the best way to manage finances and student debt in the current climate. Finally, the brand will work with influencers to promote the new kit and the FAB AID program.
Availability: May 13, exclusively at Sephora and FirstAidBeauty.com
Price: $30

#eosflavorlab Lip Balms
Waitlist worthy: The #eosflavorlab collection was co-created with input from more than 40 influencers and consists of four lip balms—exhale, chill, boost and dream—designed to promote feelings of recharged, refreshed, calm and comforted, respectively. “Last year we started discussing how wellness has driven growth and innovation in beauty and personal care and how well-being and self-care have become increasingly important to consumers,” said Soyoung Kang, CMO, eos. “Flavor is so closely linked to scent – literally the sense of taste and smell are one system in your body. So why not boost your mood with flavor and benefit-driven ingredients? This was the genesis of flavortherapy for us.”
Marketing plan: “Our marketing will deliver ‘feel good’ messaging to drive awareness of the mood-enhancing benefits of flavor – at a challenging time when we could all use a little self-care – via a social media campaign focused on Instagram and TikTok,” said Soyoung. The brand will also deploy video and still media that features influencer partners’ testimonials about how these flavors enhanced their state of mind, along with plans to engage audiences through wellness-inspired content series, giveaways, gamified IG stories, and custom #eosflavorlab GIPHY’s.
Availability: May 11 at evolutionofsmooth.com, Target and other national retailers.
Price: $4 to $6

Versed Guards Up Daily Mineral Sunscreen
Waitlist worthy: Versed is introducing their first SPF, Guards UP Daily Mineral Sunscreen, housed in a tube that is made from 79 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. The sunscreen features protection from sun’s damaging rays, environmental pollution (both indoor and out) and digital pollution (screen time). The formula is designed to absorb seamlessly into all skin types and tones and features non-nano zinc oxide, along with moringa seed extract to protect the skin against free radicals and sea fennel that aims to shield skin from HEV (high energy visible) light and fights IR (infrared) light damage.
Marketing plan: “We had planned to introduce Guards Up in April, however postponed the launch to allow us to focus on the day-to-day needs of our community and team as we all tried to make sense and create normalcy out of this unprecedented time. Over the last few weeks as we’ve seen the requests for an SPF from Versed gain even more steam so now felt like the right time to give our community this product they’ve been asking for and have co-created with us over the last 14 months,” said Melanie Bender, General Manager of Versed.
Availability: May 6 at www.versedskin.com. It will arrive in stores and online at Target in July.
Price: $22

Liveli CBD Find Your Zen and Get Your Greens Stickpacks
Waitlist worthy: In the midst of the pandemic, Southern California-based wellness brand, Liveli, launched a line of CBD products which boasts full-spectrum hemp created into a nanopowder with zero chemicals, extractions or solvents. The result is a variety of functional powders that boasts superfoods, collagen and protein, plus 25mg of CBD per serving. Liveli’s premium hemp is grown in the USA on farms using sustainable and organic farming practices. Get Your Greens features 10 essential greens and superfoods, and Find Your Zen is an introduction to the brand’s  CBD superfood powders with 6 individual stickpacks.
Marketing plan: “We appreciate that we’re launching these products during a time of huge uncertainty and I will be the first to admit that this is a new business challenge I’ve not experienced in my career before,” said James Brennan, the brand’s Co-founder and CEO, who also co-founded Kopari. “However, there’s never been a time where the world has needed to be kind to itself. Where we have needed to place more care and attention on our mind and body to get us through this rocky road. Through this new range, if we are able to help relieve some of the stress we know our community is feeling, then we will have done our job correctly.” Liveli will be donating 10 percent of sales proceeds from its new CBD range to DirectRelief.org, a company coordinating with public health authorities, nonprofits and businesses around the world to provide vital personal protective gear, such as masks and gloves, to health workers responding to COVID-19. To help its community, the company is also offering 15 percent off all products and free shipping in the USA.
Availability: May 13 on www.liveli.com
Price: $20

C’est Moi Sunshine Mineral Sunscreen Collection
Waitlist worthy: Two new sunscreens, C’est Moi Sunshine Mineral Sunscreen Face Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50 and C’est Moi Sunshine Mineral Sunscreen Face and Body Lotion Brand Spectrum SPF 45, are designed to be water resistant, hydrating, white-streak free and formulated with reef-friendly non-nano zinc oxide.
Marketing plan: “We are creating engaging content around the Sunshine Mineral Sunscreen Collection that features a balanced mix of clean beauty/mission driven education, UGC, and product education. This will be delivered this via our social channels (Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube & Facebook), email campaigns, social ads and DTC website,” said Jennifer Saul, SVP of Marketing at C’est Moi. “We will run geo-targeted and widespread social campaigns that feature both our retail partners and our direct site to grow both engagement, retargeting and conversion. We are also expanding upon our relationship with C’est Moi brand ambassador, Liza Koshy, in addition to our micro influencers. Both brand awareness and conversion will also be driven through our ongoing relationships with Influenster and IPSY.”
Availability: May 15 on www.cestmoi.com
Price: $10-$16

Foster’s Lab the Anti-Tech Serum
Waitlist worthy: Formulated with a blend of natural ingredients, including, cacao seed extract, bakuchiol, and a vitamin C booster, the serum is designed to shield skin against the effects of blue light damage emitted from electronic devices while also reducing the signs of aging.
Marketing plan: “As a new brand, we are learning and evolving daily,” said Anthony Shook, Co-Founder of Foster’s Lab. “We are currently raising awareness for Foster’s Lab through media relations, digital advertising, and social media influencer programs. We are targeting a consumer that leads a busy life, likely in front of a screen, and cares about their wellness routine. Consumers can find us on Instagram at @Fosters.Lab where we share real-life testimonials from estheticians, facts on our propriety formula, and more.”
Availability: Available for pre-order at www.fosterslab.com, and 10 percent of proceeds will benefit the Professional Beauty Association COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Price: $68