“Our Beauty Sleep Dupe campaign strategically addresses the universal concern of sleep deprivation and its impact on the skin, offering a tangible solution with Advanced Night Repair’s new claim of visibly repairing sleep-deprived skin in three nights,” said Jennifer Johns, vice president of marketing at Estée Lauder. “We also aimed to innovatively tap into ongoing conversations around dupe culture by uniquely duping the undupable – beauty sleep, and reinforcing our leadership in night skin science.”

Johns explained that the brand wanted to create a culturally relevant and engaging experience which led them to Kristen Bell, “whose authenticity and relatable lifestyle resonate deeply with our consumers,” Johns continued. “At Estée Lauder, we’re committed to meeting evolving consumer needs while reinforcing the proven efficacy of Advanced Night Repair – the only beauty sleep dupe.”

The effort is targeting beauty enthusiasts and people with busy schedules and poor sleep habits. “With the Beauty Sleep Dupe Campaign featuring Advanced Night Repair Serum, we’re offering an alternative—helping them experience the benefits of ‘beauty sleep’ even when they can’t get their full 8 hours,” Johns added. “Our goal is to provide a trusted, high-quality solution for those looking to elevate their skincare routine and address their sleep challenges.”

The post Estée Lauder dupes actual sleep in new Kristen Bell effort appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“The beauty industry is experiencing a convergence of technology, personalization, and sustainability at an unprecedented scale,” said Staub. “Consumers now expect brands to deliver not just great products but tailored, data-driven experiences that cater to their unique needs.”

Think AI-powered skin diagnostics, virtual try-ons, and hyper-personalized formulations becoming the norm. 

“At the same time, sustainability and transparency remain critical, pushing brands to innovate in refillable packaging, upcycled ingredients, and responsible sourcing,” added Staub. “The challenge for brands is balancing these evolving expectations while maintaining accessibility and brand equity like never before.”

At L’Oreal, Staub spearheads commercial strategies across 15 brands, optimizing sales, profitability and market share growth across a $2 billion business. Prior to joining L’Oréal, Staub held senior leadership positions at Estée Lauder and Coty.

Brand Innovators caught up with Staub to talk about what consumers want from beauty companies, how tariffs are impacting the beauty industry and the role influencers can play in beauty marketing. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

What do consumers want from beauty companies?

Consumers are looking for performance, personalization, and purpose. They want products that deliver results, align with their values, and offer a seamless omnichannel experience. At L’Oréal, I’ve seen firsthand how data-driven insights and AI-powered tools are helping brands provide customized solutions at scale, whether through diagnostic technology or personalized beauty recommendations. Additionally, the shift toward “conscious beauty” means brands must be authentic and transparent, from ingredient sourcing to sustainability commitments.

Can you discuss how the retail landscape is transforming and how players like Sephora and Ulta are leading the way?

Retailers like Sephora and Ulta are setting the pace for beauty retail innovation. In my work with these partners, I’ve seen a major focus on experiential retail, digital integration, and community-driven marketing. Sephora continues to lead in current edge experiences including AI-powered skin diagnostics and personalization, while Ulta has successfully leveraged loyalty, mass-luxury crossover, and immersive brand experiences. Both are expanding their footprint in new retail formats, whether through store-in-store partnerships (Sephora at Kohl’s, Ulta at Target) or enhanced e-commerce personalization. For brands, the key is adapting to these shifts while maintaining differentiation and exclusivity.

How will tariffs impact the beauty business?

Tariffs and supply chain volatility are prompting brands to rethink sourcing, manufacturing, and pricing strategies. Many companies, including those I’ve worked with, are diversifying supplier networks, nearshoring production, and optimizing cost efficiencies to mitigate risk. While tariffs can create price pressures, brands that focus on premiumization, innovation, and strategic partnerships can offset margin challenges and maintain consumer engagement.

What creative ways are beauty brands showing up in culture?

Beauty brands are no longer just selling products—they are shaping cultural conversations. Some of the most exciting trends I’ve seen include co-branding with fashion and entertainment, gamifying the consumer experience, and leveraging AI-generated content. Brands that embed themselves in entertainment, music, and emerging platforms like gaming and virtual worlds are driving deeper engagement. For example, interactive retail experiences, limited-edition celebrity collaborations, and cause-driven campaigns are resonating with younger consumers who see beauty as an extension of self-expression.

What role can influencers play in beauty marketing and is it worth it?

Influencers remain a critical driver of consumer trust and discovery, but the landscape has evolved. In my experience, the most effective partnerships are now with credible experts, micro- and nano-influencers, and long-term brand ambassadors rather than one-off sponsorships. Consumers value authentic, education-driven content, whether it’s a makeup artist sharing techniques or a dermatologist explaining skincare science. Brands that prioritize storytelling, authenticity, and niche expertise are seeing the highest return on influencer investment.

Where do you see the category going this year?

Beauty will continue its expansion into wellness, technology, and sustainability. We’re seeing a major focus on skin health, functional beauty, and AI-driven personalization, alongside a growing demand for new ingredients and clean formulations. At the same time, the role of retail is shifting—brands need to master both immersive physical experiences and hyper-personalized digital journeys. As a leader in luxury and prestige beauty, I’m excited about the continued evolution of consumer engagement, from next-gen AI-powered beauty consultations to sustainable product innovations that align with today’s values-driven consumer.

The post Innovator Interviews: L’Oreal’s Jackie Staub appeared first on Brand Innovators.

Having spent more than 20 years at Shiseido, Yamagishi-Dressler has been closely watching this esthetics industry and the evolution of skincare. “We know that the consumers are increasingly adapting to the new ways of treating beauty,” she says. “They are certainly using skincare, and are now augmenting it with more aesthetic procedures.” 

The global facial injectable market was estimated to be valued at $10.22 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow 12.0% annually from 2023 to 2030. As the stigma around aesthetic procedures seems to dissipate with younger audiences, injector brands like Evolus have an opportunity to grow their business. Since these products require a professional to do the procedure, the marketing strategy is two pronged – connect with both those professionals and with end consumers. 

“When I started to talk to the team at Evolus, and heard that they’re really focused on consumer marketing, I thought this is actually an amazing opportunity to be able to work with a brand that values the consumer and can really leverage my experience in the skincare industry,” said Yamagishi-Dressler.

Prior to joining Evolus, Yamagishi-Dressler was global chief marketing officer at Beautyblender (a tool sold in Sephora and ULTA) and spent more than two decades at Shiseido. She has also held marketing roles at Chanel and Victoria’s Secret Beauty Company. Brand Innovators caught up with Yamagishi-Dressler from her home office in Newport Beach, CA to talk about this emerging beauty category. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk about how the brand’s mission and how that shows up in your creative?

Our mission is to evolve the future of beauty. The name Evolus comes from evolve with us. We’re constantly evolving and seeking innovative ways to deliver value to the customer and consumer. We are focused on a millennial generation who have high propensity and openness to adapt to new ways of caring for themselves and treating themselves. 

Our creative reflects who our core consumer base is and also just brings some fresh new attitude. We call it bold and unapologetic. There used to be a bit of a stigma towards the industry that people may or may not have been open to talk about getting certain aesthetic procedures, but we wanted to bring this fresh perspective of it’s okay to openly talk about it and it’s okay to achieve the look you want, whatever method you want. You have freedom and control to do so.

What is your approach to storytelling and what channels are you using to reach customers?

The emphasis is the customer first. We’re unique in the sense that it’s B-to-B-to-C. Even though our end consumer may know about us, if our customers don’t carry us, then she would not be able to experience the product. Therefore, it’s important that the company really focus on educating our customers and injectors about Jeuveau and the indexing techniques and all of that. Now that we have actually reached a critical mass of distribution, the next step is to then increase awareness of Evolus among our target consumer. The approach will be to make it easy and digestible to understand because the industry can be a bit intimidating. 

There is still a knowledge gap about what the actual procedure and the expected outcome of what the pre and post treatment can look like. I’m looking to develop educational digestible content. The idea is to strike the right balance. Consumers are very well educated, especially the new millennial audience. This is a serious scientific clinical product so our goal is to make the knowledge and information a little bit easier to understand.

Can you talk about who your customers are? 

They could be plastic surgeons, dermatologists, med spas –those are probably one of the fastest growing channels within the industry. Not every injector comes from the same medical background. That’s why educating them, especially on injection techniques, is critical. 

How are you using social media to reach the millennial audience? 

We have embarked on the paid media approach with social, looking to reach key opinion leaders within injectors, because they have a great peer-to-peer influence. A lot of times our end consumers trust the injectors and that relationship. Once our injectors use Jeuveau and likes it, then a lot of times that passion and endorsement carries to the consumer. That relationship is similar to your relationship with a hairdresser, for example. It is a close emotional connection. That’s why it’s really important that when we talk about influencing the consumer, we always have the customers top of mind as well. The primary focus thus far for Evolus is being strictly on the customer side. But now we’re creating a roadmap to create more touch points and robust plans for consumer marketing.

Can you talk about how your experience is helping you in this new role?

I have knowledge of skin in general – just over 20 years, especially a company like Shiseido, where we were just deep steeped in R&D. Also really understanding what consumers want from skincare, their emotional needs and wants. It is really just normalizing skincare. I also started my career in investment banking, which helps to steer the ship in terms of making the right investment and ensuring that we’re delivering maximum value not only to consumers but to customers as well.

Do you have any marketing predictions for this year?

The beauty market continues to be resilient. There is a heightened focus on self care. And that really started to happen post COVID because you cannot buy with money, it’s time and your health. Especially as the older end of the millennial generation is now turning 42, 43. They’re much more health conscious and focused on self care. They make some trade offs and choices. But I do feel bullish about the self care industry, including ourselves. I’m cautiously optimistic.

The post CMO of the Week: Evolus’ Tomoko Yamagishi-Dressler appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“Urban is the OG of not just nonconformity, but also for always testing and learning from trial and error,” said Higuera. “Sometimes we’re almost too early to the game, because we’re always innovating. We also always try to have a good time. It’s really about having fun, being first in the space and seeing how we can deliver new and inventing and entertaining experiences.” 

The brand revealed 18 virtual makeup looks in Roblox and developed 3D avatar wearables that allowed users to try on makeup products that could be purchased. The products included limited-edition looks from beauty influencers Manny Gutierrez, Leilani Green, and Emmy Combs, including: 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil, 24/7 Moondust Glitter Eyeshadows and 24/7 Inks Liquid Eyeliner. The virtual event was produced in collaboration with Ulta Beauty’s Ultaverse, where consumers could try new looks on their avatars and then shop at the Urban Decay pop-up shop. 

This immersive experience isn’t Urban Decay’s first foray into Roblox’s ever-expanding universe. The brand collaborated with Paris Hilton in 2022 to launch Cryptoween, a virtual Halloween soirée complete with costumes, DJ sets, and special celebrity appearances. 

Brand Innovators caught up with Higuera to talk metaverse, Gen Z and innovation. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

How is the brand thinking about the metaverse?

The idea was to bring our sense of self expression to a whole new audience. What I love about the metaverse is it’s a space where we are servicing everyone’s realities. We see our brand as a tool of empowerment. We see the metaverse as another tool of empowerment. It’s a tool of self expression. Then you have obviously the power of Roblox, which gives us this entirely new opportunity to connect with the new generation in a way that we might not even be able to do in the IRL spaces that we live in. 

You bring the power and tool of the metaverse, the empowerment tool of Urban and then you have this space of its new introduction to a new generation that brought us all together. It’s a chance to give everyone a way to unlock self expression through our products that creates almost the fantasies of makeup that you may not even yet know you can do IRL. Then there’s the last piece which is at the service of our great partner Ulta. Ulta is a leading retailer in the Gen Z space. It’s like a one plus one equals three or in this case, one plus one equals five. 

Can you talk about how makeup can come to life in the metaverse?

It’s such a mixed reality. We use our relationships for example, with Emmy Combs or Manny MUA and brought them together giving them an opportunity to play with makeup in ways that you don’t know if you can do in real life with a wild sense of self expression very much we like to say “fearlessly.” Self expression and bringing that to life in a different way. Sometimes you stare in the mirror and you’re like, “Can I really do this eye liner?” Can you throw self doubt out the window? I hope that we live in a space where we can one day really all of us throw self doubt out the window. But this gives us a space where you’re completely unleashed, you’re completely free. What we also hope for many people who find comfort in the meta space, if you’re also fearless to be your most authentic self.

You mentioned Gen Z. Is that the key audience that you’re going after with this effort?

What we really more gravitate towards is anywhere that we can be an ally for standing up in your differences. What I love about the new generation is bringing its allyship across communities of self expression, self love, especially. It was a perfect way to kick off Pride Month. I use the term Gen Z but honestly, it’s more about, we know that’s who are on Roblox. But it’s more about finding the connection, where we can help others really stand in their differences. This is a generation that is opening the doors for different types of new relationships with brands. They’re demanding a much higher expectation of brands. This generation is certainly holding true to power on being brands that are holding up responsibility for social wellness, digital wellness. 

Can you talk about the connection this type of an event in the metaverse can then lead to real world product sales?

Brands have to create space for testing, learn and hold. I like to look more on return on objective versus return on investment. I call it the ROO. Because sometimes, especially when things are new, you have to hold them to different objectives. In this case, this isn’t the objectives here are more certainly recruitment of awareness. But also, one of the areas that we like and we are more and more looking into is how can you play around to be higher in consideration? How can you play around to say, oh, wait a second, I didn’t know that Urban has the most colors of eyeliner. 

This was less a sales driving initiative, because we can’t necessarily measure the omnichannel experience that it creates. But it might mean that a month from now, when you’re down the aisle at Ulta, you pick up that 24/7 liner. It’s certainly met our objectives in terms of awareness, driving buzz driving for the brands. You’re actually playing with the product longer than on a website. These are all great objectives that ultimately, as we test and learn on this platform will continue to support our biggest initiatives.

What are the key learnings that you take away from this event?

The key learning is to keep learning. We found the gamers actually had a strong propensity to participate in the events and they did have fun glamming up their avatar so we were excited to see that that was the case. We also found that emphasizing an identity is the most fluid in the meta environment.

It’s also giving us learnings from the real world. How do we bring some of what we’re learning in the way that people want to express themselves in the metaverse into real life? We found that this is a space for exploration and fantasy. It might just be the realization that they want that 24/7 black liner in day-to-day life. Being able to service both realities is really important. Thinking of the same person, but in two realities, was interesting. This gave us a sense of where we could start to test and learn different looks in the virtual space and in the real space. 

How are you thinking about innovation? 

We’re at the forefront of where beauty meets tech. L’Oreal has been seeing that for years and keeps us abreast, but also pushing us, which is great. For Urban, what excites me about beauty tech is the opportunity to empower you to see yourself in ways that sometimes you feel on the inside, but you’re not quite sure how to do it on the outside. We’re experimenting in the next level. We’re obviously are in the meta space. I can’t wait to see what we figure out on AI and where we’re going to go. 

It’s always an honor to be in this industry where there’s so much new and you look at urban and OG on its way to be the G.O.A.T. We want to innovate for self expression.

The post Innovator Interviews: Urban Decay’s Malena Higuera appeared first on Brand Innovators.

Eos’ lip balms and shave creams are the result of social listening, products created to solve a customer need. Understanding consumer insights is key for the brand and this held especially true when the pandemic hit, and the very meaning of self care began to shape shift.

“The definition of self care has transformed around two, three, four times during the pandemic,” says Caldas. “Right before the pandemic, we were seeing this polarity in beauty trends. There were minimalist makeup looks but maximalist, multi-step skincare regimens. Beauty and Wellness were blending into what ‘self care’ meant.” 

“Self care started out grounded in spa or salon services. You were either going to the spa or salon or making time for similar experiences at home,” she continues. “It was really about dedicating even just a little bit of time in your busy life for your own self care. When the pandemic started,  all of a sudden everybody had so much more free time at home and self-care became how are you going to spend your non-working hours? This extra time did lend itself to a continuation in the trend for multi-step regimens and desire to consume digital tutorial content.” 

Eos is a social-first brand that has grown in collaboration with TikTok influencers and their audiences. The brand has grown organically in the channel since it launched its first campaign in 2019 and has since been more strategic about its partnerships with influencers on the social network. 

“For us at eos, we are a social brand and we always put our fans first,” explains Caldas. “And that means that we have to be agile. We need to know the type of content that our fans are actually engaging with, that they actually want to see. And we’re prepared to shift/pivot/backflip, do whatever it is that we need to do to make sure that we are delivering what our fans actually really want and not just stick to a content plan for a content plan’s sake.”

Brand Innovators caught up with Caldas from her home in Connecticut to discuss how the pandemic changed the definition of self-care, how eos puts their fans first and why being customer centric is smart for business. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Beauty and self care have been transformed since the pandemic began, as more consumers turn to digital channels to engage. Can you talk about how this shift is impacting how eos connects with consumers?

Digitally, we saw this thirst for education, how-tos and expert tutorials, and a digital bestie. To help teach you tips and tricks about your beauty and different ways of caring for your skin, nails, hair. This helped shape a very diverse mix of content styles that we see across our major Social platforms right now. I think it really ushered in this new generation of beauty influencers that take a much less-curated and more authentic, raw and relatable approach to interacting with their followers. 

We also know that people are consuming massive amounts of content and they are experiencing fatigue. I even feel it personally. It used to be, oh it is so nice to binge watch a show and now it almost feels like a chore, I don’t even know how many shows I have binge watched over the last two years. That means that the type of content that people actually want to engage with is changing. It evolves almost every single day.  

Can you talk about eos’ brand pillars and how these foundations shape your approach to marketing?

We are a social brand. We came to be from an understanding of what people wanted from their products. We listened and innovated to meet their needs in ways that no other brand could have done. People are really in the center of what we do. 

That is a really big reason why our approach to marketing is inherently social. We create a conversation with our fans so that we are constantly learning and we are able to amplify their voices and their messages as well as create an opportunity for them to learn and get excited about our product and our brand. 

What does a cookieless future mean for your brand and how is it changing your approach to media?

Even though it is a media question, I think it is a brand question. All of the shifts and targeting capabilities, I think it really just reinforces the need for the right messages and for your content to be tailored enough so that it speaks to both a broad and a specific audience. I think that forces humanity into the messages that we are telling as brand marketers. While it is a targeting question, I think it really comes back to what it is that you are delivering and how you are making your messages really resonate with your intended audience. 

Prior to eos, you worked at L’Oreal, Bath & Body Works and Anthropologie. Can you talk about how these experiences have shaped your current role?

I started my career straight out of college working in brand development in fragrant body care. It was such an amazing experience because it was so consumer centric. I was trained to understand your consumer. It was an amazing category to work in because it is so intimate. It is so personal. It can evolve based on how old you are, whether you are in a relationship or not, if you want to go on vacation, if you want to feel sassy or confident. In order to pick up those cues, you just have to really know your consumer. And that training carried with me through each of my other roles, really just staying as close to the consumer as you possibly can. Now with social, digital technologies, you are able to connect with your audience so much easier than you were 10-15 years ago. It has made the work much richer and even more fun. 

As a leading woman on our Women to Watch list, what advice would you give to other women trying to succeed in marketing?

I think you really have to understand your audience and put yourself in their shoes and be thinking of the most human way to connect with them. Always be looking towards your future and making sure that you are on track to it, but try to be completely engulfed in what you are doing right now. Make sure you’re always asking yourself: are you learning?  Are you developing new functional skills? Are you also learning soft skills? Are you learning to manage up? Manage down? To understand the people that you are working with? Marketing is so much about people. It is not only your audience and your fans but it is your team members within your business. We work to inspire our internal teams as well. That is a talent that I think a lot of younger marketers don’t put emphasis on earlier in their careers. It is such an important one to excel.

What predictions do you have for 2022?

My hope is that we see some really innovating and interesting ways to interact with consumers through technology. I think that gaming is going to continue to be a really inspiring channel for marketing. I think we are going to see a lot more activity in the metaverse, we’ve already seen some early adopters. As a brand you think- how can we innovate in that space too? It’s always a daunting question, but getting to the answer is bound to be interesting and fun. 

The post Innovator Interviews: Eos’ Carley Caldas appeared first on Brand Innovators.