CoverGirl in a Digital Age: Legacy, Leadership, and Clean Beauty

Not long ago, Rimmel Kind & Free Clean Mascara set a new standard for clean drugstore beauty. Affordable, plant-powered, and free from microplastics, it earned a dedicated following—until it was discontinued. Its disappearance hints at the pressures facing mass-market brands in a market increasingly focused on clean formulations, transparency, and social-media-driven visibility. Now, CoverGirl itself—Coty’s …

Clean Beauty, Newness, and the Next Wave of Marketing

From fresh formulas to AI-powered campaigns, beauty marketing is undergoing a transformation. C lean beauty has never been only about ingredients. It flourishes because consumers are seeking freshness—innovative products, emerging brands, and experiences that feel distinct. The clean beauty boom channels this desire for discovery, spotlighting biotech innovation, uncommon botanicals, and boutique labels that position …

The U.S. Beauty Market: Amazon, K-Beauty & the Future of Conscious Prestige

As prestige beauty collides with e-commerce and global trade, the American market — the world’s largest — is entering a new chapter. The United States remains the world’s most powerful beauty market, generating more revenue than any other. But the definition of prestige is being rewritten by digital storefronts and global trade winds. Estée Lauder …

Clean Beauty, Cults & the Problem of Fear Marketing

Clean beauty began as a grassroots movement focused on transparency, integrity, and ethical care. Decades before the term existed, campaigns like Beauty Without Cruelty, founded in 1959 by Lady Muriel Dowding in the U.K., championed cosmetics free from animal testing and cruelty, laying the foundation for ethical and ingredient-conscious skincare. Similarly, natural skincare companies have …

What Does B Corp Certification Mean for Clean Beauty Brands?

Logo by B Lab, via Wikimedia Commons If you’ve seen the little “B” logo stamped on beauty brands like Weleda, Sunday Riley, L’Occitane or Clarins, it isn’t just a marketing badge, it’s a certification. A B Corporation (or B Corp) is a company that’s been certified by the nonprofit B Lab for meeting high standards …

The Provençal Playbook: How a Farm-to-Fragrance Brand Went Global

From almond orchards in Provence to pistachio-scented mists and Asia-Pacific success, Groupe L’OCCITANE’s global rise blends ethics, storytelling, and savvy retail alliances. Rooted in Provence: Heritage, Ethics, and Authenticity Few beauty houses walk the line between heritage and innovation as deftly as L’Occitane en Provence. Founded on principles of traceable sourcing, rural preservation, and cultural …

Legacy, Luxury, and the Lipstick Index: On Leonard Lauder and the Economics of Aspiration

Just days after Clean Beauty Co. published a piece exploring the relevance of the “lipstick index” in today’s economy, Leonard Lauder—the man who gave the phenomenon its name—passed away at age 91. Lauder, the eldest son of Estée Lauder, helped transform a family-run cosmetics company into one of the most powerful forces in global beauty. …