Brand news: Pat McGrath; ELEMIS, La Bouche Rouge and more...

Pat McGrath x Google launch a popup​

Cosmetics company Pat McGrath Labs and Shop With Google have joined forces to host an augmented reality popup experience that will integrate the beauty brand with Google's AR technology. The free three-day event, THE ARt OF BEAUTY, will be held in New York shopping centre 101 7th Avenue between 20th – 22nd October.

Guests will be able to virtually try on lip and eye makeup, shop the collection, book a session with a makeup artist from the brand and enjoy product giveaways. 

Google's AR Beauty tool originally launched in 2020 to help consumers shop for beauty products online and now offers virtual try-on for thousands of cosmetics within Google Search, on the Google app, or on iOS or Android.

Brand founder Dame Pat McGrath said: "When it comes to makeup, I always say, 'use without caution,' and now you can shop without caution, too. This pop-up will give people unprecedented access behind the scenes. I can't wait for everyone to experience it!"​

ELEMIS and Morro partner to create biodegradable sampling sachets​

British skincare brand ELEMIS and plant-based material brand Morro have teamed up for a project to launch biodegradable sampling sachets, with the aim of replacing plastic materials traditionally used in sachets with new materials made from leftover waste from ELEMIS plant crops.

The waste product ingredients will be turned into biofilm with the aim of eventually replacing single-use sachets for beauty product samples.

Both companies say there is an unmet demand for plastic-free alternatives to traditional multilayer barrier sachets.

The project has been supported by a grant co-funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and Innovate UK.

Oriele Frank, Co-Founder, Chief Product and Sustainability Officer at ELEMIS said: “What we find so exciting about this project with Morro is how utilising waste from left-over plant material can potentially tackle one of our key packaging dilemmas too.”​

Pete Hutton, Chairman at Xampla said: “We are proud to have pioneered our breakthrough material using plant feedstocks and we are looking forward to developing this research further with ELEMIS.”​

The partnership was facilitated by PlasticFree.com Founder Sian Sutherland added: “This is the kind of inventive and collaborative approach that is required to create change in the industry and to facilitate the next generation of packaging.”​

Beauty Brands Global acquires La Bouche Rouge​

Eco-luxury brand La Bouche Rouge has been bought by a new Dubai-based holding company founded by Designer Parfums’ Dilesh Mehta.

Since its launch in 2017, the French cosmetics brand established itself with a mission to eliminate single-use plastics from cosmetic products, thanks to its refillable high-end packaging made of different materials, like aluminium and leather.

La Bouche Rouge also recently entered the fragrance category with five natural and upcycled scents in glass bottles that can be refilled with 100% aluminium tubes.

Despite a successful funding drive that saw the brand raise €12.5m since September 2020, the company was placed under judicial administration by the Paris Commercial Court in July after it faced financial difficulties.

Beauty Brands Global is a Dubai-based holding company led by Dilesh Mehta, president of British fragrance house Designer Parfums, which has brands including Cerruti 1881, Ghost Fragrances, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Hawaiian Tropic in its stables.

Confirming the acquisition, Mehta said: “This new venture is especially close to my heart and marks the start of a new strategic orientation into luxury and eco-responsible brands. La Bouche Rouge carries a unique DNA based on innovation, sophistication and a remarkable eco-responsible business model.”​

Beauty Brands Global will set up a new company in Paris and maintain the manufacturing laboratory in Orléans. Florence Rollet will join as General Manager while founder Nicolas Gerlier will become Creative Director.

LVMH set to launch a Paris atelier​

LVMH is opening a dedicated space for craftsmanship in Paris’ luxurious eighth arrondissement.

The move is designed to give the company a competitive edge amid a shortage of skilled workers.

During a preview visit to the construction site, Chantal Gaemperle, group executive vice president of human resources and synergies at LVMH, said the Maison des Métiers d’Excellence would allow visitors to feel the breadth of the 280 skilled trades represented across its 75 brands.

Lottie London partners with NHS Blood & Transplant ​

UK beauty brand Lottie London has partnered with the UK’s national health service to launch its Beauty for Blood campaign this October, to encourage and educate its community to donate blood and raise awareness.

The brand said that statistics show that only 2% of those eligible to give blood donate, and that the NHS urgently needs to recruit 400 new donors every day to ensure it can continue to supply lifesaving blood that patients need.

The Lottie London Beauty for Blood campaign launches in October in line with Black History Month. The brand said that for the NHS to meet demand, it needs to recruit 12,000 new blood donors of black heritage this year to ensure sickle cell disorder patients receive the matched blood they need to save and improve lives.

L’Oreal & Gebr. Heinemann partner for sustainable travel retail roadmap ​

At TFWA in Cannes, L’Oréal Travel Retail announced that it has entered into a partnership with travel-retail company Gebr. Heinemann to meet joint sustainability goals.

The French multinational said it is the number one beauty company in global travel retail, which means this new strategy can make a big impact on improving sustainable product offerings within travel-retail. 

The news was announced by L’Oreal Global Sustainability Director Kim Rowney at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes.

L’Oréal Travel Retail Chief Commercial Officer Guido Tappeser said: “We know sustainability is fundamental in the way we do business together,” he said. “Now is the moment to bring sustainability to the heart of our collaboration with Gebr Heinemann.”​

Tappeser also highlighted that customer behaviour has changed and that sustainability is now a must-have: “They’re demanding more sustainable products and brands with a purpose,” ​he said.  ​

L’Oréal Travel Retail said it planned to deploy the green roadmap across all departments including supply chain, marketing, and operations.