This week, I checked in on how expertise is showing up at Sephora in both its brand curation and marketing strategies. Additionally, Olive Young announces big ambitions to grow across Southern California, and Skims tries to make nice after backlash to its Advent calendars.

From founder-led brands to a Seth Rogen holiday campaign, Sephora is doubling down on the power of expertise

The beauty aisle has long been stocked with makeup artist-founded brands like Nars and Laura Mercier. But while those pioneering makeup artists stayed largely behind the scenes, today’s artist-founders are acting as not only the brains behind the operation, but the public face as well. Case in point: Sephora’s second-annual Makeup Experts campaign.

“We realized we have this unique collection of founders where they are the expert. They’re great educators. They each have a technique that only they can speak to,” said Mili Dutt Reddy, svp, category and brand marketing at Sephora, while speaking at Glossy’s Beauty & Wellness Summit in Westlake Village, California. 

For Sephora, the campaign was a chance to market and message expertise as one of its core offerings. The retailer showcased the products and techniques each founder is known for, like Patrick Ta’s blush or Danessa Myricks’ eyeliner, with the founders themselves acting as models and appearing in social content. 

Sephora has taken a similar approach with other categories like skin care and hair; even while those brands have traditionally competed for shelf space and consumer spend, Dutt Reddy said the campaigns showcase how the retailer’s founder-led brands complement each other.

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