Brennan Kilbane, Business of Fashion (BOF) Journalist Profile

Articles

The Architect of Olaplex’s Turnaround

2 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

Ever since the moment she was appointed chief executive of Olaplex at the end of 2023, Amanda Baldwin has been all about bonding. It’s a metaphor, and also not. Olaplex came to market in 2014 with a key ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, that kicked off an arms race for products that protected and restored the bonds in hair broken by heat damage or the colouring process.
How "Desperate Housewives" Shaped Today's Housewives & Modern Media

2 weeks ago | airmail.news | Brennan Kilbane

There is a portal to the dream world, flickering open and closed in the commercial breaks between episodes of The Real Housewives in the Peacock app, and always in proximity to the promise of domestic bliss.
Longevity Beauty Brand Oneskin Launches Hair

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

Oneskin, the longevity-minded beauty brand founded by four Brazilian scientists in 2021, is entering the hair business. The skin and body care label has announced its move into haircare with a new formula, the OS-01 Hair Peptide Scalp Serum, which launched Wednesday morning on its direct-to-consumer website. The 50 mL serum is priced at $69, and is sold alongside a $20 dermaroller, or a tool that creates tiny impressions in the scalp for increased product absorption.
The Secret to Giving an Old Beauty Brand a New Look

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

Hourglass only celebrated its 20th birthday last year — but in the beauty industry, it might as well be 200. To celebrate, it launched a pop-up space that paid homage to its first retail partner, Barneys New York, during New York Fashion Week last September. On March 27, Hourglass reopened the space as a permanent flagship. Cast in a quarry of earth tones, it’s a more muted, intimate setting for the glossy makeup label; a grown-up Hourglass.
LYS Beauty Secures Eight Figure Series A Investment

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

LYS Beauty, the four-year-old clean makeup label founded by Tisha Thompson, has closed a Series A funding round valued at eight figures, the brand announced on Monday morning. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.
In an Angry Society, ‘Gentle Outrage’ Packs a Marketing Punch

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

Last weekend, The Ordinary, a Canadian skincare brand, announced a limited-time offer: a dozen eggs for $3.37 at two of its New York stores. At any other moment in history, a skincare brand selling eggs would be a premise too bizarre to be offensive.
The Debrief | What Happened to Pat McGrath Labs?

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane |Priya Rao

Analysis and advice on the fast-evolving beauty business. After seeing how beauty's youngest customer has been drawn to Drunk Elephant’s bright, colourful packages, labels are pushing a string of vibrant launches to capture shoppers’ attention. The explosion in the hand care category’s popularity demonstrates the strength of appetite for scented products amongst younger shoppers, whilst older consumers increasingly seek out targeted solutions for what they perceive as an area prone to ageing.
Glossier Needs More Than ‘You’ to Grow

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

To understand You, the best-selling fragrance launched by Glossier in 2017, you have to understand Santal 33, the best-selling fragrance launched by Le Labo in 2011. Both have the same father — Frank Voelkl, of the firm dsm-Firmenich — but are otherwise sisters with categorically opposite vibes. Santal 33 wears like a finely tailored coat: On every body its spritzed upon, or every room infused with its scent, Santal 33 is engineered to smell the same.
Sir John Appointed Creative Director of Medicube

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

On Tuesday, Korean skincare label Medicube announced that makeup artist Sir John has been appointed creative director and ambassador of the 11-year-old brand. In his new role, Sir John, known for his work with Beyoncé, Zendaya and Serena Williams, will advise on marketing and product development, as well as host events (a forthcoming LA pop-up is scheduled for late March).
Bringing the French Pharmacy to American Retail

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Brennan Kilbane

French fashion brands like Sézane and Pòlene have made waves stateside — now, French beauty labels are hoping to do the same. To beauty tourists, there are few more mythical destinations than the French pharmacy, with their green neon logos promising the discovery of effective skincare at bargain prices. Historically, these products’ availability was restricted to their home continent, forcing eager shoppers to stock up on vacation.