Taylor Bryant

1 day ago | beautyindependent.com | Taylor Bryant

Sephora likes to get “in the kitchen” with brands, guiding their products, messages, prices and design grounded in its understanding of customers, but rarely does the public catch a glimpse of that process—at least until now.

3 days ago | beautyindependent.com | Taylor Bryant

Six years after failing to secure a “Shark Tank” deal for app and sleep tape seller Koko Face Yoga, founder Koko Hayashi was back on the ABC pitch contest television program Friday with another business, Mirai Clinical, but achieved the same outcome. The five small-screen investor judges or “sharks”—Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec—rebuffed the brand’s ask of $500,000 in exchange for 5% equity at a $10 million valuation.

4 days ago | beautyindependent.com | Taylor Bryant

Katini Skin, which started in luxury skincare with distribution at retailers Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, has repositioned itself as masstige and landed on Sephora’s website. “We wanted to make sure that we are a luxury brand, but we also want to be accessible to all people,” says founder Katini Yamaoka.

6 days ago | theaugustapress.com | Taylor Bryant

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1 week ago | beautyindependent.com | Taylor Bryant

When Beauty Independent asked beauty brand founders in 2023 if they were using artificial intelligence for their businesses, some were all in, while others were more cautious. These days, the pendulum has completely swung in the former direction. There still are ethical questions—and most will caveat that they aren’t relying on AI to replace human interaction or creativity—but it’s become an increasingly indispensable tool.