Blandino and Johnson, partners in business and life who founded Too Faced in 1998 and sold it to the Estée Lauder Cos. in a landmark deal for $1.45 billion in 2016, then the largest acquisition in Lauder’s history — are back at it.
“I never thought for one second we’d ever do this again,” Blandino said of the fully self-funded venture. “We had success bigger than I ever dreamt up and created this movement inBlandino was referring to the blockbuster Too Faced mascara, whose combination of cheekiness and efficacy catapulted it into franchise status, along with other products like Born This Way foundation and Lip Injection Plumper Gloss.
In no better place is that universe exemplified than the headquarters. Blandino, who entered the office on a recent morning with a Starbucks in one hand, a Dior garment bag in another, and hair pulled back in a Washingtonian bun, has his own office next to Johnson’s, stuffed with notebooks from Hermès and a colorful bookshelf. “Those were purchased because of the colors, not because of what’s in them,” he clarified of the Tolstoy and Austen titles lining the shelves.
“Between [private equity] and strategics, we’ve been in business for 26 years and we learn from each one of those experiences to build out Toybox to be a very robust global brand powerhouse, I call it,” said Johnson. “We’re planning maybe two brands a year, and two brands is a lot in our first year.”
“You have to give people products that give them that ‘wow’ — we’re not going to launch anything that’s not gonna shake you up. We have to be disruptive,” Blandino said. “We’re only coming out with products that we can be disruptive with. I’m not even doing products that we know will sell or that are selling, it’s all about how we do it differently, how do we put a spin on it.”
Inspiration struck when Blandino, a self-professed diamond enthusiast, found only lackluster options for cleaning his baubles. (Ask him how many carats he wears on any given day? “I don’t count,” he retorts, waving his left hand, which contains a very large emerald-cut diamond ring. “A lady never counts. But my ring’s 33.”
The product will come in four scents, each named after milestones in the couple’s lives. One is Malibu Rain No. 95, the year they met; Alchemist Rose No. 98, when they founded their first business; Forbidden Fruit No. 8, when they got married, and Lemon Drop No. 22, for when they founded Toy Box Brands. The formulas are 99.5 percent clean, vegan and cruelty-free, Blandino said, and “it’s not going to hurt the planet.” The company expects the brand to reach $15 million in first-year retail sales.
Johnson and Blandino are back to their roots in more ways than one. Toy Box’s second brand, a makeup brand called Polite Society that will bow in 750 Ulta Beauty doors on Aug. 27, is well within their wheelhouse. Blandino said he’s taken cues from Too Faced, but Polite Society represents an evolution of the past, not a reincarnation of it.
The launch strategy is rooted in starting with essentials, then expanding the assortment from there. “When we first launched Toy Box, I thought, what am I known for and what will people expect from me?” Blandino said. “What do I do and know more about than other people? Mascara, lip plumper and foundation. I thought we should start with things that you use every day that you need to replenish that are going to draw you to the brand.
The mascara is 83 percent natural, and like the egg-shaped foundation bottle, has rounded beveled edges that prevent it from rolling off flat surfaces. For the More Than a Pretty Face Skin-Caring Foundation, the egg shape is “a symbol of new life, new beginnings, and Easter is my favorite holiday,” Blandino said. “It’s matte, it’s heavier, it’s substantial, it won’t roll off your table. And the mascara won’t either, plus it’s easier to hold in your hand because it’s more ergonomic.
Maria Salcedo, senior vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, said that mix is performing well. “[Our brand partners] understand that Ulta Beauty exists to disrupt the status quo and we’re always seeking new ways to delight our guests with the exciting products and experiences we offer. Luxury at Ulta Beauty is an excellent example of this and is proving to be a valued addition to our guests’ journey.
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