Editors' Top Reads: Benefit Cosmetics, The Ordinary, Diptyque and more...

Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.beauty team.

Everything you need to know about Benefit’s grocery-themed pop-up at Selfridges

Beauty brands sure do love a pop-up - I would know, having covered so many of them. And, as a result, there's definitely some that stand out more than others, usually because of how unique and visually pleasing they are (think NYX Professional Makeup's Barbie-themed pop-up in London last year - a personal favourite). However, my new obsession is with Benefit Cosmetics and its upcoming grocery-themed pop-up in partnership with Selfridges.

Opening at the department store's flagships in London and Manchester, the pop-up will offer limited-edition beauty gift sets and holiday stocking fillers for brows, pores, lashes, cheeks, and more - each inspired by favourite nostalgic British household delights. From cans of 'Peas, Love & Pores' and 'BADGAL Energy Beauty Booster' energy drinks to 'Whole Latte Lashes' coffee cup stocking fillers, reusable 'Lookin' Crisp' packet makeup bags, and more, the attention to detail is immense, promising to be a vibrant and playful experience.

Can every supermarket look like this please?

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.

Diptyque continues retail expansion with new location in Covent Garden

Gird your nostrils! The Diptyque empire is evolving. The French perfumer will open its 37 sqm presence in London's busiest garden later this month, designed to reflect the spirit of the luxury brand's first ever store on Paris's Boulevard Saint Germain.

The cult fragrance brand opened stores Marylebone and Bond Street stores earlier this year, the the latter of which saw the brand debut its Maison concept, designing the store to resemble a Parisian appartement.

The Covent Garden presence will feature a mural, conceived by Diptyqye and painted by French artist Charlotte Bohn, which has been created to look as though it has always been in place. The store replaces an older store on nearby Floral Street, and will offer Diptyque’s full suite of services, including personalisation, engraving and fragrance refill service. Sustainability never smelt so good.

There are few things that can tempt me into such hordes as frequent Covent Garden, but I'd crawl across broken glass for Baies or Do Son—or even Roses. I love all of my children equally.

Katie Ross, Content Marketing & Events Executive.

indu secures £4m investment to fuel UK growth

I was pleased about this. Teen-targeted and UK-founded beauty brand indu has secured £4 million to drive further growth in a funding round led by Unilever Ventures and V3 Ventures, supported by a number of leading industry investor angels.

Founded by Aaron Chatterley (of Feelunique fame) and Reena Hammer in 2023, indu really has created not only a brand but a community that promotes safe and appropriate skincare and makeup for teens. As the mother who has had to confiscate retinol from my 12-year-old's washbag, the arrival of indu has been a godsend. Now my daughter is obsessed with its refillable, sylish and age appropriate products and I'm happy to buy them for her.

The brand recently launched in Sephora stores and am sure after this welcome injection of cash, we will see it available more widely. For teens, and parents of them, this can only be a good thing,

Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.

The Ordinary celebrates new category with first-ever pop-up at Selfridges

Who doesn't love a pop-up? Well, beauty brands certainly do. From CeraVe to Sol de Janeiro, shoppers can't get enough of experiencing their favourite skincare brands in real life. The latest to announce a pop-up is The Ordinary with, believe it or not, its first-ever one.

The Ordinary disrupted the beauty industry when it launched in 2013 by offering high-quality, active-packed skincare at an affordable price point. Now, the brand is hosting its first pop-up in Selfridges' beauty halls across the country in celebration of its entry into the body category. Did you know that only 9% of your skin is on your face? Well, thanks to The Ordinary's new Body Care range, the remaining 91% of your skin can get the same nourishment as your face.

To draw in shoppers, like its competitors, the brand is promising an experiential experience with prizes to be won including a year's supply of product of your choice. Be sure to get down to the pop-up at your nearest Selfridges to get hold of an O. swag bag while stocks last.

Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.

New data reveals big opportunity for brands ahead of back to school period

With the new school year ahead, Gen Z is poised to spend an average of £1,600 per person on back to school items. Representing a whopping total spend of £4.3 billion, it’s a time-sensitive opportunity brands can’t afford to overlook. That's according to a new trend report by student discount platform UNiDAYS.

The research highlights that despite sizeable spending across all categories during the back to campus period, there are a few key areas where Gen Z students intend to spend big. . To find out what those categories are (and access some interesting data), read more about the opportunity for brands ahead of back to school period here.

As Derek Morrison, MD Retail Marketplace at UNiDAYS, says, it's essential that brands align with and enable students to fully embrace and enjoy this exciting time. "In the spirit of discovery, appealing to freshers with free trials and exclusive content is a sure way to drive engagement," he adds. Now go ahead and check it out.

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.