Editors' Top Reads: News from Boots, Benefit, Estée Lauder and more...

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

Boots reveals 2024 Christmas ad starring Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh

I do love a Christmas ad, so I was very excited to watch the new festive campaign from Boots this week. The film, called 'The Christmas Makeover', unleashes the magic of beauty" with Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh as Mrs Claus.

It follows actor Adjoa as she leads her squad of beauty elves in her Christmas "werkshop", helping to fulfil every Christmas wish list with beauty gifts from Boots, including brands such as Bubble, Sol de Janerio, and Laneige.

The campaign also features two beauty social media influencers, @soph and @snatchedbywill, who work with Boots on an ongoing basis, both helping Mrs Claus by testing all the beauty products as her trusty "elf-fluencers".

From "werkshop" to "elf-fluencers", the health and beauty retailer is certainly tapping into the Gen Z market with this fun, festive campaign, whilst spotlighting all the wonderful gifts available at Boots this year. Watch the full ad here.

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer. 

 Trinny London takes a bite of the big apple with New York City pop-up

Is it me, or is Trinny London taking over? After opening its debut flagship in Chelsea two months ago, the brand is on a mission to hit key markets. Next up on its hitlist is the US, because if a brand can make it there it can make it anywhere, right? Just look at the British brands to hit the jackpot after gaining traction in the US - Glo For It, Pixi, No.7. The list goes on and on.

Trinny has been testing the waters of brick-and-mortar retail over the past few years, having welcomed consumers to various pop-up experiences in London. In fact, the Kings Road store was only meant to be open for a week, but its popularity resulted in it staying put indefinitely.

This week, it was revealed Trinny London is hailing a yellow taxi cab and heading to New York’s Soho district with a new pop-up, which Founder and British TV royalty Trinny Woodall is hoping will become a permanent location after piquing the interest of US-based shoppers.

Opening its doors on 11 November at 124 Prince Street, this move marks the British beauty brand’s first physical foray overseas following its counter opening at Saks Fifth Avenue in 2022.

Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.

Estée Lauder family issues statement following declining sales

Earlier this week, The Estée Lauder Companies shared a message from the Lauder family, addressing its declining sales as it looks to bring the firm back to profitable growth.

The company acknowledged the need to continue moving forward on a necessary and fundamental turnaround plan to bring it back to profitable growth. It came after Estée Lauder reported a 4% drop in net sales for the first quarter, revealing single-digit declines across all beauty categories.

The statement also referenced the appointment of Stéphane de La Faverie as President and CEO, emphasising that his experience is expected to accelerate change "quickly, effectively, and profitably". Let's hope that's the case!

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.

Benefit's grocery-themed pop-up goes global in first virtual shop

If you're a beauty brand and you haven't done a pop-up shop, or don't have one in the pipeline, what even is the point of you these days? The beauty pop-up, much like the beauty advent calendar, is ubiquitous at this time of year. And, I for one am very happy that is so. Pop-ups provide a great way to test a market, a product or a concept, and every one is at it. Trinny's going to New York to do one, Cult Beauty is popping up this weekend in Shoreditch to celebrate its recent relaunch, while wellness brand anatomē is about to open a greenhouse inspired pop up at Battersea Power Station. These are just a few examples.

So popular was Benefit's recent pop-up Benemart, which it staged in Selfridges London and Manchester, it is being brought to London's Carnaby Street ahead of the festive season. Furthermore the grocery-themed pop-up will also go global with its first online 3D shopping experience for customers in the UK, United States, Germany and France.

Shoppers can transform themselves into avatars and browse the aisles and purchase exclusive products, having a lot of fun in the process.

For beauty it seems, once you pop, you just can't stop.

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