The Interview: Jones Road Beauty's Payal Patel Plofker talks launching new products and opening new stores

Jones Road Beauty was established by MUA legend Bobbi Brown as the pandemic was in full swing in the autumn of 2020, arriving in the UK in 2021. At the start the collection was based around a tight core of product, centred on its hybrid skincare meets make-up sensation the Miracle Balm, which comes in a multitude of shades and can be used pretty much everywhere on the face (and the body) that need a bid of a lift. 

Since the launch, the innovation has come thick and fast across skincare, bodycare, fragrance and make-up. The brand kicked off 2026 with the launch of is first dedicated bodycare range and just this week has unveiled the Bright Skin Illuminating Drops. Among other new launches this year have been the Eyeshadow Sticks, the Lip Recharge, the Blushing Stick and the Stick Foundation. Every product is designed to be easy to use, multi-use and suitable for all skins and all ages. Brown was at the vanguard of the hybrid beauty trend, long before it was being talked about.

Jones Road Skin Illuminating Drops

In the UK the brand is available online and in-store at Liberty London, but there are 14 dedicated stores in the US and more in the pipeline.

We talk to Jones Road Beauty senior director of brand marketing, Payal Patel Plofker, about its approach to NPD, its very specific approach to distribution and whether it might add the UK to its store opening pipeline.

Before we get on to the new launches, can you given us some insight into your role at the brand and the things that are keeping you busy at the moment?

I am the senior director of brand marketing at Jones Road Beauty. My role touches on many aspects of our operations, however I spend the majority of my time on leading campaign and product go-to-market strategy and brand and macro creator partnerships. Other departments that sit under me include Marketing and Creative Operations, Press, Affiliate, Social and Copywriting. I actively work alongside the Product Development team in new product development and determining what makes it into our final assortment.

One of the things that does seem to be keeping you busy is NPD. We have seen a raft of new product launches already this year? How is the cadence of new launches decided? Or does it vary?

Product launch cadence at Jones Road follows innovation more than anything. Given Bobbi's history of reinventing beauty products, you can imagine this is a large scale, always-on program. When we come across unique formulas or products, we find ways to bring them to market, even if it means launching two new products within any given month. Conversely, at other times we'll try to take pause to focus on our existing lineup and give our customers time to get acquainted with the newness.

I’m sure you have many products in development at any one time, but is there a common starting point when the brand is looking to create a new product? Are there certain brand truths that you abide by?

There are typically two ways the process starts. The first starting point is when either Bobbi, or someone involved in the product development process, is inspired by something on the market whether it be a beauty product or inspiration coming from another industry. We work very collaboratively through these ideation phases. The second way product development can begin is through customer feedback.

Jones Road Body Collection

Do you focus your NPD on one category at a time, for instance we had Body in the new year and lately there have been a lot of make-up additions?

I think most people would be surprised to hear just how many active projects we have going on at once. When we decided to launch Body, the development process automatically overtook a lot of our PD team's NPD bandwidth given the scale, however our other projects continued on as well such as Lip Recharge, Eyeshadow Stick, and Foundation Stick.

One of the huge strengths of the Jones Road brand is the community around it, how do you engage them in NPD both in terms of prioritising which products to develop and the marketing of them?

We have an always-on consumer listening program that involves passively scanning and digesting what our audience is saying, in conjunction with actively surveying our customers in person and online. We use this synthesized data as possible to guide our decision-making. This way we can be confident in things like which products we launch, what the shade assortment looks like, what componentry it comes in, etc.

The Eyeshadow Stick

I find it hard to pick the products I like best, but I am enjoying your new treatment lip glosses and the new eyeshadow sticks. (Always been a Miracle Balm fan!) Which are the brand’s best sellers right now?

What The Foundation and Miracle Balm are our legacy products. I think they will always stay in our top four given the fact that there is nothing like them on the market - the formulas are so unique and nearly impossible to knock off, although some brands do try. Our newer launches (Lip Recharge, Blushing Stick, and Eyeshadow Stick) have been outperforming forecasts which is a really great sign. You'll notice many if not all shades have gone out of stock as a result. I think Lip Recharge has the potential to sit next to What The Foundation and Miracle Balm - it's well on its way.

While the brand has come such a long way since it launched and the range has expanded, it still seems highly edited and intentional. How do you keep that discipline and not be tempted, say, to respond to trends or other brands in the market?

Bobbi has never been one to get swept up in makeup trends since most of the time they deviate from what is most natural. Our entire PD team operates similarly. Every trend is discussed and explored, and if something surprises us, we sometimes infuse bits and pieces into updated takes on classics. Every product in our line is intended to provide a classic, natural, clean look that you can look back on 20-30 years from now and feel good about. It's the Jones Road promise.

I love the kits! As, I am sure, many of your customers do. How do you decide what goes into each kit and how often do you introduce them?

It all depends on the point of the kit. Each kit has a unique purpose and products are included based on this. For example, every year we launch a new Bobbi Kit to celebrate our brand's anniversary. This kit consists of Bobbi's favorite products that she passionately develops all year long - products that work well with each other, in universal brown tones, for a complete look. Conversely, our Hero Kit is designed for those new to the brand who want to try some of our award-winning, hero products. We made it easy for beginners by providing only two SKUs to choose from, both featuring universally flattering shades.

The representation of women of all ages and skin types is so evident and appreciated in all that the brand does. How much of a role does this play not only in messaging but across the brand’s culture and behaviours?

To us this is a basic baseline requirement. We cannot launch a product without considering how it works for ALL women. This could mean tweaking shades, adding shades, or adjusting the base formula, etc. Our complexion products use clear base formulas to avoid looking ashy on deeper skin tones. It's not publicised often, but it is very intentional.

Jones Road Lip Recharge

Can we talk about the UK specifically. Are the best sellers here the same as those on a global basis?

For the most part, yes. What deviates is typically shade preferences from region to region.

The brand’s distribution fascinates me. You are in Liberty in London and I am sure that many other big name retailers would love to stock the brand, but you appear to be resisting. What is the strategy here?

We are incredibly passionate about the customer journey and their experience. We want their interactions to be same high quality and standard no matter where they shop, physically or online. We can fully control the experience within our own walls, and Liberty has been wonderful in helping us do the same. Our stores are incredibly successful so we have plans to expand our retail footprint by double by the end of 2026.

You have Jones Road retail stores in the US, dare we hope we might get one in the UK?

We have been dreaming of a UK store for about two years now. We've been keeping our eyes open for the perfect spot but nothing has surfaced yet. We are patient and confident in our strategy so when we finally take the leap we know it'll be worthwhile.