The Interview: Kess founder Kaspar von Mellenthin on simplifying beauty routines and expanding into UK market

German beauty brand Kess Berlin is turning its attention to the UK market after experiencing strong growth since its launch in 2019.

Founded with the aim of simplifying modern makeup routines, Kess focuses on multifunctional products designed to fit into fast-paced, contemporary lifestyles. The brand was created by founder and CEO Kaspar von Mellenthin, whose unconventional path into the beauty industry helped shape its consumer-first philosophy.

In this interview with TheIndustry.beauty, von Mellenthin reflects on the changing consumer behaviours that inspired the creation of Kess, as well as the key milestones that have defined its growth so far. He also outlines why the UK represents both a natural and strategically important next step in the brand’s ambition to become a leading name in European beauty.

Given that you didn’t come from a beauty background, what made you want to enter the industry?

I actually came into beauty through commerce rather than cosmetics.

Earlier in my career, I built the e-commerce business at HSE24, where beauty was one of the most successful categories. What fascinated me was how emotionally connected customers were to beauty products and how loyal they became once they found something that worked for them.

Around 2018, I noticed a fundamental shift. Consumers were suddenly buying beauty products and even fragrances online, often based on recommendations from creators and influencers. Historically, these were products people wanted to test in-store first. It became clear that a new generation of beauty brands could be built digitally from the ground up.

At the same time, I felt many products had become unnecessarily complicated. I saw an opportunity to create a modern beauty brand that makes beauty easier for busy people while delivering high-quality results. That became the foundation of Kess.

What inspired you to launch Kess and what gap in the market did you feel was not being addressed at the time?

The inspiration came from observing both changing consumer behaviour and changing lifestyles.

Beauty consumers were moving online, but many established brands were still focused on traditional retail. At the same time, modern life was becoming increasingly busy. People were juggling work, social lives, travel, fitness and family commitments, yet beauty routines often seemed to require more products and more time than ever.

We saw a gap for beauty products that genuinely simplify everyday routines. Kess was built around multifunctional essentials that are intuitive to use, easy to carry and deliver reliable results.

From the beginning, we also believed that sustainability should be integrated into the product itself rather than treated as a marketing message. That’s why refillability became a core part of our innovation strategy.

Can you tell me more about this philosophy and how it translates across the business?

Our philosophy is simple: beauty should fit into your life, not the other way around.

We call our approach “No Make-up Make-up” – helping people look like the best version of themselves without spending an hour in front of the mirror.

Every product starts with the same question: how can we make this easier? How can we save time, reduce complexity and improve the experience?

That philosophy is reflected in everything we do. Our products are multifunctional, portable and designed to be used confidently anywhere. Many customers apply or refresh their makeup while commuting, travelling or between meetings.

It also influences our packaging, communication and retail experience. We believe consumers increasingly value products that are intuitive, practical and thoughtfully designed.

Ultimately, Kess exists to make beauty easier for busy modern consumers.

Can you tell me more about the product range and how it has evolved since launch?

Our product range has grown significantly, but the core idea remains unchanged: multifunctional beauty essentials designed for everyday life.

One of our hero products is our CC Cream, which combines hydration, colour correction and SPF 30 in a lightweight formula. We often describe it as giving you the appearance of having had twelve hours of sleep.

Another signature innovation is our patented refillable Blush & Glow Duo Stick. It combines blush, highlighter, and even a brush in a modular format that customers can personalise through our Mix & Match concept.

More recently, we’ve expanded into fragrance. Our 030 Day and 030 Night fragrances are inspired by Berlin itself - from the lakes and green spaces that define the city by day to its creative energy and nightlife after dark.

Across every category, our focus remains on creating products that are beautiful, practical and easy to use.

Since launching, how has Kess performed in its home market?

Germany has been a strong foundation for us.

We launched in 2019 with a very small team and have since grown into an international company with around 50 employees representing more than 20 nationalities.

Importantly, we have demonstrated that the model works not only from a growth perspective but also financially. Since 2023, Kess has been profitable.

We have also evolved from a digital-first startup into a true omnichannel brand. Today, customers can discover Kess through our own online channels, selective retail partners such as Douglas and Heinemann, as well as our own retail experiences and pop-up stores.

That combination of strong customer loyalty, growing distribution and sustainable economics has been very encouraging.

What milestones have been most significant in validating the brand so far?

Three milestones stand out.

First, reaching profitability in 2023. In today’s beauty industry, proving that growth can be sustainable is a major achievement.

Second, the success of our refillable product system. Consumers increasingly want smarter and more responsible consumption models, and we’ve shown that refillability can be both elegant and commercially successful.

Third, our expansion beyond Germany into multiple European markets and respected retail partnerships. That demonstrated that our positioning resonates internationally and isn’t limited to one market.

Each of these milestones reinforced our belief that consumers are looking for thoughtfully designed beauty brands with a long-term vision.

Why is the UK a strategic next step for Kess and what makes the market particularly attractive for the brand at this stage of growth?

The UK is one of the most influential beauty markets in the world.

Consumers are highly engaged, digitally sophisticated and very open to discovering new brands. It is also a market where innovation, design and storytelling are particularly valued.

We believe Kess is well positioned because we bring together several trends that are increasingly relevant: multifunctional beauty, refillable innovation and products that genuinely simplify everyday routines.

The UK consumer appreciates brands with a strong identity, and our Berlin heritage gives us a distinctive point of view within the market.

For us, the UK is a natural next step in building Kess into a leading European beauty brand.

How do UK consumers differ in their beauty behaviours and expectations compared to your existing markets?

UK consumers tend to be highly informed and very engaged with beauty culture.

They often discover brands earlier, follow beauty creators closely and are comfortable experimenting with new concepts.

At the same time, we’re seeing a broader shift across many markets. Consumers are becoming more selective. They want products that genuinely improve their routines rather than simply adding more steps.

That trend plays directly into our strengths. While there are certainly local differences, the demand for effective, multifunctional products that fit modern lifestyles is increasingly universal.

How are you planning to position Kess within the UK beauty landscape, particularly given how crowded the category is?

We don’t plan to compete by being the loudest brand in the room.

Instead, we focus on a very clear proposition: beautifully designed, refillable beauty essentials that make everyday routines easier.

Kess sits at the intersection of beauty, design and lifestyle. We offer multifunctional products that combine aesthetics, practicality and sustainability without sacrificing performance.

Our Berlin roots are also an important differentiator. Berlin represents creativity, openness and individuality. Those values are deeply embedded in the brand and resonate strongly with modern consumers.

In a crowded category, clarity is often the strongest form of differentiation.

Which channels are you prioritising for growth - retail, DTC, social, influencer partnerships, or something else - and why?

We believe the future is omnichannel.

Direct-to-consumer remains incredibly important because it allows us to build direct relationships with our customers and learn from them quickly.

Retail is equally important because beauty remains a category where consumers enjoy physical discovery and trial. That’s why we work with carefully selected retail partners and continue to invest in our own retail experiences.

Social media and creator partnerships also remain central because beauty is inherently visual and community-driven.

What matters most is maintaining a close dialogue with our customers. Their feedback directly influences product development, innovation and brand decisions.

What are your wider ambitions for KESS, both in the UK market and globally?

Our ambition is to build one of Europe’s most relevant modern beauty brands.

We want to continue reinventing beauty essentials through refillable and multifunctional innovation while staying true to our core mission of making beauty easier for busy modern consumers.

Personally, I am inspired by timeless design – whether in art, architecture or fashion. The goal for Kess is similar: to create products that feel just as relevant and desirable in ten years as they do today.

In the UK, we want to establish Kess as a distinctive Berlin-born beauty brand with a clear identity and loyal community. Globally, we want to continue expanding while remaining focused on thoughtful innovation, exceptional product quality and long-term brand building.

We are not interested in chasing every trend. We are interested in creating a beauty brand that lasts.