Butter London is taking their love of bold color from fingertips to face with a new range of cosmetics …which are designed to be applied with your fingers (very smart marketing for a nail polish company).
First, a little history:
Butter London launched in 2006 with 45 nail lacquers, which quickly became cult favorites due to high pigment payoff, long-lasting finishes and the omission of carcinogens.
“In 2010, we entered Nordstrom and Ulta doors, and the brand took off,” said Leslie Freytag, president and chief executive officer of the company, explaining that since its retail expansion the brand’s compounded annual growth rate is roughly 90 percent. “We became the number-two brand in prestige nail in the U.S., right behind Chanel.”
In spring 2012, the brand tested the color cosmetics waters with the launch of Lippy Liquid Lipstick, a hybrid lipstick/lip gloss. “Customers gave us permission to go beyond nail. We saw there was an opportunity to expand,” said Freytag, adding that the move into color cosmetics is one aimed at bolstering her quickly growing business.
The collection, called Butter London Bespoke Colour Cosmetics, will begin its rollout in all Ulta Stores this August, expanding into Henri Bendel in September. By the end of 2013, the range is expected to be in 900 global doors. “Women have embraced wearing crazy colors on their nails,” said Feytag. “The next trend is moving that color onto the face.”
The range, initially comprised of 40 stock keeping units, includes a variety of colorful mascaras, eye pencils and cream eye shadows, bright cream blushes, buildable tinted lip balms …and nail lacquers, of course. “The nail category, as hot as it is, represents only one percent of the prestige makeup business,” said Freytag, adding that all Butter London color products will retail for $20 and below and will feature the tag line “Rock Your Colour.” “There was a huge opportunity for us to take our passion and experience with color and fashion and bring that to market in makeup.”
“We believe the collection will appeal to new customers as well as loyal Butter London fans who appreciate the bold and playful look of the brand,” said Janet Taake, senior vice president of Ulta.
Katie Hughes, the brand global color ambassador, will visit select Ulta and Nordstrom doors offering “rockovers” and providing tips on how to use the multifunctional formulas. “The shades you’ll see in this collection are true to the brand in that they’re vibrant, unexpected and on trend, while our formulas are versatile, buildable, long-lasting and, of course, free of parabens and phthalates,” said Hughes.
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