Over ten years ago two entrepreneurial businesswomen had the idea of starting the first beauty subscription box. In a nutshell, they wanted to offer subscribers a curated selection of beauty products in trial sizes for a price equivalent to what one full-sized product would cost. The initial success of this venture, Birchbox, spawned a sea of copycats, not only in beauty but across all sectors such as food, socks, fashion and shaving. Magazines and retailers jumped on the bandwagon. What may have seemed to be a wise strategy, especially during the pandemic when getting a monthly package of newness delivered to your front door was a treat, may have run its course. Has this marketing vehicle worn out its welcome or is there still opportunity to be had? Let’s look at the appeal, the mechanics and the reality.

Once upon a time, Sophie and Didier created three enchanted perfume tales. The couple, full of magic talent and passion for Italy, decided to have Art and Beauty meet in a Venetian Palace, their world of fantasy, now unveiled...

Summer vacation has become a hazy memory. As soon as we hit mid-September it’s a quick slide into fourth quarter and the holiday season. I thought it would be the perfect time to catch up with Carlo Pignataro, author, entrepreneur, training specialist and luxury goods expert, who I had interviewed earlier in the year. We had a very frank discussion about the outlook for the second half of the year and the current state of the luxury market. What should we be aware of as we move into the end of 2021?

According to Euromonitor International, Nigeria boasts a beauty and personal care market that’s expected to exceed $1.3 billion in 2022. Consider also that the country counts more than 43,500 millionaires (USD), meaning there is opportunity for the luxury goods market. At the beginning of the year I interviewed Femi Olusola, a self-proclaimed “fraghead” in Nigeria who created the Seinde Signature Experience Studio in Lagos to share his collection of 1000+ fragrances with the public. Never one to sit idle, he has doubled his Instagram followers since January and he just celebrated the grand opening of his fragrance boutique called the Salon de Parfum. I caught up with him on Zoom to talk about his recent projects and the business potential in his country.