How a Millennial Estée Lauder Built a Wildly Popular Beauty Brand

Karissa Bodnar played on her clients' desire to belong to something bigger than...well, beauty.
On a recent Monday, Karissa Bodnar, the 34-year-old founder and CEO of Thrive, a cosmetics company, arrived at a launch party for her latest product line. The setting: a fifth-floor, fluorescent-lit office in midtown Manhattan. The bells and whistles: basic cheeses, raw vegetables, beer and wine. Entertainment: a Bluetooth speaker playing early hip-hop (Flo Rida, Lil Jon).
Over the next three hours, dozens of makeup artists, beauty editors and social media influencers used to throwing parties in remote places like Tokyo and the south of France passed by. Maybe.
“Respectfully, I don’t care if the editors and influencers show up or not,” Ms. Bodnar said as she surveyed the area of windowless reception. She wore a turquoise and silver sequinned skirt suit that cast a disco ball glow on the floor. "I had $25,000 to spend and I wasn't going to lunch at the Four Seasons or rent a house for the summer so influencers could go take selfies."
When it comes to beauty marketing, events like the two cited by Ms. Bodnar are relatively thrifty. Last January, Tarte apparently flew 50 influencers and their loved ones to Dubai and hosted them at a Ritz-Carlton to celebrate the introduction of a foundation made from a "multitasking superfruit." In 2022, Chanel sent influencers to Panama to celebrate a new beauty line; In 2017, Smashbox celebrated new products in Fiji.
For the April launch of Bigger Than Beauty, a set of skincare products, Ms Bodnar chose Bottomless headquarters. Closet, a nonprofit organization that helps women in need in the New York area enter the workforce. “We discovered them through our community,” Ms. Bodnar said. “We post on social media all the time and ask, ‘What charities get you moving? "Maybe it was the Fairy Godmother who chose to wave her wand at them.
“She’s the star,” said Melissa Norden, director CEO of Bottomless Closet, gesturing toward Ms. Bodnar. “People won’t come see us. They will show up for her. a flash-in-the-pan brand,” Ms. Bodnar said. Credit... Michelle Groskopf for the New York Times
Much has been said about the Rihannas and Kylie Jenners of the beauty industry, celebrities who have launched brands of best-selling cosmetics after developing a fervent audience. One could argue that given the notoriety of their founders, Fenty Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics were destined for success. To build a brand — and fill a room — Ms. Bodnar played not on her name but on consumers' desire to do good with their money and belong to something bigger than... well, beauty. Call it the Estée Lauder that hustle culture built.
“A lot of launch events would be in a fancy location,” Ms. Bodnar said at the assembly. “I grew up on a dirt road. I don't know about you, but I'm a little overwhelmed by fancy events. I thinkisthe new chic thing: being at places like Bottomless Closet. Cheers erupted.
“The Ultimate Unicorn”
If Ms. Bodnar only sought to do good,

Fashion Jan 9, 2024 0 25 Add to Reading List

Karissa Bodnar played on her clients' desire to belong to something bigger than...well, beauty.

On a recent Monday, Karissa Bodnar, the 34-year-old founder and CEO of Thrive, a cosmetics company, arrived at a launch party for her latest product line. The setting: a fifth-floor, fluorescent-lit office in midtown Manhattan. The bells and whistles: basic cheeses, raw vegetables, beer and wine. Entertainment: a Bluetooth speaker playing early hip-hop (Flo Rida, Lil Jon).

Over the next three hours, dozens of makeup artists, beauty editors and social media influencers used to throwing parties in remote places like Tokyo and the south of France passed by. Maybe.

“Respectfully, I don’t care if the editors and influencers show up or not,” Ms. Bodnar said as she surveyed the area of windowless reception. She wore a turquoise and silver sequinned skirt suit that cast a disco ball glow on the floor. "I had $25,000 to spend and I wasn't going to lunch at the Four Seasons or rent a house for the summer so influencers could go take selfies."

When it comes to beauty marketing, events like the two cited by Ms. Bodnar are relatively thrifty. Last January, Tarte apparently flew 50 influencers and their loved ones to Dubai and hosted them at a Ritz-Carlton to celebrate the introduction of a foundation made from a "multitasking superfruit." In 2022, Chanel sent influencers to Panama to celebrate a new beauty line; In 2017, Smashbox celebrated new products in Fiji.

For the April launch of Bigger Than Beauty, a set of skincare products, Ms Bodnar chose Bottomless headquarters. Closet, a nonprofit organization that helps women in need in the New York area enter the workforce. “We discovered them through our community,” Ms. Bodnar said. “We post on social media all the time and ask, ‘What charities get you moving? "Maybe it was the Fairy Godmother who chose to wave her wand at them.

“She’s the star,” said Melissa Norden, director CEO of Bottomless Closet, gesturing toward Ms. Bodnar. “People won’t come see us. They will show up for her. a flash-in-the-pan brand,” Ms. Bodnar said. Credit... Michelle Groskopf for the New York Times

Much has been said about the Rihannas and Kylie Jenners of the beauty industry, celebrities who have launched brands of best-selling cosmetics after developing a fervent audience. One could argue that given the notoriety of their founders, Fenty Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics were destined for success. To build a brand — and fill a room — Ms. Bodnar played not on her name but on consumers' desire to do good with their money and belong to something bigger than... well, beauty. Call it the Estée Lauder that hustle culture built.

“A lot of launch events would be in a fancy location,” Ms. Bodnar said at the assembly. “I grew up on a dirt road. I don't know about you, but I'm a little overwhelmed by fancy events. I thinkisthe new chic thing: being at places like Bottomless Closet. Cheers erupted.

“The Ultimate Unicorn”

If Ms. Bodnar only sought to do good,