08.04.23
Polite Society, a new brand by Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson, creators of Too Faced Cosmetics, is based on the premise that "clean" doesn't have to be boring—or "beige," as the brand posted in a teaser campaign.
Polite Society will launch in 750 Ulta Beauty doors on August 27th, and the clean, cruelty-free products meet Ulta's Conscious Beauty standards. (It's no surprise that the brand is cruelty-free—the founders have often raised money for animal rescues and once created a lipstick package inspired by their pup Clover for a collab with Belinda Carlisle.)
Polite Society is the second brand to launch from Toy Box Brands, Blandino and Johnson's new company headquartered in Orange County. The first was Diamond Drunk, a prestige line of non-toxic plant-derived, scented jewelry cleaners in luxurious packaging that launched last month.
Blandino, founder and CCO, says in the video below and in an Instagram post:
"I am so proud to FINALLY be able to share with you, my closest friends & social fam, what I’ve been working on for the past year but dreaming of for sooooo much longer! The community we’ve built around beauty together has inspired me to bring something DISRUPTIVE💗, something CLEAN 🌱 and of course, CRUELTY FREE 🐶. A beauty brand built for us! People who love makeup, who refuse to dim our lights to make each other “comfortable”, who are looking for the best in each other & want to celebrate how beautiful life can be when you lead with love. (Big lips & lashes don’t hurt either! 😉) Welcome to a new era of POLITE SOCIETY, where clean doesn’t have to be boring & YOU are the trend!”
Just like Too Faced, Polite Society will be fueled by Jerrod’s legendary creative vision and Jeremy’s strategic business know-how. The partners—in business and in life—met in 1995 while working behind the cosmetics counters of Estée Lauder and Chanel, respectively. Too Faced was "born" two years later.
The duo sold Too Faced to The Estee Lauder Companies in 2016 for a record-breaking $1.45 billion, and then stepped down from the company last year.
Blandino spoke to WWD's Beauty Inc. about moving on from Too Faced—but said there was nothing comparable to learning how to "sell beauty" from Leonard Lauder. “I never look at numbers, I don’t want to be basic, I don’t want to just be another. I want people to not like what I’m doing," Blandino said, adding, "Hopefully more like it than not like it, but I don’t want everyone to like it, I want some people to love it.”
Clean Formulas & Pretty Packaging—with Glamour & Glitz
We can't wait to see more of Polite Society's packaging. We caught a glimpse of pastel-hues and shiny rose gold accents, although the packaging differs from Too Faced in that it is less embellished.Clean skincare-meets-makeup hybrid formulas will be its signature. The brand's "No" list is posted on Instagram, and in the photo above. "Banned" ingredients include parabens, phthalates, talc, mineral oils—and more. But natural formulas won't mean sheer coverage or a "no makeup" look. We expect high-pigment colors and glamour, which represents a new direction for clean beauty.
And of course there will be memorable product names from the brand that created "Better Than Sex Mascara" followed by "Damn Girl!" (see link, slide 2). Polite Society's blush palette is called "Go Flush Yourself."
The first four products are:
- Greatest Lashes of All Time Mascara
- B.I.G. Mouth Lip Plumping Oil Gloss
- More than a Pretty Face Foundation
- Go flush Yourself Blush & Glow Face Palette
We also hear a new makeup collection for Madonna is in the works...stay tuned.
Here's what Blandino said about the brand on Instagram on July 6th:
