Sal

Let’s talk about what actually happened during the era of viral skincare-makeup. Yes, Farsali products were viral. Yes, influencers dripped serums down their faces for views. But were they just overpriced glittery oils? Not quite. 👉 Not all the dropper products were oils. 👉 Each formula had a specific function — whether your skin was oily, dry, or in between. 👉 And influencers, while amazing at grabbing attention, aren’t always the best at product education. We’re not in our “viral product” era anymore. We’ve stepped back from retail, slowed down, and now focus on intentional launches that are evergreen — like the Reset Cream, our best-selling moisturizer for even-toned skin and visibly refined pores. #ViralSkincare #PrimerSerum #SkincareEducation #InfluencerMarketing #Skintune #RoseGoldElixir #ResetCream #SkincareTips #SkincareRoutine #GlowingSkin

You BETTER like, share, and comment something nice for my wife @Farah Dhukai…. OR ELSE! 😤😤😤 #babyclothes #Relationship #wife

Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray just changed… and most people don’t even know it. After 15 years, the original formula maker, Skindinavia, is no longer behind the iconic mist. Whether it’s better or not is up to you—but here’s what this means from a brand and licensing perspective. In most licensing deals, the formula is owned by the innovator, but the brand owns the name, the narrative, and the shelf space. So when the deal ends? The product changes, but the name doesn’t. The consumer rarely notices… unless it’s made public. — #UrbanDecay #AllNighter #SettingSpray #BeautyIndustry #Skindinavia #MakeupSettingSpray

First Ami Colé, now Youthforia. Two very different brands... same outcome. One built on thoughtful inclusivity, the other on viral hype. But both are shutting down this year. Right now, in the current landscape it's difficult to stay alive in beauty retail in 2025. The market’s oversaturated, discounting is everywhere, and investors expect fast returns.. even in a recession. We need to stop pretending that funding or virality guarantees survival. Because what we’re seeing now is the reality of running a brand today. -- #Youthforia #AmiCole #Sephora #BeautyIndustry #InclusiveBeauty #BeautyBrand #BrandFounder

This one hit close 💔 If you’ve ever built something from the ground up… something that you believed in so deeply and it kept you up at night.. then you know how hard it is to walk away from it. 💔 Ami Colé wasn’t just a beauty brand. It was thoughtful. It was intentional. And Diarrha did it with clarity, culture, and care. But what most people don’t see is how lonely the founder journey can get. And getting funding doesn’t fix that. MONEY WITHOUT MENTORSHIP IS JUST PRESSURE… and to clarify, I’m talking REAL non-self serving, UNBIASED mentorship. If your investors only saw you as a box to check during the “inclusive beauty boom” of 2020, then they were never really there to help you win long-term. That’s the part no one tells you. It’s not just about raising money. It’s about knowing how to use it, when to say no, and having the right support to grow without losing yourself. Diarrha — I don’t know you personally, but I just want to say: You built something that made a real impact. And no one can take that away from you. The industry may have failed you, but you made SPACE. And that matters more than anyone chasing a quick exit ever will. — #amicole #inclusivebeauty #beautyindustry #blackownedbusiness #investor

Most people don’t realize what a bold — and complicated — move this is. In 2017, @Huda took a minority investment from private equity firm TSG at a reported $1.2B valuation. PE investments like that can be incredibly powerful. They help scale operations, expand globally, and even give founders access to some liquidity without selling the whole company. But here’s what we don’t always hear about: Private equity firms typically want a 3–5x return within 5–7 years. That means pressure to grow fast — and eventually exit. And if the founder isn’t ready to sell? The firm can sell their shares to someone else. A different partner, with new demands and a new vision. That’s the part that’s rarely talked about — the emotional cost of handing your brand to people who may not understand what you’ve built. Which is why Huda’s decision to buy those shares back is so significant. It may not have been the most financially “logical” move — but sometimes staying in control is the win. Especially when the brand is so deeply personal. We’ve felt this too, on a smaller scale. Years ago, we pulled out of retail and intentionally scaled our business back to focus on something we couldn’t put a price on: our TTC journey. It wasn’t the best financial decision. But for us, it was the right one. And that’s what makes Huda’s story so powerful. She’s not chasing the highest bidder. She’s still building her brand, on her own terms. And that’s rare. — #HudaKattan #HudaBeauty #PrivateEquity #BeautyBusiness @Huda Beauty

I wasn’t sure if this update was worth sharing, because this is currently a failed launch 😥…… We started working on this formula in June 2024… and a year later, we still haven’t launched. I’m currently testing the latest lab submission on my skin, while Dyna—my chemist—is running stability tests in the lab. She’s made over 100 versions of this formula so far. For context: The Reset Cream, one of our most complex products to date, took a little over 30 trials to get right. A typical skincare formula? Usually finalizes within 3–5 trials. This one? We’ve crossed 100. Why? Because we’re pushing boundaries. It’s a complex blend of ingredients—using a proprietary 10% active blend that has never been done before. And that kind of innovation doesn’t come easy. Some days it’s the thickener. Other days, the preservative system. Sometimes… it’s everything at once. This is the most challenging formula we’ve ever attempted—and we still don’t know if we’ll be able to make it work. But this is the part of product development most people never see. Not every formula makes it to the shelf. And sometimes, the hardest formulas… are the ones worth fighting for. cc: 👩‍🔬 @notyourchemist — #farsali #productdevelopment #skincare

Designer bags and skincare ingredients. Both make a statement. One just needs to work. - #designerbags #skincare #skincareroutine #skincareformulator

Wife or work? Formulating products is hard… formulating the right answer with your wife in the room? Harder.