Luxury brands spend years developing products—MCo Beauty swoops in and replicates them in weeks. And the results speak for themselves.Originally known as ModelCo, an Aussie drugstore brand focused on tanning, MCo Beauty reinvented itself by recreating viral beauty products with eerily similar packaging—at a fraction of the price. By strategically navigating trademark laws, the brand has grown from AU$10M in revenue in FY20 to a staggering $330M in FY25.In February, founder and CEO Shelley Sullivan cashed out, selling her stake in a deal that valued MCo Beauty at over a billion dollars. But how did they pull it off? How is any of this legal? And what’s next for the ultimate dupe brand?In this episode of The Barefaced Podcast, we break down the rise of MCo Beauty.A series of graphs, visual aids, and references have been created to help narrate this story. You can access them at barefaced.substack.comYou can find Barefaced everywhere else -https://beacons.ai/barefaced Get full access to barefaced at barefaced.substack.com/subscribe
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1:00:30
Trade and Tension: The Unknown Power of Japanese Beauty
In recent years, the global embrace of Japanese culture has been undeniable. From streetwear and homewares to anime and video games, Japan's influence is everywhere. So why is Japanese beauty (J-beauty) still flying under the radar while Korean beauty (K-beauty) has taken the industry by storm?This episode is a deep dive into the Japanese beauty market. We start by unpacking the geopolitical and economic factors that have shaped the globalisation of K-beauty versus J-beauty, then break down their distinct differences. With this foundation, we analyse three key areas: consumer trends and behaviours, product, and retail.A series of graphs, visual aids, and references have been created to help narrate this story. You can access them at barefaced.substack.com/You can find Barefaced everywhere else here–https://beacons.ai/barefaced Get full access to barefaced at barefaced.substack.com/subscribe
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56:17
Luxury Fashion Houses: Can Their Beauty Brands Stay Relevant?
It’s the start of Fashion Month—the pinnacle of luxury, where fashion houses invest millions into runway shows to reinforce their brand identity. But how does this impact their beauty divisions?This episode explores the role of beauty within luxury fashion houses. Why do these brands expand into beauty? How does the business model differ from fashion, and how do they compete in an increasingly saturated beauty market? From shifting ownership structures to evolving retail strategies, we break down how luxury fashion brands can compete in beauty in 2025.This episode is supported by a series of graphs and visual aids to help narrate this story. You can access those resources at barefaced.substack.com/You can find Barefaced everywhere else here–https://beacons.ai/barefacedRecommended reading - https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/luxury-brands-buying-back-their-beauty-lines/ Get full access to barefaced at barefaced.substack.com/subscribe
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39:44
Class, Culture, and Contouring: The UK’s Distinct Beauty Trends
Thanks to social media, beauty trends often go global—but not in the UK.While interest in makeup in Canada, Australia, and the US has slowed down since the pandemic, the "baddie makeup" continues to trend in the UK. Why does this trend stand strong, and what does it reveal about Britain’s beauty scene?In this episode of The Barefaced Podcast, we dive into the cultural, economic, and social factors that set the UK apart, from local beauty brands taking over to the rise of TikTok Shop.This episode is supported by a series of graphs and visual aids to help narrate this story. You can access those resources at barefaced.substack.com/You can find Barefaced everywhere else here–https://beacons.ai/barefaced Get full access to barefaced at barefaced.substack.com/subscribe
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40:33
The British Beauty Battle: Why Are There So Many Retailers?
Beauty shopping in the UK is anything but intuitive. You can find luxury brands at Boots, a pharmacy, or Harrods, a luxury department store, or shop them online at Look Fantastic, an e-commerce retailer. But why is the market so fragmented?Over the last five years, online beauty retail boomed but has faced rising customer acquisition costs. Companies like Walgreens Boots Alliance (owner of Boots) have struggled, while luxury department stores have doubled down on beauty. To top it off, after a 17-year hiatus, Sephora re-entered the market by acquiring Feelunique to expand their physical presence.In this episode, we break down these complexities and offer insights on how to navigate this competitive and ever-evolving beauty retail market.This episode is supported by a series of graphs and visual aids to help narrate this complex story. You can access those resources at barefaced.substack.com.You can find Barefaced everywhere else here—beacons.ai/barefaced Get full access to barefaced at barefaced.substack.com/subscribe
Ireland