MOTD Cosmetics’ makeup brushes have gotten a brush-up.
After three years in business, the Las Vegas-based brand is unveiling a new look and launching seven makeup brush sets priced from $45 to $250. Founder Chantal Azamian compares the updated aesthetic, which introduces a modernized MOTD Cosmetics logo, to a fusion of ColourPop’s and Glossier’s styles.
“Glossier is more about the no makeup makeup look, and ColourPop is fun and vibrant, and you can really get creative with their range. We wanted to show that our brand can fit into anyone’s lifestyle,” she says, while noting that MOTD Cosmetics isn’t changing its cruelty-free and vegan-friendly positioning with the rebrand.
Formerly, its website had a color palette of black, white and teal, but it’s transitioned to soft blush hues and marble textures that complement an otherwise neutral palette of black and white. For its logo, MOTD Cosmetics switched to the font Quicksand to underscore its contemporary design and incorporated a second font, Notera, for balance.
The revamp is expected to widen MOTD Cosmetics’ reach to customers, a group that’s largely been 18- to 40-year-old beauty shoppers to date. The brand is increasing its focus on men, and is including them in marketing campaigns and partnerships. It recently published a blog post featuring male makeup artists on the rise and promotes them on social media. MOTD Cosmetics has an affiliate relationship with Luis Pizzaro, a beauty influencer using the Instagram handle paymeinroses.
To promote the renovated branding and product releases, MOTD Cosmetics is collaborating with a slew of influencers it has connected with in the past, among them Nicole Cutler. The brand has also teamed up with Mario Dedivanovic, a.k.a. Makeup By Mario. It sponsored the celebrity makeup artist’s Masterclass in Albania last month and participated in his Masterclass NYC last week.
Azamian reports MOTD Cosmetics is profitable and attributes much of the brand’s success to Stefania Squitieri, a buyer at Anthropologie. Squitieri identified MOTD Cosmetics as a brand that could make inroads at retail and picked it up for Anthropologie’s website in May 2016 before bringing it to stores across the U.S. in November of the same year.
“Invest in a great graphic designer. Never cut corners when it comes to your website and brand aesthetic and, of course, do your research with industry trends and shifts.”
MOTD Cosmetics’ entrance in Anthropologie was followed by distribution breakthroughs in 2016 at Free People and Revolve. In 2017 and early 2018, MOTD Cosmetics’ retail network expansion continued with rollouts to Great Beauty, South Moon Under, Lulu’s and Swedish e-tailer Chiquelle. International markets are growth opportunities MOTD Cosmetics is set on tapping.
The brand has its roots in Azamian’s schooling. Following a stint in the retail industry working at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, she decided to study at Phoenix University. In a business course, she presented the concept of her brand in front of a class that urged her to pursue the idea. With her classmates’ encouragement, she initiated a Kickstarter campaign in 2014. Her goal was to raise $5,000, and she reeled in $5,664 from friends, family and strangers with a feeling she’d go far with MOTD Cosmetics. The brand’s name is an acronym for makeup of the day.
Fast forward to the present, and Azamian is solidifying her brand’s presence with the overhaul she emphasizes speaks to her taste. “The owner of the brand is a walking billboard, and everything should be cohesive. If your favorite color is pink, if you always rock a red lip, make sure it’s incorporated into your brand,” she says. For other beauty entrepreneurs taking the rebranding plunge, she suggests, “Invest in a great graphic designer. [MOTD Cosmetics hired Alex Rogala Jacek of Adored Designs.] Never cut corners when it comes to your website and brand aesthetic and, of course, do your research with industry trends and shifts.”
