Virtue Labs Explores Options, Oliveda Eyes Nasdaq, and More Indie Beauty News

A legal dispute has emerged following the February sale of the HoliFrog skincare brand. On May 13, former owner Seemark Brands and its principals, HoliFrog co-founders Emily Parr and Majeed Hemmat, filed a complaint after the buyer alleged they provided inaccurate information during the sale process and demanded $750,000 in damages.

According to the complaint, the buyer threatened to unwind the transaction, citing a sharp decline in sales to a major customer group following the acquisition. The sellers deny the allegations and characterize the dispute as buyer’s remorse.

Corporate records list Holly Ceplikas, a former investor at Propel Equity and Essex Bay Capital and current co-owner of Parzona LLC, as the organizer and director of HoliFrog, Inc. The case is ongoing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Parr and Hemmat also operate the skincare brand Current State.

Industry sources report that Virtue Labs has retained J.P. Morgan to explore strategic options. The company declined to address market rumors directly. "We are aware of the interest in Virtue, but we do not comment on market speculation regarding strategic matters," a spokesperson says.

Combe, the parent company behind Just For Men and Vagisil, acquired a majority stake in Virtue Labs in 2020 before expanding its position through a growth equity investment in 2023. If a transaction materializes, it will extend a busy period for haircare M&A following recent acquisitions of Color Wow and Not Your Mother’s, alongside funding rounds for Roz, KilgourMD, and Filament.

Just one week after launching across roughly 2,000 Target stores on July 5, Based Bodyworks—the viral brand founded by barber and content creator Lance Baker—reported selling through 70% of its initial inventory, becoming Target’s top-selling men’s hairstyling brand. Target currently carries four $18 SKUs from the brand: Sea Salt Volumizer Spray, Leave-In Conditioner, Curl Cream, and Texture Powder.

Hyper Skin has paused operations while evaluating strategic path forward. In an Instagram announcement, founder Desiree Verdejo revealed that the skincare brand is closing its direct-to-consumer store after failing to secure fresh capital over the past year. As emerging founders increasingly explore alternative debt financing to scale retail growth, Verdejo noted that Hyper Skin is in discussions with a short list of potential partners to determine whether the brand can continue.

Verdejo, a former corporate attorney and founder of Harlem retail venue Vivrant Beauty, launched Hyper Skin in 2019. The brand participated in Sephora’s Accelerate program in 2021 before rolling out to the beauty specialty retailer later that year.

Oliveda International is laying groundwork for a planned Nasdaq listing in 2027. According to a corporate release, its Olive Tree People subsidiary generated $104.5 million in revenue during its second year in North America, up from $6.5 million in its inaugural year. The direct-selling brand reports a network of more than 70,000 consultants and a valuation exceeding $1 billion.

Oliveda stated that the listing will support its target to pass $1 billion in annual revenue by 2030. The company is opening a flagship storefront on Los Angeles’ Abbot Kinney Boulevard and plans to unveil a new product innovation in October.

Paul Mitchell has quietly made its debut at Sephora, listing 36 haircare SKUs online across its Tea Tree, Awapuhi Wild Ginger, and Super Skinny lines, with retail prices ranging from $12 to $56.

The launch reinforces Sephora’s focus on building out its professional haircare footprint. In June, Unite Hair launched on Sephora’s website ahead of a 300-store rollout, following an expansion across Ulta Beauty doors. Paul Mitchell and Unite join existing salon-founded brands such as Redken, Pureology, and Bumble and bumble at the retailer.

Mike McNeil has been appointed CEO of Half Magic Beauty, according to a update shared on LinkedIn. He joins the color cosmetics brand after serving as CMO at Danessa Myricks Beauty, following senior marketing leadership roles at Lawless Beauty, Huda Beauty, Milani Cosmetics, Jouer Cosmetics, and Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Founded in 2022 by Emmy-winning "Euphoria" makeup artist Donni Davy in partnership with A24, Half Magic raised its initial institutional round in 2023 led by Alliance Consumer Growth, with participation from A24, Imaginary Ventures, and Access Entertainment to back retail expansion into Ulta Beauty.

Elena Frankel and Carolyn Barber, early champions of indie beauty through Boston retail boutique E6 Apothecary, have shuttered their makeup line, Flyte.70. The founders cited economic volatility and shifting consumer discretionary spending for the decision.

In a social media farewell, they highlighted market saturation, rapid launch cycles, influencer-driven marketing, and Amazon's retail dominance as major pressures on independent brands. The closure echoes similar market dynamics that saw creator-led ventures struggle, much like when Samantha Ravndahl’s beauty brand Auric shut down after struggling to sustain long-term digital growth. Flyte.70 focused on women over 40, a demographic the co-founders noted has gained far greater visibility across the beauty industry over the past five years.

Vacation’s multi-channel retail expansion has taken another step. Following its Sephora debut in June, the nostalgic suncare brand has launched at Walgreens, building on existing distribution at Target, Ulta, Nordstrom, Costco, CVS, and Erewhon.

The drug store expansion follows a strategic investment from VMG Partners. General Manager London Krupski noted that sunscreen appeals across demographic groups, making a broader retail strategy essential for category scale.

Fekkai has suspended direct-to-consumer online sales. In a customer email and website notice, the premium haircare brand indicated that its DTC inventory is sold out and directed consumers to Macy’s and Amazon, without specifying whether e-commerce sales will resume.

The direct-to-consumer pause came prior to public testimony involving former Jeffrey Epstein associate Sarah Kellen, who leveled sexual abuse allegations against founder Frédéric Fekkai—claims Fekkai has strongly denied through a spokesperson. Fekkai repurchased his namesake brand in 2018 in partnership with Cornell Capital through holding entity Blue Mistral, which also owns French beauty line Bastide. Bastide’s website currently reflects similar out-of-stock messages.

Noon World has rolled out to 878 Target stores nationwide with three functional gummy SKUs: Chill, Focus, and Sleep, retailing at $27.99 for a 30-day supply. Founded in 2024 by Jane Kate Wong, Julie Hwang, and Christine Wong, the launch reflects Target's continued expansion into modern wellness and supplement categories.

Glimmr has launched across Target stores nationwide with eight haircare products, including its 10-Minute Superfood Hair Mask and Superfood Bond Repair Serum, priced between $15.99 and $34.99. Founded in Melbourne by Colin and Olivia McGuire, the brand centers on superfood-infused haircare formulations.

Finnsul has debuted across approximately 1,500 Ulta Beauty doors nationwide. Co-founded by Tarte Cosmetics founder Maureen Kelly and her sons, Finn and Sully McDonough, the cognitive wellness brand offers six electrolyte and nootropic beverage mixes priced at $39.99.

Ceremonia has closed its flagship store in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood after three years. Originally opened in 2023 as a 750-square-foot brand showcase, the location served as a physical centerpiece while the brand built out wholesale partnerships with Sephora, Credo Beauty, Revolve, Shopbop, and Space NK.

PaintLab expanded into more than 1,000 CVS locations last month. The bootstrapped press-on nail brand continues to build retail scale following its initial rollout across roughly 2,500 Walmart stores.

Loops Beauty is launching across 1,400 Walmart stores on Aug. 17, with additional doors planned by year-end. The rollout of its Double Take and Weekly Reset hydrogel face masks expands on existing retail placement at Target, Ulta, and Amazon.