Iris&Romeo, a women-founded beauty brand, has announced its partnership with venture capital firm BrandProject to help aid product innovation, brand growth and new hires.
Related: Unilever Acquiring Paula's Choice
Funds from BrandProject's investment will be used to capitalize on Iris&Romeo's Best Skin Days, a five-in-one skin care-makeup-SPF hybrid.
The funds will also go to recruit a team to help the Iris&Romeo brand scale through the development of additional products in the hybrid skin-care-meets-cosmetics category. This can be expected to launch as early as July 2021.
BrandProject will support the Iris&Romeo brand with day-to-day operational support and leadership in functions such as marketing, strategy, technology and finance.
Michele Gough Baril, founder and CEO of Iris&Romeo, said, “We’re problem solving for the busy modern woman, so she doesn’t have to make sacrifices. For decades, we’ve been sold a more-is-more approach to beauty. Life is overwhelming enough without a 10-step routine or drawers full of useless clutter that eventually ends up in the landfill. We took a smarter approach and streamlined her routine into a more sustainable edit of all-in-one hero products that are as easy to use as throwing on a moisturizer and deliver a healthy, no makeup look. It’s been super exciting to see how our thoughtfulness really resonates with our community, and witness so much organic love and growth as a result.”
Manica Blain, venture partner at BrandProject, said, “While Michele’s prior experience as VP of brand and consumer engagement at Smashbox certainly established her credibility, we were compelled by her mission of producing products that combined high performance skincare and makeup for an all-in-one solution. The Iris&Romeo brand Michele is creating deeply resonates with a community of busy women who seek simplification in their routines, yet still expect efficacy, and without the luxury price tag. We love that Michele has organically built a growing and loyal consumer base looking to align itself with a brand based on the core values of modern women, and we're thrilled about this next chapter of growth.”
