How to Make Millions Selling Temporary Tattoos

Business of Fashion

16-05-2025

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and a teen drama with its own blush brush.
Included in today's issue: Bella Hadid, Colourpop, Dune Suncare, Essie, Goop, Hourglass Cosmetics, Jenna Perry, Hairitage, Half Magic, Iris & Romeo, Kopari, Lancôme, Laneige, Laura Geller Beauty, Legendairy Milk, Lush, Mienne, Naked Sundays, Nakedbeauty MD, Olive & June, Paris Hilton, Pleasing, Reframe, Schwarzkopf Professional, Sonsie, Steve Madden, The Lip Bar and the second coming of Gen-X beauty directors.
But first…
When small children use your body as a human jungle gym, you begin to notice things. The arm shoved against your cheek is covered in unicorns and planets. The leg plopped onto your shoulder is spangled with stars and Spongebobs. 'I like to leave mine on for as long as I can because it looks cool,' said Oscar, an 8-year-old in Brooklyn who can name every mineral in the Museum of Natural History, of his temporary tattoos. Oscar said some boys in his class prefer to paint their nails (blue and purple, mostly) but he thinks the tattoos 'are more interesting.' His mother confirms they buy them all the time from CVS; bookstores and toy stores also stock them now, along with museum gift shops. 'It's girls and boys who like them,' said Oscar's little brother Mattis, 6. Adds Julian, a 7-year-old in California who loves playing drums, 'We get temporary tattoos in gift bags at birthday parties. They are everywhere.'
In the 1980s and 1990s, Bonne Bell Lipsmackers or cherry Chapsticks were goodie bag staples, and usually only for girls. Those have been replaced with temporary tattoos, which appeal to all genders and can provide hours of Gen Alpha entertainment. They're not the only ones who love them. Gen-Z and Millennials are also using temporary tattoos as an 'activity,' said Fazit co-founder Aliett Buttelman. Pore strips and face masks hit an algorithmic sweet spot for skincare, which prompted the New York-based entrepreneur to wonder ''What does that look like in cosmetics?'' Fazit debuted a series of temporary tattoo glitter freckles at Coachella in 2024; by festival's end, they'd sold 100,000 packs of the product and gained 10 million organic views on TikTok.
'Of course little kids love them,' said Buttelman. 'But our demographic also spans into Gen X, because there's that nostalgia factor. Putting stickers and glitter on your face is joyful. And unlike makeup, you don't have to worry if it's going to smudge at the end of a party.'
A number of entrepreneurs are scaling whimsy into beauty businesses. Danielle Egna, the founder of Inked by Dani, launched her temporary tattoo company in 2019. Unlike Fazit's more glittery, cosmetic-like takes, Egna's designs are truer to the original form. Inked By Dani designs span ultra-realistic motifs like stick-and-poke stars to wacky collaborations like an official 'Emily in Paris' croissant. 'It does feel like magic when you see it applied, just with water,' she said. In six years, the brand has partnered with Paramount Pictures and Netflix on custom motifs that click with kids and tweens; this spring, for its older audience, the label debuted a semi-permanent range based on popular line-drawn tattoo styles. 'When I wear them, people ask me if I finally got a tattoo,' said Egna, who is 32. 'I'm like, guys, I own a temporary tattoo company. I literally cannot get a real one!' The brand's first big retailer was Walmart; on Sunday, it'll launch into Target's incubator space, Beauty Minis, and be available at Target.com. Fazit's glitter freckles enjoyed viral boosts in 2024 from Coachella and Taylor Swift.
Fazit began as a 'skin patch' company with zit stickers and ingrown hair treatments circa 2022. But after last year's Coachella debut of glitter freckles, they were approached by both CVS and Urban Outfitters. In October of 2024, Taylor Swift wore Fazit's glitter freckles to a Kansas City Chiefs game, causing sales to skyrocket over 3,500 percent in less than 24 hours. 'We knew immediately we had to diversify,' said Buttelman, who began creating designs for collarbones and shoulders, 'snowflake freckles' for skiers and holiday collections for Valentine's and St. Patrick's days. Fazit also developed 'game day' patches that let sports fans and players wear their team's colours as metallic 'paint' smears across the cheeks, and have become popular during sorority rush events on US campuses.
In June, Fazit will launch its most makeup-adjacent product yet: A temporary tattoo designed to mimic a red carpet cosmetic trend that's tough to pull off in person. (Buttelman wouldn't reveal the exact design, but sources say it's a take on eye makeup.) They are projecting $40 million in revenue for 2025, up from last year's earnings of $10 million. Buttelman attributes the brand's profitability to its mass appeal: 'Everyone can participate in the product,' she said. 'It's not an age thing or a trend thing. It's just fun.' What else is new… Skincare
On May 8, Lush announced a major milestone: The brand has now donated over $100 million to advocacy groups for human rights and environmental protection. They celebrated with spokes-babe Dylan Mulvaney at the brand's charitable Resist Ball in New York.
Dune Suncare unveiled the Slip Stick on May 8. It's a swipe-on SPF 50 formula with a cooling effect on skin that retails for $30. Besides retailers like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, Dune has made it into Pacsun's doors, which speaks to their appeal with younger shoppers who may not always have sun protection as a goal.
I'll be honest: I thought Legendairy Milk was one of those 'designer Lactaid' brands. Apparently, it's actually a breast milk supplement brand, and now it's expanding its focus to include hair growth, hormonal stability and sleep care. LM's extended range of five women's wellness gummies hit Walmart on May 12.
If you watch too much TV, good news: Iris & Romeo hit QVC on May 12, so you can buy their absolute banger of a lip balm without changing the channel.
Laneige is spilling the (bubble) tea. On May 13, the K-beauty brand debuted matcha (flat green) and taro (hazy lilac) shades of its best-selling lip mask and balm, each photographed next to a giant cup of boba. Adorbs, etc.
On May 13, Mantle Skin dropped The Lite Cream, a summer-weight moisturiser with niacinamide and panthenol. The Swedish-made moisturiser retails for $49 and has the same butter yellow hue that's popular with cashmere cardigans right now.
Nakedbeauty MD has hit Violet Grey. The Los Angeles brand entered the ultra-luxe retailer with a new launch, Biopeptide Growth Factor Eye Therapy Serum, on May 13. Created by plastic surgeon Dr. Catherine Chang, the formula includes 'peptides and growth factors' to help reduce puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. It retails for $180.
Want to smell like a celebrity yoga studio circa 2005? Head to Bliss. On May 14, the spa brand expanded its signature Lemon & Sage to include hand cream and hand wash.
Mienne has enlisted Julia Fox, Parris Goebel and Lola Leon as its first campaign faces. The brand makes both body care and lube — called 'Sex Serum' and retailing for $55 — and the packaging asks the question, 'What if the Pleasing nail polishes by Harry Styles looked even more like adorable sex toys?' It launched on March 14.
Sonsie launched updated formulas of its Basic Balm ($22) and Multi Moisture Cream ($48) on May 15. The skincare range first launched in 2023, then brought Pamela Anderson on board in 2024 as a co-founder. Anderson would be stunning even if she slathered Crisco on her face and called it a day, but it's still intriguing to see someone known for her pared-down makeup going hard for a skincare brand.
It's a girl! On May 15, Reframe was born. The skincare line was created with influencer Savannah James in partnership with Howard University's College of Dermatology, and includes three core products ranging from $95 to $115. James worked with Nick Axelrod, the man behind Nécessaire and Courteney Cox's Homecourt brands who began his beauty career at Glossier.
Spotted: Half Magic makeup on 'Overcompensating," the new LGBTQ+ show from A24 and Amazon starring comedian Benito Skinner as a closeted jock heading to college. The move represents another baby step into beauty-tainment from the film studio, which has also done Half Magic tie-ins with 'Priscilla' and 'Euphoria." This time, it comes in the form of an 'Overcompensating' makeup kit including an eye crayon, lip gloss, face gems and a blush brush.
Colourpop's wicked cute Lilo & Stitch collab debuted on May 15 with eyeshadows, matte blush and three lip gloss shades packaged in giant popsicle applicators. Mahalo! Makeup
Roll out the welcome matte. The Lip Bar dropped a new shade of its $15 Nonstop Liquid Matte Lipstick called Mastermind, a deep, warm brown. It debuted on May 13.
After Naked Sundays released its blush and bronze serums, they realised they could do more (and make more revenue) in the space. Enter Blush & Bronze Glow Balms, which come in creamy sticks and have SPF 50. They launched on May 13 in three shades, and go for $25 each.
We love a multitask. Laura Geller Beauty's Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer has SPF 30, so while it's blurring pores it can block rays. It hit shelves on May 13 and retails for $38.
Juicy Couture, meet Juicy Tubes. On May 15, Lancôme introduced its newest brand buddy, Paris Hilton, with a video showing the Y2K icon applying the Y2K makeup staple in her all-pink-everything closet. She's got one of the $24 glosses dangling from her handbag like a charm; this is a nice touch, and Lancôme should sell it that way!
Let the games begin… or, uh, continue? On May 15, Olive & June dropped its Big Play collection, a tennis-themed range of nine shades including neon yellow, pastel green and deep purple.
Hourglass Cosmetics launched its Ambient Lighting Edit, a series of makeup palettes that flank the brand's bestselling highlighter. A+ for the name but I'm a little less bullish on the price: $70 per quad. Wow. Hair Care
The bouncy curls keep coming. On May 8, Hairitage launched Rise & Shine, a thermal brush with a 1.25-inch barrel and four heat settings. It retails for $50.
More than a few group chats erupted with news that Bella Hadid had gone blonde at Cannes on May 13. It turns out, the process took two days, and was handled by stylist and Schwarzkopf Professional ambassador Jacob Schwartz. The brand's messaging got a little messy — since Bella was apparently a blonde baby, they've called it 'a return to her roots,' even though Schwartz was using synthetic chemicals to alter her roots in an intense, 48-hour process. The finished look is stunning, but maybe it's okay to admit that red carpet beauty isn't 'natural' or 'authentic.' Making a bold choice about how we want to look is, after all, its own type of power. Bella, lean in!
Welcome to the East Village, Jenna Perry! On May 15, the celebrity stylist responsible for the locks of Chloë Sevigny and Kendall Jenner moved her salon from New York City's Soho neighbourhood to the grittier and more easygoing Alphabet City. The salon will reserve space for walk-ins, so go early and you might end up getting highlights next to Em Rata. Fragrance
Shoe brand Steve Madden (really) debuted Rose Goldie, a bergamot and amber scent, on May 10. It comes in a metallic heart bottle and retails for $78, but I'd buy two if the gift-with-purchase was the Row-adjacent jelly weirdo.
Will guava dethrone strawberry as 2025's summer scent? Kopari is coming for the crown with its Pink Guava Hair & Body Fragrance Mist, which dropped on May 15. It's in a bright pink bottle at Ulta and Nordstrom and goes for $29. And finally…
Goop has its next editrix! Congratulations to Amy Synnott, the beloved former beauty director at InStyle who later figured out how to herd all the craziest cats — er, visionary forces — as a whip-smart executive editor at Harper's Bazaar and Elle. (Full disclosure: Synnott had the good / bad luck to edit my crazy stories about sex during Covid-19. I found her to be masterful.) Synnott joins Gwyneth Paltrow's empire as its editorial director, overseeing all content. She marks the empire's first big media hire since parting ways with staffers like Jean Godfrey-June, its former executive beauty director, in November.
Tellingly, Godfrey-June remains something of a mystic figure for Millennial beauty writers in various industry group chats; you can see her invisible fingerprints on a lot of current 'voicy' pieces. Meanwhile, have you noticed that former Elle beauty director Emily Dougherty now cultivates Cultured's playfully artful — and super-shareable — beauty coverage? Print editors aren't dead, they're just cooler than we'll ever be.