Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the web’s best products. If you purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. Our editorial team is independent and only endorses products we believe in.
Retail beauty behemoth Ulta Beauty launched on TikTok Shop this week, the first major specialty beauty and wellness retailer in the US to do so. The move is a significant embrace of social-first shopping from a retail beauty power player, signalling a desire to meet younger shoppers where they’re at, rather than trying to lure them over to more traditional online shopping venues. But is this a savvy play from an industry trendsetter, or a desperate compromise from a retailer trying to keep up with the times?
“Social platforms play an increasingly influential role in how guests engage with brands,” said Lauren Brindley, Chief Merchandising and Digital Officer at Ulta Beauty, per Cosmetics Business. Between the rising use of AI search tools and the increasing use of social media platforms, customers seem to be moving away from ad-saturated search engines like Google as their primary form of discovering new products. Ulta launching on TikTok Shop is an early sign that brands are taking this shift seriously.
It will be interesting to see whether retailers like Ulta begin to noticeably prioritize promotions on social commerce tools like TikTok Shop over traditional search engine ads, or if their embrace of TikTok Shop remains a small part of their overall “discovery ecosystem.”
And now, on to this week’s most exciting product launches:
We like
We don't like
We like
We don't like
.jpeg)
We like
We don't like
First Up: Italian Fragrance Icons Expand
Legendary Italian fragrance makers Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella are continuing to expand their offerings with two new additions to its I Giardini Medicei body collection: Acqua and Quercia. Inspired by the historic gardens cultivated under Medici patronage in Florence, the I Giardini Medicei collection celebrates singular botanical identities tied to the Renaissance city’s horticultural heritage. Following the launch of body extensions for their Bizzarria, L’Iris, Magnolia, and Gelsomino Eau de Parfums, Acqua and Quercia now join the range in Bath & Shower Gel and Fluid Cream. Founded as a convent pharmacy in 1221 (!), Santa Maria Novella make some of the world’s most delicate, well-crafted scents, so I’m very excited for this new opportunity to imbue my bath & body routine with two of their exquisite signature fragrances.
Trending: Carrot Crazy
Levain Bakery is welcoming spring with a limited-time cookie that puts its signature spin on a nostalgic dessert: the Carrot Cake Cookie. The cookie is packed with freshly grated carrots, sweet apricots, white chocolate chips and pecans. Levain’s first vegetable-forward cookie concept emerged after months of experimentation from the team, who were initially exploring the idea of a “breakfast cookie.”
The artisan ice cream makers at Salt & Straw are bringing back one of their most celebrated offerings: The Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake. The Carrot Cake is the ice cream-ified version of the classic dessert, inspired by Salt & Straw chef and co-founder Tyler Malek's own family recipe. The rich cake-batter ice cream is marbled with a tangy cream cheese frosting, then sandwiched between layers of cinnamon-spiked, house-baked roasted carrot cake and tender cake crumbles. A pecan oatmeal streusel crowns this showstopper, adding a nutty crunch on top. Yum. As of today, the cake is available in scoop shops across the country and via nationwide shipping.
Trending: Scent Sanctuaries
This week saw the launch of Fume Studio, a new home scent brand. Created by best friends Amy Hou and Olivia Chung, Fume was inspired by the importance of scent in settling into new homes across cities and cultures. Having grown up between countries and continents, the founders came to understand home not as a fixed place but as a feeling often carried through scent. The brand is launching with three incense scents: Pear Orchard, Velvet Petal, and Winter Bloom. A clever bonus: each box comes with a travel-sized, hand-crafted incense holder. Fume also introduced a stunning sculptural incense holder and an engraved wooden fan, meant to be used alongside their scents.
Genderless, functional fragrance line DedCool expanded its cult-favorite Milk fragrance family with the launch of Mineral Milk. The newest addition to the best-selling franchise is a refreshing reimagining of the brand’s signature skin-like musk through a coastal lens, capturing the feeling of salty air, foggy cliffs, and sun-warmed skin.
Before You Go…
- Equinox have officially launched Le Labo as their new global amenities partner across clubs worldwide. Equinox locations will now feature a curated edit of Le Labo’s Body–Hair–Face Collection (including shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face cleanser, face lotion, and body & hand lotion), highlighting their Basil creations paired with verbena. If I’m honest, their former partnership with Kiehl’s was a major incentive to drop by the gym, so this is very exciting news.
- Cuyana launched the Forma Bowler Bag. The Forma Bowler is the brand’s modern interpretation of the trending bowling bag silhouette. The bag balances polished structure with everyday practicality and the brand’s signature focus on thoughtful organization. Keep everything in place with two interior patch pockets, a dedicated laptop compartment, Cuyana’s signature snap-in system, and exterior pockets.
- P.F. Candle Co launched the limited edition Garden Collection. The seasonal trio features Tomato Vines, Pear Branch, and Mossy Stone scents poured into green glass jars inspired by orchard rows, garden paths, and forest floors. I’ve had the subtle, refreshing Tomato Vines candle burning all week.
- Kosas introduced Lip Pulse, perfect for anyone nostalgic for lip-plumping glosses from the ‘00s. Lip Pulse is a clean, high-impact plumping gloss that delivers a visibly fuller, glassy pout that nourishes without leaving lips sticky or dry. The plumping gloss is available in 6 romantic shades.
- CAKES body debuted CAKES Tape™ — the first-ever patent-pending silicone boob tape, designed to modernize a category that has largely gone unchanged for years. Unlike traditional fabric tapes that wrinkle, fold, and require oils for removal, CAKES Tape is made from ultra-thin silicone (0.5mm) that’s repositionable, reusable, and designed to be significantly gentler on skin.
Happy shopping. Email me directly – hannah@thequalityedit.com – with any launches you’d like to see in the spotlight, or DM us over @thequalityedit.
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg){kind=spacer}
