The beauty world is mourning the loss of Jane Larkworthy, former W Magazine beauty director remembered “for her erudite coverage of beauty in titles such as New York Magazine’s The Cut and Air Mail Look, and most notably W Magazine where she covered beauty from 2000 to 2016,” reported by WWD, following a battle with a cancer. “She was one-of-a-kind. She was a great journalist, and I think of her contributions to the beauty industry and how she championed so many talents in it,” William Li told WWD, a close friend of Larkworthy’s, who is also Town & Country’s special projects editor.

Spate’s Popularity index reveals that gourmand and milk-inspired scents are the frontrunners in the fragrance category right now. Analysts reported a growth in gourmand fragrances of 172.4%, in comparison with the last year. Meanwhile, iconic French perfumer Diptyque is expanding further into body and skin care, with the launch of The Summer Fruit Garden. The new, citrus-fresh collection includes bath and body products, a shampoo and a lip oil, created in collaboration with Austrian natural beauty entrepreneur Susanne Kaufmann. And in other fragrance news, Glossier has announced it is breaking into the body care market. The brand is debuting a body lotion, wash and mist, this month.

Reimagining the way beauty brands can stand out at retail, Beauty Barrage founder, Sonia Sommers, talks to CEW today in an exclusive video interview. “With a network of over 300 W2 beauty professionals operating in more than 3,000 retail doors across North America, Beauty Barrage functions as an extension of the brands it serves,” reports CEW’s Andrea Nagel, who talks to Sommers in our special video edition. “Specializing in retail education, merchandising, and in-store support, the company brings a human element to the business of beauty, creating experiences that drive both engagement and revenue.”

In other retail news, Ulta Beauty has announced its Q1 2025 net sales results, reporting a 4.5% increase to $2.8 billion, and a net income of $305.1 million. Meanwhile, Waldencast, which counts Obagi and Milk Makeup within its beauty portfolio, has opened a regional office in Dubai.

In female leadership news, Alexandra Ash has made headlines for being the first woman to lead The Y Australia in the international youth movement’s 180-year history. “Alex is steering the organization through bold transformation while championing a culture that values empathy, inclusion, and lived experience,” reports Balance The Grind.

“Her leadership is deeply personal. A mother of two and lifelong advocate for young people, Alex brings her full self to the role and encourages others to do the same — challenging the outdated idea that professional identity must come at the cost of everything else.”

In marketing news, Rimmel has partnered with Spotify, to deliver the first “interactive music packaging.” Products in the Full Volume cosmetics range features a code linking to custom-made playlists on the platform.

Read more about these and other news stories by clicking on the links below.

Beauty Mourns The Loss Of Jane Larkworthy. Beauty executive John Demsey called her an amazing friend and journalist. “The world lost one of the OGs in beauty. She was a great reporter, she did her homework, she worked hard, she was funny, she was ironic, she loved life,” he recalled. “It’s a loss for the industry, it’s a loss for her friends, and it’s a loss for me.” (WWD)

Gourmand Scents Leading The Way, Reports Spate. Specifically, the milk scent trend is booming, with a search growth of +96.3%, reports Happi. (HAPPI)

Beauty Barrage’s Sonia Summers CEW Video Interview. Summers talks to CEW’s Andrea Nagel in an exclusive video edition about the top-referred agency she founded. Major retailers she has worked with include Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Bluemercury, and Nordstrom. (CEW)

Diptyque Debuts Body Care And Lip Oil. The Summer Fruit Garden also includes a Shampoo, with notes of bergamot, green tangerine, and neroli honey. (BEAUTY NEWS DAILY)

Glossier Launches Body Mists. An Orange Blossom Neroli spritz is coming this month, along with other products. “Fragrance has been such a force of momentum for us,” Kyle Leahy, Glossier’s CEO, told WWD. “We always want to think about how we can connect to the consumers, where we have opportunity and insight that they may be looking for Glossier. Body mists are seeing incredible growth.” (WWD)

Ulta Beauty Reports Q1 2025 Net Sales. “Fiscal 2025 is off to an encouraging start with stronger-than-expected performance. Our Ulta Beauty Unleashed plan is resonating with guests, energizing our team, and fueling growth,” said Kecia Steelman, the retailer’s president and CEO. (BEAUTY PACKAGING)

Waldencast Opens Dubai Office. The new hub will “support localized marketing and distribution across the Middle East,” reports Global Cosmetics News. (GLOBAL COSMETICS NEWS)

Alexandra Ash The Y Australia’s First Woman Leader. “If you had asked me in my 20’s if I would be a CEO by 34, I would say no way,” she said. “Yes, I was ambitious, however I had that voice in my head saying, ‘you’ll be found out soon, they are going to figure out you’re a joke.’ (BALANCE THE GRIND)

Rimmel London X Spotify Launch Interactive Music Packaging. The Full Volume makeup range includes “festival-proof” Glow Sticks, and new nail polishes. (COSMETICS BUSINESS)