Jenni Baden HowardIn breaking news this morning, Maesa has announced the winners of the 2026 Maesa Magic Incubator Program .“We started the Maesa Magic Incubator to bridge the access gap for beauty and wellness entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities,” said Piyush Jain, CEO of Maesa. “I feel great pride that, for three years now, we have identified and helped winners who are redefining established categories and opening entirely new ones.” Happi has a full report, with details of Maesa’s newly named, Class of 2026.
Last Thursday, Essence hosted the 2025 Black Women in Business Luncheon, honoring six women who are “building the future of business — and doing it their way,” presented by L’Oréal Groupe. “Black women-owned businesses employ over 647,000 people and generate nearly $119 billion in revenue, and Black women represent 42% of net new women-owned businesses in the U.S., which is three times their share of the female population,” reports Essence. “But the women in the room on Thursday told a different, deeper story about what it takes to not just survive in spaces that weren’t built for you, but to completely transform them.”
In executive news, Hugel Inc. has tapped Carrie Strom as its new President and Global Chief Executive Officer. Strom most recently served as Global President of Allergan Aesthetics at AbbVie, overseeing a $5 billion portfolio including Botox Cosmetic and Juvéderm, in over 50 markets.
Celebrity aesthetician Keren Bartov, who practices in London and Israel, has arrived in the U.S. at Bergdorf Goodman. Her products are priced between $80 to $305, and Bartov has plans to open more clinics in New York and Los Angeles. “For two years, I’ve traveled all the time between New York and Los Angeles for red carpets, particularly for the Oscars and the Met Gala,” she told WWD.” In other skin care headlines, a new sunscreen filter could be approved by the FDA as soon as March 2026, according to Beauty Independent.
Here at CEW, we reveal how MOSS, a boutique post-production studio, is working with international luxury beauty brands such as Shiseido to convey the human touch in a fast-changing, AI-driven landscape. Meanwhile, in other beauty headlines, Kylie Cosmetics is reintroducing a selection of iconic SKUs — The King Kylie Collection — to celebrate the brand’s 10th anniversary, and Time has named Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation among its Best Inventions Hall of Fame 2025.
Read more about these news stories by clicking on the links below.
2026 Maesa Magic Incubator Program Winners Announced. According to Happi, “The program goes beyond mentorship as the three entrepreneurs will attend the exclusive “Future of Commerce and Work” program at the Harvard Faculty Club and represent their brands at Cosmoprof North America Miami in January 2026.” (HAPPI)
Essence Honors Black Women In Business. Among those honored at a special luncheon last Thursday were Ursula Burns, the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company as CEO, now a mentor, and Monica Turner, Procter & Gamble’s President of North America, the company’s biggest and most profitable region. (ESSENCE)
Hugel Inc. Taps Carrie Strom As Its New President and Global Chief Executive Officer. “The appointment strengthens Hugel’s global leadership ambitions and supports its expansion into major aesthetics markets worldwide,” reports Global Cosmetics News. (GLOBAL COSMETICS NEWS)
Keren Bartov Makes U.S. Debut. Bartov has worked as an aesthetician for 17 years, and started out helping clients to address skin concerns such as acne and hyperpigmentation. (WWD)
FDA May Approve New Sunscreen Filter By March 2026. The first new ultraviolet filter in more than two decades is being considered for the U.S. monograph, reports Beauty Independent. (BEAUTY INDEPENDENT)
The Boutique Post-Production Studio Providing The Human Touch. The agency has worked on beauty projects such as Shiseido’s recent Future Solution X skin care campaign. (CEW)
Kylie Cosmetics To Bring Back Iconic Products. Kylie Cosmetics also wiped its Instagram feed in advance of the relaunch. (COSMETICS BUSINESS)
Time Names Fenty Foundation In Its Best Inventions Hall Of Fame 2025. Available in 40 shades, the formula has soft-matte finish. (BEAUTY PACKAGING)
