CEW Cheat Sheet: June 20, 2023

Since last week there’s been quite a lot of beauty buzz you may have missed. The Fragrance Foundation Awards were held in NYC, where L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus was inducted into the Fragrance Foundation Hall of Fame, with Oscar winner Cate Blanchett presenting the honors. Graydon Carter dropped a new issue of Air Mail (with help from former Allure EIC Linda Wells), and Brother Vellies founder Aurora James announced the launch of a VC fund dedicated specifically to Black brand founders. You can read these stories and more in the links below.

Inside the 2023 Fragrance Foundation Awards. Here’s a recap — from the presenters, and attendees to the winners — of last week’s Fragrance Foundation Awards. (WWD)

Topicals’ Olamide Olowe on Connecting With the Multidimensional Gen-Z Shopper. The 26-year-old founder talks about how she built a company around what matters most to Gen-Z customers, and what the power of community really means for a beauty brand. (Business of Fashion)

Fifteen Percent Pledge Founder Launches a Fund for Black Founders. Created by Aurora James and Alisa Williams, a partner at VMG Partners, the $850-million fund is called the Friends and Family Collective and will focus on founders of Black-owned businesses. Beauty-wise, they’ve already invested in Beauty Stat, Melanin Hair Care, and Danessa Myricks. (Fast Company)

YouTube Doubles Down on Video Shopping Features. This week, YouTube’s Drop Shop event is taking place, where attendees will be able to learn about products through video content and shop surprise drops from brands and influencers. This comes on the heels of the launch of its affiliate program for any creator with 20,000 subscribers or more. (Glossy)

Atwater Enters Nail Category. Founded by former Kiehl’s president Chris Salgardo, the men’s grooming brand is entering the nail category, with a range of four polishes. (WWD)

Eye of the Beholder. There’s no denying that over the last decade we’ve become hugely fascinated with our posteriors, from Brazilian butt lifts to bum bum creams. Linda Wells speaks to the brand founders and medical professionals on the best ways to take care of your backside in the most recent edition of Air Mail. (AirMail Look)

Meta Says Its New AI is Too Dangerous to Release. Called Voicebox, Meta’s new generative AI technology can take an audio sample of just two-seconds and generate an authentic-sounding voice that can deliver contextually accurate speech. (The Stack)