Dive Brief:
- In what it calls its first major international retail expansion, beauty brand Winky Lux is now available in Canada through Shoppers Drug Mart (known as PharmaPrix in Quebec), both on the website and at select stores, according to a Monday press release.
- Between 40 and 70 products from the brand will be available at the Canadian retailer’s stores, per the release. The company will be selling some core favorites, such as its Peeper Perfect Under-Eye Concealer, Cheeky Rose Blush and Uni-Brow Universal brow pencils.
- The originally direct-to-consumer brand will include neon displays in stores, which it has used in U.S.-based retail expansions.
Dive Insight:
Winky Lux’s move into Canada adds a new retailer to its wholesale partner list, which already includes companies such as Target, Ulta and Urban Outfitters.
"We're excited to bring Winky Lux to Canada and be partnering with Canada's leading health and beauty retailer, Shoppers Drug Mart," Natalie Mackey, CEO and co-founder of Winky Lux, said in a statement. "We're always looking for new ways to disrupt the beauty industry and offer customers unique, high-quality products that they can't find anywhere else."
The beauty brand was founded in 2015 and also operates its own brick-and-mortar location in Nashville, which it calls an “experience store.”
In 2017, Winky Lux raised $2 million in seed funding with the hopes to become the “Zara of cosmetics,” and it focused on keeping up with trends through a quick production timeline for new products. At the time, it said it was also sold through retailers such as Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
Winky Lux is one of many traditionally DTC beauty brands that has expanded its wholesale presence over the past few years. Skincare brands Loops and Futurewise entered Target earlier this year, while Lime Crime released its makeup at Sally Beauty in February.
