After Launching in the Metaverse, Bakeup Beauty Debuts First Color Cosmetics Line

Bakeup Beauty’s first makeup products have arrived.

After launching in August 2022 with a gemstone-embellished eye veil that came in varying digital forms as well as a physical so-called “wearable,” the brand is delivering its first range of color cosmetics on Jan. 11.

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Consisting of three Palm Palettes that seek to deliver high-performance artistry pigments in neon, pastel and primary colors, respectively, a PlayBox containing face and body gems and stickers, and complete with a cleansing balm and micellar water, the line is the long-awaited physical manifestation of Bakeup’s vision for makeup artistry as a means to self-expression.

“Color is my happy place,” said celebrity makeup artist Jo Baker, who is a cofounder and chief beauty officer of Bakeup, and whose clientele includes Olivia Wilde, Kathryn Hahn and Natasha Lyonne. “We wanted to give people makeup that’s not intimidating — something that’s playful and fun and almost invites people to put their fingers in the paint to express themselves in a new way.”

The collection will also be available in a number of virtual forms; consumers can customize 3D avatars on metaverse platform Zepeto with looks inspired by the line, which ranges in price from $22 to $32, while in-app social media filters to match are slated to roll out to Instagram soon after the launch.

“The AR experience just allows this instant gratification that you really can’t get in other places,” said Sarah Superfon, chief executive officer of Bakeup, noting that the brand, dedicated to exploring the space as much as possible, also tested a holiday-themed rendition of the classic eye veil, dubbed the Cosmic Veiler, on digital fashion hub, DressX.

“We’ll continue to take inspiration from the collection’s colors and [Baker’s] looks and pull that into the Zepeto experience by launching more wearables there. Our focus is on building our community and creating a consumer experience where our brand will translate into how you express yourself in these different worlds,” Superfon said.

In addition to launching its first full collection, Bakeup has welcomed a new chairman: Brad Murray, who cofounded Tatcha and joins Bakeup’s team, which also includes Philosophy founder Cristina Carlino, It Cosmetics’ Christine Nevin and 21-year-old musical artist Grace Gaustad, in addition to Baker and Superfon.

It was Tsai’s unique vision for Tatcha — bringing Kyoto’s classic beauty rituals to modern skin care — that drew him to the brand, and with Bakeup, the beauty veteran saw the same next-big-thing potential.

“I was super intrigued when Cristina [Carlino] shared the concept for Bakeup. Coming out of COVID-19, a brand that was very much about self expression just felt very spot on,” Murray said. “When I look at this category, I just feel it’s so crowded and so, to me, if you’re spending all this time, effort, energy and capital, I’d much rather spend time on something that feels original.”

While Bakeup did not comment on sales expectations for the collection, industry sources think the line could do around $1.1 million during its first year on the market.

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