Sales rose more than 8% to $490 million for Markwins Beauty Brands this year. For over 35 years, it has been at the forefront of cosmetic innovation and behind some of the industry’s most enduring trends.

With a focus on nurturing diversity in the beauty industry, Markwins maintains it has built a portfolio of brands that champion inclusivity and representation. Leveraging longstanding global retail relationships, Markwins brands are now available in over 80 countries worldwide.

The company’s Black Radiance brand, a leading beauty brand for women of color, recently launched its first augmented reality app called Beyond Radiant.

Beyond Radiant marks Black Radiance’s foray into the tech space, offering an immersive AR experience where Black women can be inspired to see themselves as the protagonists of their own stories.

Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, Beyond Radiant immerses users into a digital cosmos surrounding four avatars inspired by boundary-pushing, Black trailblazers like NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins and record-breaking ice skater Starr Andrews. 

Sales: $453 million

Lip Smacker is just one of the best-selling brands from Markwins.

Last year it was Care Bears. For 2023, Wet ‘n’ Wild utilized its clienteles’ childhood television favorites in a partnership with Sesame Street to introduce a new makeup collection featuring colors corresponding with the beloved characters from the iconic show. From Elmo and Big Bird to Bert and Ernie, the colorful famous faces shine in this limited-edition collection of vibrant and wearable pigments and clean formulas.

At press time, Wet ‘n’ Wild announced a limited run collaboration with Alice in Wonderland in collaboration with the upcoming Disney movie.

In other news, Physicians Formula recently relaunched its Physicians Coalition Advisory Board with top doctors who help test, curate and educate consumers on beauty regimens with products that are safe for the skin. The Physicians Coalition Advisory Board combines expertise in dermatology, plastic surgery and allergy and immunology.

“We are so excited to be working with this group of doctors again to keep providing consumer education on the use and importance of skin-safe products,” said Alice Chen, SVP-marketing at Physicians Formula and SVP-marketing and head of corporate communications of Markwins. “We thought it was important to reestablish our Physicians Coalition Advisory Board to continue with our commitment toward health in beauty and the brand’s DNA.”

Sales: $420 million

Right after last year’s Happi Top 50 was published, Eric Chen, the founder and CEO of Markwins Beauty Brands (MBB) passed away at the age of 63. The company said the cause of death was a respiratory illness.

Born in Taiwan, Chen founded the privately-held City of Industry, CA-based company 37 years ago. He created The Color Workshop and The Color Institute before acquiring a raft of brands such as Wet ‘n’ Wild, Physicians Formula, Black Radiance, Bonnie Bell, Lip Smacker and POP.  Today, MBB products can be found in more than 50,000 retail locations around the world.

A leading launch at MBB was in honor of the 40th anniversary of Care Bears. Wet ‘n’ Wild teamed up with the franchise to create a colorful makeup and skin care collection inspired by the cartoon bears. The extensive collection is sold at retailers such as Walmart, Ulta, Walgreens and Target.

Other MBB news includes a sustainability effort at Physicians Formula. Committed to green initiatives for many years now, the leading masstige cosmetics brand was the first to bring an Ecocert Certified Organic 100% Natural Origin makeup line to the mass market with the introduction of Organic Wear in 2008.  The Organic Wear line continues to make “green” history, with best in category mascaras and color correction products. Now, Physicians Formula will bring green to the workplace, as it implements a range of activities designed to lessen its environmental impact such as installing LED light bulbs and a solar panel system at company headquarters.

New from Wet ‘n’ Wild is Boost Me Up  Brow + Lash Serum.

Sales: $507 million

The Murumuru Butter Bronzer by Physicians Formula is a luxurious bronzer infused with authentic Brazilian Murumuru Butter to deliver a radiant glow onto skin.

With masks in fashion for most of 2020, color cosmetics sales slid. Industry sources estimate Markwins sales dropped nearly 8% last year. Despite the decline, Markwins continues to forge new partnerships and roll out new collections. Last fall, Wet n Wild teamed with digital personality Bretman Rock to launch Jungle Rock, a collection of limited-edition, eye, face and lip products. It is Wet n Wild’s first influencer collaboration.

In November, Eric Weeks was appointed president of sales and revenue for North America—USA, Canada, and Mexico. The new role provides Weeks the opportunity to drive the company’s mission of an outside-in, consumers- and customers-first approach to business driven by effective customer service, communication, and information. Weeks is a 20-year veteran of Markwins.

“His spirit, tenacity, and get-it-done attitude exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of Markwins,” said Founder and CEO Eric Chen. “Eric’s career growth, particularly in the past 3 years, has transformed him into a strategic manager with the vision to lead the charge in the new retailing and digital environment.  In this new role, Eric will report directly to me, and together we will continue Markwins’ campaign to bring beauty and excellence to our beloved customers and consumers.”

In December, Global President Stefano Curti left Markwins to become chief brands officer at Coty.

Sales: $550 million

Markwins remains on the mark. Founder and CEO Eric Chen continues to mull an IPO as he methodically builds a billion-dollar company. Two years ago, Markwins acquired Lorac, the professional cosmetics brand founded in 1995 by celebrity makeup artist Carol Shaw. Since that purchase, the brand has been revamped, distribution reworked and marketing strategy reimagined, all with the goal of reaching $100 million in 2021.

Last year, Black Radiance launched the #BlackBeautyMatters campaign that fosters conversation around the importance of inclusivity for people of color but also encourages consumers to actively celebrate and embrace it.

Nearly a year ago, Physicians Formula relaunched its OrganicWear line with a new organic certification. The collection is made up of 13 skin care and makeup SKUs, all formulated with natural ingredients such as rose hip, aloe and jojoba oil. The OrganicWear lineup, priced $8.49 to $15.99, includes Lifting and Glowing Mask, Mineral Primer SPF 15, Dewy Blush Elixir and Nourishing Lipstick. It debuted late last year at Walmart, before rolling out to broader mass retail in January.

Earlier this year, in its first collaboration with an influencer, Wet n Wild partnered with Bretman Rock to launch the Jungle Rock collection of eye, face and lip products.

Sales: $403 million

Markwins calls itself the largest privately-owned cosmetics company in the US. Markwins’ brands are available in more than 50,000 retail outlets. Now, the company is reorganizing around three strategic pillars:

• Consumer-centric category management. Markwins plans to consolidate its branded portfolio to have dedicated customer service-centric sales, marketing and analytical support teams across all global regions.
• Greater investment in product innovation. Markwins will enhance existing R&D centers in Los Angeles and Shenzen, China with significant investment in “talent and resources,” according to the company. A satellite facility will open in Shanghai.
• Accelerate brand evolution. Markwins will continue to deliver the latest trends and beauty products to customers at an accessible price point. One example is Wet ‘n’ Wild 1-Step Wonder Gel.

“Markwins Beauty Brands has experienced exceptional growth, especially in the past two years, and our aim is to increase investments that propel future opportunities across all international regions,” said Eric Chen, chairman and CEO. “In our rich, 32-year history, I believe the next three to five years will be the most dynamic for our company.”
Chen and company are off to a good start. The company says first quarter sales rose nearly 17%.

Sales: $450 million (estimated).

Privately-held Markwins expanded its lineup of mass market color cosmetics offerings in a big way earlier this year with the acquisition of Bonne Bell and Lip Smacker brands. At the time of the Jan. 29 announcement, Jess “Buddy” Bell Jr., founder of Aspire Brands, owner of the iconic lip and skin care brands, said that Markwins had a proven track record of creating excitement and bringing innovation to the cosmetic category.

“They will bring the same excitement and innovation to the Lip Smacker and Bonne Bell brands. I am excited about the future ofthe Lip Smacker and Bonne Bell brands under Markwins ownership,” Bell said in a statement.

With this move, Markwins added the youth consumer to its customer base. Together with existing “masstige” brand Physicians Formula, industry-dominant entry point brand Wet n Wild, ethnic brand Black Radiance, and its successful collection business, brands under the Markwins umbrella cater to beauty consumers of all demographics, inclusive of age, ethnicity, lifestyle and preference.

“The synergies of adding another mass beauty brand, focused in color cosmetics, fits wonderfully into Markwins’ current global operations,” said Bill George, president and chief operating officer of Markwins Beauty Products. “Bonne Bell and Lip Smacker add new consumers to our growing portfolio without any consumer cannibalization or crossover.”

Eric Chen, chief executive officer of Markwins, noted that Bonne Bell is an industry icon with a rich history dating back 87 years and with 94% consumer recognition.

“These numbers are staggering in our business, but the smiles the name alone brings to the faces of the consumers are much more impactful,” he insisted.

Sales: $400 million (estimated).

Privately-held Markwins usually flies under the radar, but the company isn’t shy when it comes to supporting causes it believes in. In December, hundreds of people joined executives from Markwins International and Walgreen Co. and singer Fergie to celebrate the companies’ presentation of $50,000 to fund AIDS research. The money raised by the beauty care supplier and the drug chain came from the sale of Markwins’ signature line of Fergie cosmetics, offered under its Wet n Wild label.

In February, Fergie and Markwins expanded their relationship to launch the Fergie CenterStage Collection, a 23-item makeup line that includes eyeliners, mascara BB Creams, mattifying powder and lip color.

“I formulated my line so that my fans, anyone really, regardless of skin tone or income, can find and afford specialty products that are usually only seen in prestige lines. To be able to bring luxury product to drugstores is so important to me because everyone wants to feel luxurious,” said Fergie.

Sales: $490 million

Wet n Wild took 2012 by storm, riding the waves of a two-year double-digit growth and further elevating the brand by signing Grammy Award Winning Artist Fergie as its first global beauty ambassador. A Wet n Wild devotee since her days growing up in Hacienda Heights, CA, Fergie is the ideal inspiration for the brand’s new Fergie Center Stage Collection by Wet n Wild.

The range recently launched with a tailored nail color line, with each product influenced by Fergie’s love of nail lacquer.  It debuted at Walgreens in February 2013.

“Makeup is a personal passion of mine so I made sure that I touched and curated every single product in this collection to ensure we are offering the highest quality formulas, textures, and shades available,” said Fergie in a press statement.

In March 2013, Wet n Wild also debuted a variety of innovations in its general color cosmetics line with a nod to Los Angeles, its hometown. This message is epitomized within wet n wild’s new logo and tagline: “All Access Beauty.”

New additions ranged from a Color Icon Bronzer SPF 15 to CoverAll Pressed Powder to MegaImpact Mascara, which rolled out at mass market retailers for Spring 2013.

In other news, Markwins International appointed Jason Chen as sales manager for Latin America. In this role, he will be responsible for sales in Central America, Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.

Sales: $450 million (estimated).

The Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon trio.

Markwins Beauty Products, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Markwins International Corporation. Based in City of Industry, CA, Markwins Beauty is a purveyor of leading brands Wet n Wild, Black Radiance and Fantasy Makers. Markwins Beauty Products is poised to enjoy its most successful year in the brand’s 30 year history, according to company executives.

According to recent AC Nielsen figures (April 16, 2011), Wet n Wild is the fastest growing brand in the Top 10 food, drug, mass brands. Similarly, Black Radiance is the leading growth brand within its category, ethnic color cosmetics. Together, these stalwart brands are fueling exceptional sales growth with retailers around the world. The company’s success can be tied to three key strategic investments: personnel, alliance micro marketing and technology.

The company has been quietly adding talent at home and abroad to organize for the next wave of expansion. Key additions include executive level placements in sales and marketing, research and development, trade marketing, supply chain management and regulatory affairs. The addition of this top-tier talent is manifested in superior new product development with speed-to-market and near-perfect fill rate.

New sales and marketing leadership teams have allowed the company to enhance strategic alliances with many retail partners that are delivering exceptional sales results. Since the New Year, Wet n Wild has consistently ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in retail sales growth, both units and dollars, among the top 10 cosmetic brands. Company officials say these gains are made strictly through the consumer’s acceptance of new products and improved promotional events, and not as a result of new distribution. In fact, Wet n Wild maintains its remarkable growth rate, despite lacking full FDM channel distribution.

The thrust of the company’s retail success is demonstrated in speed-to-market of new cosmetic technologies. Two examples of the brand’s success are found in Wet n Wild’s new Fast Dry Nail Color in 18 glamorous shades, as well as a proprietary formulation of lash-growth serum and mascara (MegaLash Clinical Serum & Mascara).

Markwins knows its mass marketplace. In October 2010, the company tapped Michael Cole as its Walmart team leader. Cole is responsible for both divisions at Walmart; Markwins Beauty Products, featuring the Wet n Wild and Black Radiance brands; and Markwins International, featuring The Color Workshop, ACT and Barbie.

Cole joined Markwins directly from Johnson & Johnson. As director of strategic planning there, he led the teams responsible for product innovation, new item development and consumer insights for all FDM retail customers. Prior to Johnson & Johnson, Cole was a senior buyer at Walmart Stores Inc. for multiple key categories including OTC, household cleaning and sporting goods. He was also instrumental in launching Walmart International and Walmart.com.

The company is also taking a global approach to its personnel moves. In March 2011, Markwins International appointed Jason Chen as sales manager for Latin America. In this role, he will be responsible for sales in Central America, Caribbean and the Andine countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru. According to the company, Chen has been an integral part of Markwins International for over seven years, of which the last six were spent in their Shenzhen factory. His responsibilities there included serving as a vital link between Latin America and the production teams.

“I am confident that with Jason’s operational experience, teamed with his skills and drive, he will be a great asset to the team that is currently expanding our business throughout Latin America,” said Shawn Haynes, senior vice president of sales for Markwins International.

Chen will be based in the City of Industry, CA office and will report to Katia May, who has been promoted to director of sales and business development for Latin America. In 2010, May single-handedly ran the entire territory and exceeded her sales budget by 14.6%, said the company.

“With Jason joining Katia on this team, we are confident that Markwins International will achieve another year of double digit sales increases in Latin America,” said Haynes.

According to the company, it has recently made capital investments to enhance its SPF product portfolio. In the weeks and months ahead, Markwins Beauty will expand its offering of cosmetic formulas and innovations with UV protection.

It also just awarded some teens via Wet n Wild Cares, a nationwide charity program to support proms at select high schools. The charity effort provided 10 locations with $1,000 to make their prom dreams a reality along with $1,000 worth of makeup.

Sales: $455 million

New Color Icon SKUs from Markwins.

It’s been a year of innovations at Markwins, especially with the Wet ‘n’ Wild brand. More than 70 new Wet ‘n’ Wild eye, lip, face and nail items were launched this spring in sleek, modern packaging with new advanced formulas, according to Shawn Haynes, senior vice president, sales. Along with the product changes, Wet ‘n’ Wild also unveiled a brand-new tagline, “Glamorous everyday. Fabulous everyway;” it also tapped the “green” marketplace with a natural lip shimmer and mineral foundation.

In personnel news, Markwins International promoted Göran Agardh to general manager and director of sales and marketing for Markwins Beauty Products Europe. The company also bulked up its innovation team with the appointment of two award-winning product designers, Ed Mancia and Grace Tsai.

Sales: $550 million (estimated).

Rocker Eye from Bare Escentuals debuted last Fall.

North America accounts for 37% of the company’s sales, with Europe representing Markwins’ largest export market.

Earlier this year, Bill George, who rejoined the firm after a several-year hiatus from beauty, said the consumer hit hardest by the economy is the shopper bringing home an annual household income of $50,000 or below.

“If value is king, we should continue to reign,” said Mr. George, who told Women’s Wear Daily his firm is well positioned for these times with capital for in-store demos, coupons and samples. “We’re not rolling in dough, but we have a healthy balance sheet,” he added.

Sales: $540 million.

Many children of the 1980s fondly remember their first color cosmetics purchases as a shimmer-infused Wet N Wild lipstick or nail polish from the neighborhood CVS.  The brand’s parent company, Markwins, has been a mass-market staple for cosmetics and personal care for decades, offering trendy, yet affordable, SKUs.