Booie Beauty started with the conviction that makeup shouldn’t be so serious — but its national launch in Woolworths is one of the most significant retailer debuts for an Australian beauty brand this year.
Launched by multi-hyphenate creative Celeste Barber and P.E. Nation co-founder Claire Greaves, Booie Beauty has signed an exclusive deal to stock its everyday beauty products in supermarkets nationwide.
From this month, its 10 products, ranging from mascara to lip gloss, will populate shelves previously dominated by global brands.
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Co-founder Barber said the line serves a customer base eager to use beauty products, without confusing terminology or overly complex makeup regimes.
“It’s that sweet spot between simple and affordable while also being excellent quality,” she said, in a statement announcing the deal.
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Woolworths is the right retail partner, she added, given its reach and approachability.
“I wanted the brand to be as accessible as possible, and there’s nothing more accessible than your local Woolies, where you can pick up something for dinner, bananas, tampons and now, Booie” said Barber.
At just six months old, Booie Beauty has sped through a beauty business lifecycle that often requires years of proven e-commerce growth before securing a national distribution deal.
But Barber and Greaves come to the sector with considerable experience.
Barber, who has built a social media following of millions from her relatable stabs at airbrushed magazine covers and restrictive beauty standards, previously served as an ambassador for MCoBeauty and launched a limited-edition makeup range through the brand.
“I’ve always loved makeup, and partnering with MCoBeauty was such a fun experience,” Barber told SmartCompany on Thursday.
“Working with [MCoBeauty founder and former CEO Shelley Sullivan], who’s not just an incredible businesswoman but also someone who truly loves beauty was inspiring.”
“For years, I’d been mixing products just to get what I actually wanted, everything else felt too complicated, too expensive, or all about ‘fixing’ ageing.”
“Claire and I both believe beauty should be fun, inclusive, and zero bullshit,” she continued.
Greaves has proven her ability to scale a brand through P.E. Nation, which energised Australian activewear and became one of the fastest-growing local brands of the 2010s.
Through P.E. Nation, “I’ve learned how to build a brand with soul and structure, one that moves culture, not just product,” said Greaves.
She and Barber “clicked instantly because we share that same foundation,” she said, with the pair keen to retain a down-to-Earth approach as the business expands.
“Growing sustainably means keeping the humour, honesty, and quality at the heart of everything, even as the brand grows,” said Greaves.
That combination of everyday charm and business nous convinced Woolworths Booie Beauty will help the supermarket as it charges deeper into the makeup and skincare sector.
“We’ve been listening to our customers who tell us they are looking for the convenience of buying on-trend new beauty products while they do their grocery shopping,” said Annette Karantoni, managing director of Woolworths retail.
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“The launch of Booie Beauty in our supermarkets is another step in helping them do that.
“We’re proud to be supporting Celeste Barber and Claire Greaves — two Australians who have created a fantastic, high-quality brand that is fun and affordable.
Woolworths’ cosmetics sales have increased by 50% over the past three years, according to the supermarket giant.
Expanding its beauty line could prove fruitful for Woolworths in a confused economic climate, where high cost-of-living pressures and ongoing inflation are matched by signs of continual spending on little luxuries.
The latest consumer analysis from NAB shows personal goods spending — including cosmetics purchases — grew 9.8% over the year to October.
Outside of Woolworths, Booie Beauty stocks products through its own e-commerce store.
It has also collaborated with ByStorm Beauty, a new business making cosmetics more accessible with a range of silicone handles and holders.
