Iero means “sacred” in ancient Greek.
For Nick Gavrelis, a MAC Cosmetics alumnus of 18+ who most recently served as the brand’s senior vice president of global product development, the concept of beauty as a sacred practice, or act of self-love, was integral to the genesis of his new brand, Ieró Beauty.
Launching this month is the brand’s first Moonkissed collection, consisting of four products that range in price from $32 for a pH-reactive lip treatment, to $72 for a restorative serum oil.
Combining plant-based ingredients like Rosa Damascena water with essential oils and crystals including amethyst and hematite, the vegan and cruelty-free line aims to provide consumers with a relaxing, multi-sensory experience.
“Ieró helps you ground yourself and be present so you can reveal the best parts of yourself,” said Gavrelis. “This is how we approach product development, packaging and even how the consumer is going to use these products.”
The founder worked with a spiritual healer to co-develop rituals that correspond to the application of each product, such as pouring a sachet of pure amethyst crystals into Serene Essence Replenishing Mist before use.
By participating in these rituals, Gavrelis wants consumers to feel more connected to the products they are applying and more in tune with themselves. — a message reflected in the bottle design itself, which is covered with the symbol of the flower of life.
“I had to ask myself, ‘What can I do in beauty that is different?’ Gavrelis said. “I started daydreaming, researching, and going on this mindfulness journey on my own with meditation, breathwork, yoga, and going back to my cultural roots in terms of Greece.”
With wellness more firmly anchored in the public consciousness than ever before, spiritual beauty has risen in both popularity and prevalence. With Ieró, Gavrelis seeks to not only address consumer concerns about skin (and, eventually, makeup), but also emphasize the beauty benefits of mindfulness, which she says exist beyond the product application process. .
“I knew I wanted to deliver something that would treat the whole being, not just the skin, and that would be uplifting in a time of turbulence, of conflict, of fear,” Gavrelis said.
The venture marks Gavrelis’ second brand launch to date, as the founder previously ran a cosmetics line called Pretty Pretty from 1999 to 2001 in partnership with fellow makeup artist, James Vincent.
Ieró is launching direct-to-consumer to begin with, with Gavrelis eyeing potential retail and category expansions in the near future. The founder and CEO did not specify sales expectations for the brand, but industry sources expect Ieró to do so. $500,000 in retail sales by the end of 2022, and it’s estimated that it could reach $2.2 million by the end of 2023.
“We see Ieró Beauty as an incredible opportunity to transition as a lifestyle brand into other categories,” said Gavrelis. “There could be fragrance in our future, home decor Y tools that are designed to deliver [crystal-]infused makeup artistry with mindfulness.”
Source: wwd.com