The Business of Beauty Haul of Fame: The Next Status Bag Is for Your Makeup

Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas, and the definitive ruling on the “Wicked” movie.

Included in today’s issue: Abel, Apothékary, Kayali, Lancôme, Le Monde Gourmand, Nyx, Nutrafol, REM Beauty, Rhode, Saltair, Sofia Coppola, Snif, Uma, and Veronique Gabai.

But first…

Sing, O Muse, of the Louis Vuitton Pochette!

The traditional makeup pouch was transformed into an “it” accessory by Sarah Jessica Parker at the height of her Carrie Bradshaw powers. She clutched the clutch at the “Sopranos” premiere in 2000; by 2001, it was a must-have accessory on college campuses.

Today, the Pochette is a celebrity staple and retails accordingly; it’s $1,550 at the brand’s opulent new Fifth Avenue temporary store and frequently comes up in Sotheby’s handbag auctions. But as purse prices hit the stratosphere and economic anxiety haunts holiday shoppers, designer makeup cases are emerging, again, as a way to carry a luxury accessory without paying a luxury price.

This doesn’t mean the price is light. Witness Saint Laurent’s popular Gaby vanity case, which is made of quilted lambskin, stamped with the house’s gold monogram, and costs $1,200. That’s $500 less than a similar handbag from the label, but not exactly a bargain. See also: Bottega Veneta’s Bang Bang vanity case, which goes for $2,400 and comes with a crossbody strap. Online, Net-a-Porter has styled it exactly like a “real” handbag; Nordstrom does the same with Tory Burch’s Kira train case, which they’ve paired with a cocktail frock last seen on Emily Ratajkowski. The $980 Roma vanity case feels like more of a sneaky style move, especially in its Woodstock-yellow colourway. (Its cousin is the $1,850 Simply Fendi bag.)

But these bags, while lust-worthy, don’t match most consumer budgets. That’s why on Tiktok, women are buying Chanel Beauté’s lipstick set for $106 at Ulta, then using curling irons to melt off the word “beauté” from the gift bag’s tweedy ivory pouch. (This is really happening.) They’re also trading tips on how to add a crossbody chain, transforming the pouch into a “real” Chanel bag for under $150. There’s similar content surrounding Dior’s many holiday beauty bags, especially on YouTube.

Out in the real world — or at least in the vape haze of downtown Manhattan — quick jaunts to the Chelsea Hotel, scene-y wine bar Le Dive, and the main student building at the Parsons School of Design confirmed that style-aware young women are already wearing their $195 Chanel refillable purse sprays as bag charms. Until Chanel names its new creative director, it’s up to the label’s many young fans to style the brand’s iconography for themselves — which may start with the spray’s dangling gold No. 5 pendant.

What Else Is New

Skincare

As if we needed another excuse to pack our bags: On Nov. 15, sunscreen brand Vacation put their excellent getaway fragrance into a $20 body lotion.

Former “real” housewife of New York Dorinda Medley is the new face of Sono Bello, a “laser liposuction” company with over 100 US locations. In the words of Medley’s friend and benefactor Andy Cohen: Mazel!

Uma launched an Oud Allure body oil on Nov. 15. It includes jasmine, sandalwood, and cedarwood, and costs $90.

Supplement label Apothékary is trying to push awareness among discerning shoppers. First, it hosted editors on a press trip to Japan, resulting in features in Harper’s Bazaar and The Zoe Report. The label also debuted at Ulta Beauty on Nov. 17 with six tinctures meant to mimic the relaxing effects of wine and the joyful promise of cocktails without any actual alcohol. They cost $39 each, and although I’m tempted to test a few drops in my vodka martini tonight, I’ll refrain unless you dare me.

Makeup

Get ready for Cinnamon Girl Winter. On Nov. 15, Rhode Beauty unveiled its latest $18 lip peptide shade, Cinnamon Roll, a warm brown hue with a touch of shimmer. It’s very pretty and looks great on every skin tone, but even if it didn’t, let’s be real — this is a destined-to-sell-out situation.

Chances are, you’ve never watched “Home Alone” and thought, “Wait, how can I look like Kevin McCallister?” Still, Nyx’s “Home Alone” makeup collection, which dropped on Nov. 15, is pretty fun. It includes a beauty advent calendar that you don’t have to booby trap, along with a “battle plan” eyeshadow compact with 16 shades and a tiny “pizza box” full of glosses.

Olivia Rodrigo is Lancôme’s new ambassador. The 21-year-old was announced on Nov. 18 with a glam shot including liquid black liner and a full red lip. Will this be enough to pry Gen Alpha from their Laneige glosses? Dunno. But Rodrigo, like Lancôme’s other new ambassador Emma Chamberlain, actually influences older age groups a bit more than you’d think. This might be a future investment in 15-year-old makeup buyers, but it’s also an I-got-you nod to Lancôme’s trusty Millennial shoppers.

On Nov. 19, E.l.f. debuted Holy Strokes, a micro-tip eyebrow pen in seven shades for $7.

Haircare

Once again, I must ask Iskra Lawrence and her team at Saltair if they are okay. The brand with more launches than Space X debuted Santal Bloom Moisture Bound hair oil in two blends, one light and one heavy; each are $14 and claim to boost shine and strength.

Starting Nov. 20, Nutrafol will partner with select salons to use their Root Purifier Shampoo and Strand Defender Conditioner in professional settings. Each jumbo bottle is one litre, which the brand claims will last for 100 washes. The price is $140.

Fragrance

We’re used to hearing about winemakers going into skincare, but former vintner Frances Shoemack went into perfume instead. Her New Zealand-based label Abel launched a scent called The Apartment on Nov. 14. It includes cherry, rum, cacao, and balsam and costs $122.

On Nov. 17, I saw Sofia Coppola at Buvette in New York’s West Village and died. On Nov. 18, she resurrected me with her Monastery x Coppola Hideaway spray, a $120 “hydrating floral essence.” Its formula includes rare orchid oil and a vague sense of aesthetic superiority.

Congrats to Veronique Gabai! The French perfumer and her beachy $260 fragrances rolled into Bloomingdale’s on Nov. 18.

Confirmed: Everyone still wants to smell like dessert. Snif’s Naughty Nonna fragrance hit stores on Nov. 15; it smells like booze and fruitcake. On Nov. 19, Le Monde Gourmand restored its limited-edition Crème Brûlée Eau de Parfum to shelves. (It’s $25, so you’re paying over eight dollars per fussy French vowel.) Meanwhile, Kayali’s Yum Boujee Marshmallow launched on Nov. 20; it has notes of apple, lemon, strawberry, and coconut, and costs $138.

And Finally

“Wicked” is gorgeous, with some of the most acrobatic and fun performances — and beauty looks! — of the year. Yes, there is  beauty-product montage as part of the “Popular” scene. No, Ariana Grande’s REM beauty line is not featured, but it doesn’t need to be, since the film is a sly showcase for Grande’s remarkable fluttering lashes. REM mascara is $16; a Wicked ticket is $30. Get both.