EXCLUSIVE: Kiehl’s Launches Intimate Care

Kiehl’s Since 1851 is getting intimate, the first L’Oréal brand to do so.

The skin, body and hair care brand that has been part of L’Oréal since 2000 is introducing a new category of intimate care products to its current offerings — Kiehl’s Personals — as it aims to get a slice of the multibillion-dollar intimate care market and attract more Gen Z shoppers.

The category expansion includes the launch of two new products specially formulated for intimate areas: Ingrown Hair & Tone Corrective Intimate Drops, $29, and Over & Under Cream to Powder Deodorant, $39.

The former is made with a blend of AHA’s for improved ingrown hair conditions, astaxanthin and jojoba oil to promote even skin tone and fortify the skin’s protective barrier. 

The latter is formulated with gentle acid blends to help counteract body odor, while the cream-to-powder finish helps minimize the feeling of discomfort caused by friction. 

“We are proud to continue our mission of providing the most efficacious skin care formulas by addressing body parts few openly talk about,” said Jon Sáenz, Kiehl’s global president. “We’re breaking down barriers and normalizing the conversation around sexual wellness as we pave our way into this new category with Kiehl’s Personals.”

The new category launch will also have a new distribution channel: TikTok Shop and direct-to-consumer will launch on Thursday and Ulta Beauty in-store will launch on Aug. 8.

“TikTok is an amazing way to reach and connect with Gen Z consumers, who are known for driving viral product trends and inspiring movements like destigmatizing intimate care,” said John Reed, Kiehl’s U.S. general manager. 

The brand’s strategy is to curate a social-first assortment on TikTok Shop, selling the likes of Ultra Facial Cream, Rare Earth Mask, Avocado Eye and Liquid Pimple patch, along with the new intimate care products. Their strategy will include livestream shopping events, early drops and affiliate sales.

Ajay Salpekar, head of beauty at TikTok Shop U.S., said: “Kiehl’s will tap into a new shopping culture and partner with a growing network of TikTok Shop creators to help shoppers discover Kiehl’s skin care products, inspire and educate them, and bring joy to the shopping experience.” 

In addition, Kiehl’s launched on Amazon in May, also with the goal of meeting customers where they are. So far, men’s products, more gender-neutral products and refillable pouches have been selling particularly well on the platform, Reed said.

“It shows one that there’s an appetite to use these products on a daily basis, but also to reduce the environmental impact of skin care,” he said.

But while Kiehl’s is tapping into new categories and new distribution channels, Sáenz believes what makes it stand out in a crowded skin care market brimming with indies is its heritage, with the first store opening in the East Village in 1851.

“It’s like ‘oh my god, this one has been here for so long. They must be doing something right.’ It’s almost like a stamp of safety for them,” Sáenz said.

A lot of the focus going forward for the brand will be on experiential retail, including Kiehl’s Out East, where it just hosted a pop-up in Montauk, N.Y. That included a branded vintage yellow NYC cab clad with branded surfboards, product samples and merchandise, which visited several locations including SoulCycle Montauk.

“There’s always something happening with Kiehl’s — exciting events, exciting sponsorships, exciting partnerships and then we bring in the skin care element,” Reed said. “The vision for Kiehl’s is really to make it the ultimate experience brand still rooted in that apothecary efficacy.”

Linking up with SoulCycle would have not been possible under its 13-year partnership with Equinox. That ended earlier this year, with the fitness company tapping Grown Alchemist, leading to many TikTok users voicing their frustrations on the platform.

“The silver lining has been that it has allowed us to do a lot more partnerships with lifestyle companies and explore new partnerships as well,” Reed said. “And then, of course, our consumers really did come out in very strong support appeals on social media and that generated some positive buzz around the brand.”

It’s also planning on opening new stores in some expected and also unexpected places.

“I can’t share exactly where the next Kiehl’s store will open, but what I can tell you is that we’re making some big moves in terms of new neighborhoods where you might not previously have had a Kiehl’s store, some of which you would expect them to be in already,” Reed said.

It’s also been rolling out its Derma-Reader Analysis technology in all markets, which measures eight areas of skin concerns and analyzes the surface and below the surface skin, and by the end of this year it will be in 51 stores in the U.S.

In addition to this, it launched iBeauty in select stores in March, which gives Kiehl’s Skin Pros real-time customer information to enhance the unique Kiehl’s in-store experience.