Dive Brief:

• In pursuit of the Gen Z market, CPG giant Edgewell on June 6 debuted a new clean skincare brand, according to a company press release.
• Dubbed “Fieldtrip,” the brand is unisex and features “on-trend products with luxury formulations at affordable price points,” the company said. All products are under $25 and are currently sold through Fieldtrip’s DTC website and on Amazon.
• Edgewell owns a variety of personal care brands, including Schick, Wilkinson Sword and Hawaiian Tropic. Added to that list since November of last year is DTC razor brand Billie.

Dive Insight:

After acquiring Billie in November (its second attempt to acquire a DTC razor brand after its merger with Harry’s failed), Edgewell’s latest brand will take a page out of the DTC playbook. Fieldtrip will sell through its own dedicated website, but will also partner with a few third-party retailers on wholesale.

At launch, Fieldtrip is only available via its own e-commerce and Amazon, but the company plans to expand its distribution to Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack and Macy’s come August. Nordstrom has become a popular wholesale partner for a host of DTC brands over the years, including Glossier and Allbirds.

Edgewell is starting small, with just seven products under the Fieldtrip brand: a cleanser, a moisturizer, a shave lotion, a lip mask, a serum, an eye gel and a facial spray. However, the company plans to add more products to the lineup in the fall. And like many brands targeting the younger generation, Edgewell has put sustainability at the core of the brand, with a “Your Earth, Your Skincare” motto. All products are clean, cruelty-free and vegan.

"Gen-Z consumers expect more than just functional benefits. They seek out brands who are socially responsible and sustainable, offer clean formulations that perform as advertised, and are transparent throughout,” Gabrielle DeLatin, head of marketing for grooming at Edgewell, said in a statement. “This way of thinking really aligned with our core values and inspired Fieldtrip's launch. Equally important was being able to offer clean, effective products at an affordable price to ensure the line is accessible to all."

The direct-to-consumer beauty space has been on the rise lately as consumers recognize that they can buy their favorite products from a brand’s website instead of retailers like Ulta and Sephora. Beauty conglomerates like L'Oréal and Estée Lauder have begun emphasizing a more DTC-focused strategy for their brands, and new entrants continue to crop up. Kim Kardashian, about a year after shuttering KKW Beauty, is launching a new skincare brand dubbed Skkn by Kim, which also emphasizes sustainability. And the parent company of DTC beauty company Il Makiage added to its portfolio with a personalized wellness brand in February.