This week, I checked in with April Uchitel, CEO and founder at The Board, and Debbie Johnson, president of Premier Executive Recruiting, to better understand the fractional executive hiring trend and how it’s impacting the beauty and wellness industries. Additionally, Urban Decay and longtime setting spray manufacturer Skindinavia sever relationship, Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. beauty hires a new CEO, Phlur is acquired three years after its buzzy rebrand, and Obagi Medical skin care enters injectables with the acquisition of Novaestiq.
Set against economic uncertainly, fractional executive hiring finds a good fit within beauty and wellness
“Many of the skills possessed by beauty executives are great for project-based opportunities,” April Uchitel, CEO and founder at The Board, a 4-year-old hybrid community and agency with more than 250 vetted, fractional C-level consultants. “The whole idea behind fractional is kind of like ‘precision fit’ [hiring]. I call it ‘right talent, right time.’”
Fractional work — also referred to as consultant or contract work — looks different for each person, with many fractional executives spending around 10-15 hours per week with one company. Some executives work with several companies at once, splitting their week accordingly, while others use the extra time to start their own business, complete their MBA, or focus on family commitments. Most contracts are between three months and a year, with six months being the most common, Uchitel said.
Some fractional workers strive to be hired full-time when the contract wraps while others relish in the freedom of contract work. “Sometimes it’s an avenue for both parties to ‘try before you buy,’ or evaluate the needs of the business to see what that person can deliver and if it’s a long-term fit,” said Debbie Johnson, president of Premier Executive Recruiting, a Los Angeles-based firm that’s worked with Olaplex, Em Cosmetics, Mane and Beautycounter.
As reported by Glossy’s sister publication Work Life, the fractional workforce has grown by one-third since 2020, and about 2 in 5 Fortune 500 companies now use fractional talent in C-suite or strategic roles. For companies hiring fractional employees, it’s often less about cost savings and more about accessing expertise that would otherwise be locked behind corporate walls or priced out of reach.
For insiders watching beauty’s executive musical chairs, it certainly feels like the trend is overindexing within beauty and wellness. This is partially connected to economic uncertainty and mass layoffs at top conglomerates like Estée Lauder Companies, Coty, Unilever and L’Oréal.
“I’ve spoken with more [beauty] executives [than ever] that have found themselves unemployed [right now] that have never been in this situation before,” said Johnson. “They’ve had longevity throughout their career and able to always have a job before finding new jobs. This is new territory for them in a very competitive market; it’s something that I hear constantly.”
Johnson told Glossy that she noticed a sharp uptick in permanent job opportunities in beauty during June and July, although she’s hesitant to predict a rosier 2026 just yet. “[We] still have a lot more people entering the market than there are job opportunities,” she said.
According to Uchitel, many eliminated jobs at companies like ELC or L’Oréal are simply “not coming back,” due to shifting technology and changing markets. More than half of the 250 executives within The Board’s network are beauty execs.
Uchitel told Glossy that the most common roles hired fractional are marketing, product development or anything go-to-market, like retail or web strategy. Historically, COO, HR and CFO are common fractional roles, especially for small, indie companies who want access to top execs but lack the funding to employ them full-time.
Other arenas she sees taking off include social, influencer and Ai strategy, as well as creative director and branding for newer companies finding their footing or seasoned companies that have lost their brand identity and need a fresh perspective. Many companies hire a “SWAT team,” where three or more executives come on to problem solve, almost like a group of fixers, Uchitel told Glossy.
“You have this incredible talent pool out there that’s super seasoned, [while we’re all simultaneously] watching the industry shift dramatically, in terms of what you need in-house, what you should be outsourcing or offshoring, and how you’re leveraging new technologies,” said Uchitel. “Being able to have trusted resources that you can bring in to help navigate, [especially someone] who just did that somewhere else three months ago, is really powerful.”
Executive moves:
- Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty has hired André Branch as its new CEO. Branch’s CV includes L’Oréal, Diageo, The Nature’s Bounty and, most recently, svp and gm of Estée Lauder-owned-MAC Cosmetics. He replaces Michelle Shigemasa, who stepped down in June of last year.
News to know:
- Waldencast, the owner of Milk Makeup cosmetics and Obagi Medical skin care, has acquired aesthetics injectable maker Novaestiq, which makes hyaluronic acid filler products under the brand names Saypha ChIQ and Saypha MagIQ. The injectables are currently under FDA review for use in the U.S. Upon approval, they could be marketed under the Obagi Medical branding. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
- Private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners has acquired fragrance label Phlur for an undisclosed amount. Phlur was launched in 2015 and relaunched in February 2022 by brand accelerator The Center and influencer Chriselle Lim. TSG Consumer has previously invested in Summer Fridays and Huda Beauty.
- Nicole Kidman is the newest global ambassador of Japanese color cosmetics brand Clé de Peau Beauté. The brand is owned by Shiseido Company, parent company to Drunk Elephant, Nars and Shiseido. The company announced an 8.5% decline in sales for its 2025 Q1 ending March 31 and is set to undergo layoffs this year as a response to the falling sales.
- L’Oréal’s Urban Decay has allegedly ended its 15-year relationship with its setting spray manufacturer Skindinavia, the maker of Urban Decay’s award-winning All Nighter Setting Spray. UD’s range of setting sprays are hero products for the brand and, according to Skindinavia, have been reformulated as part of the severing of the partnership. Skindinavia shared the news on Instagram on Sunday, along with information on how to purchase the original formula directly through Skindinavia: “Our award-winning formula is still here for you. Available through Skindinavia and our trusted partners.”
- Galderma, owner of consumer brands like Cetaphil and Differein and medical injectables like Dysport, Restylane and Sculptra, reported a 12.2% net sales growth for H1 2025. Released in its earnings on July 24, the company reached $2.45 billion in sales, driven “mainly by volume and complemented by a favorable mix,” the company said. Sales of injectable aesthetics were up 9.8%, dermatological skin care grew 7.7%, and its therapeutic dermatology division jumped 26.9%.
- Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips, who works with Chrissy Teigen, Kendall Jenner and J.Lo, has launched a makeup line called M.PH Beauty. The line will launch on Sephora’s website on August 15 and in 650 doors later in the month.
Stat of the week:
The United States struck a framework deal with the European Union on Sunday that includes a 15% import tariff on E.U. goods. This is a reduction from the original 30% import tariff President Donald Trump threatened earlier this year.
In the headlines:
Are AI influencers like Slate Brands’ Iris Lane the future of social media? Everyone wants to know what Huda Mustafa smells like. Is beauty’s growth runway running out? Hybrid work reality check: Why half of companies still aren’t getting it right. What a ChatGPT checkout system could mean for retail. Amazon and Instacart’s former advertising leader is transforming the way Walmart grows.
Listen in:
Dermatologist Dr. Jane Yoo and Kim Wezik, MPH, director of advocacy for the Melanoma Research Foundation, join the Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss sunscreen regulation.
Need a Glossy recap?
How GuruNanda is leveraging its runaway success on TikTok Shop into an Ulta Beauty brick-and-mortar debut. At a new L.A. fitness studio, pilates gets the luteal phase treatment. Why beauty and fashion brands are buzzing for coffee collabs. Teasing its rebrand, Urban Decay leans into sex with OnlyFans and TikTok star Ari Kytsya. The sales associate training strategies used by beauty’s top specialty retailers. Ritual names Serena Williams the brand’s first women’s health advisor.
