This is an episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast, which features candid conversations about how today’s trends are shaping the future of the beauty and wellness industries. More from the series →
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What does it take to successfully reinvent a heritage beauty brand?
Industry veteran Dawn Hilarczyk is on a mission to completely transform Borghese, the 68-year-old heritage brand famous for its Italian skin care and Fango mud masks — and it’s working.
“Growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s in beauty, you knew Borghese; you knew exactly what they were,” Hilarczyk told Glossy. “They were luxurious, very, very premium and kind of a sexy Italian brand that everyone loved, which was what attracted me to the brand. What I walked into [in this role] was a brand that needed strong leadership and vision, and also needed to be revived.”
Hilarczyk is 18 months into her tenure as chief operating officer and has already overseen sweeping changes to the Borghese team, digital strategy and distribution, as well as packaging, formulation, SKU count, marketing and much more.
The brand is currently on track for a 200% revenue increase in three years fueled by a 34% increase in new customers, 70% growth on Amazon, and new retail expansion into Ulta Beauty and international markets.
Hilarczyk is a makeup artist turned executive. Her CV includes 30 years across Estée Lauder Companies, Shiseido and Beiersdorf-owned La Prairie, among other beauty companies. She is also the co-creator of the luxury skin-care brand Noble Panacea, where she spent six years in leadership roles before taking on COO of Borghese in 2024.
Borghese was launched in 1957 as a licensing partnership between Italian Princess Marcella Borghese and Revlon founder Charles Revson. The line was initially focused on Tuscany’s mineral-rich muds and waters. In 1992, Revlon sold the company to a group of private owners, who reestablished the ownership as a New York City-based parent company called Borghese, Inc.
In today’s episode, Hilarczyk dives into the nitty-gritty of her brand turnaround efforts. She breaks down her strategy in great detail, from cleaning up the brand’s Amazon presence and expanding into Ulta Beauty, to reestablishing a social presence and reducing the brand’s SKU count from 87 to 27.
But first, host Lexy Lebsack is joined by Glossy senior reporter Emily Jensen to walk through the biggest news stories of the week.
First up is specialty beauty retailer Violet Grey’s acquisition of clean beauty retailer The Detox Market. The deal was reportedly quietly closed earlier this year. Founder Cassanda Grey purchased Violet Grey in September of 2024 from Farfetch alongside private-equity investor Sherif Guirgis, who later transitioned into its CEO.
Lebsack and Jensen also discuss the latest GLP-1 news, including a possible new pill form of the drug and the rumored connection between the rise of GLP-1s and gourmand fragrances.
Finally, the duo discuss changes at Estée Lauder Companies-owned Tom Ford, including new spokesperson Tilda Swinton and new creative director Haider Ackermann, and what it all means for luxury fragrance.
On bringing Borghese back into the mainstream
Hilarczyk: “Growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s in beauty, you knew Borghese. You knew exactly what they were. They were luxurious, very, very premium and kind of a sexy Italian brand that everyone loved, which was what attracted me to the brand. What I walked into [in 2024] was a brand that needed strong leadership and vision, and also needed to be revived. So we call it the Renaissance, or ‘Borghese is back, ‘because the brand had many different leaders living in this Italian villa. Some of those leaders redecorated the brand to fit their own personal style, and some let the villa deteriorate. We’ll use these analogies that are kind of fun! And the villa really lost its way and really became almost obsolete or invisible. [So] when the executive team came searching for a leader, they needed someone that understood the brand vision, and understood the legacy and the heritage, but really was strategic about bringing it back to its roots.”
On getting back to its roots
Hilarczyk: “When I met with [the board during my interview], that was the first thing I said: ‘Why are you not talking about the princess [founder story]? Why are you not talking about the Italian heritage and roots?’ I mean, this is a game-changer in the industry, which is already so saturated. ‘Why are you not talking about Fango?’ No one makes Fango, which is Italian for mud. So they were 100% aligned, clearly, and we’re in our rebuilding phase, which is what really attracted me [to the role]. You know, I’ve been fortunate enough to rebuild brands in my career. I’ve also had the opportunity to co-create a company. So now getting the opportunity to rebuild, or redecorate or remodel, a legacy brand is an honor.”
