Jasmine Tookes is stepping into the beauty founder role.
The model-entrepreneur has joined forces with former private equity investor Sabrina Castenfelt to introduce Brunel, a three-product body care brand looking to combine fragrance, wellness and skin care actives below the neck.
“It’s been a dream of mine to start this brand forever,” said Tookes, whose past entrepreneurial experience includes launching activewear brand Joja in 2022 alongside fellow Victoria’s Secret Angel Josephine Skriver. “I always wanted to make sure there was a purpose for bringing a beauty brand into the world, and we’ve found this incredible white space — now is the right time.”
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Indeed, Brunel launches direct-to-consumer on Thursday with a trio of skin care-infused, scented and mood-boosting body oils. The launch aims to shake up a growing category (Circana reports prestige body care sales grew 6 percent year-over-year) which Tookes, who was a VS Angel from 2015 to 2021 and returned to walk the show for its comeback last fall, knows well.
“Before Brunel, I tried all sorts of things — you should see my cabinet of oils,” the Orange County, Calif., native said. “It’s been good for research over the years; figuring out what’s too thin, not moisturizing enough, too oily — which was a huge thing for us, was making sure the oils weren’t too sticky, and that they dry down fast.”
Brunel’s lineup at launch includes the Awakening Body Oil, which features a magnolia- and amber-infused scent and is meant to brighten and firm skin; a Renewal Body Oil that aims to cultivate calm via lavandin extract, and the Golden Hour Glow Oil, which imparts a lightweight, bronzy shimmer formulates to suit all skin tones. The Awakening and Renewal oils are priced at $48 each, while the Golden Hour Glow Oil retails for $53.
“Brunel is about fusing scientific advances with tradition and the deep history of body care and oils,” Castenfelt said. “Historically, there’s been kind of a separation in body care where it’s either science driven, or it’s fragranced but without skin care actives — offering a mix of both was an important factor for us.”
Each oil features a blend of safflower, castor, coconut and jojoba oils and taps antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins C or E to boost skin moisture and tone. Developed in partnership with fragrance house International Flavors and Fragrances Inc., the bronzing oil is jasmine and sandalwood scented, while the Renewal calming oil features lavender, cedarwood and eucalyptus notes.
“The Awakening oil is meant to uplift you, to give you confidence; Golden Hour Glow adds a bit of sensuality, while Renewal is more relaxing,” said Tookes, adding that the oils, which she wore at the Met Gala on Monday as well as last fall’s VS show, were formulated without pthalates, sulfates or parabens.
For the Golden Hour Glow Oil in particular, which is anticipated to be Brunel’s hero product, Tookes added: “It was hard to find a bronzy color that would work well in every skin tone — some would make the skin look too orange, others would be too ashy on my skin tone — this one sort of met right in the middle.”
While Tookes and Castenfelt did not comment on sales expectations for Brunel, which derives its name from the French word for “brown,” industry sources estimate the brand could do $2 million in first-year sales.
The brand’s packaging, too, was carefully chosen by the pair.
“We wanted to give people a very sensorial experience — even when picking the glassware, we wanted something you’d want to show off, rather than tuck into your cabinet,” Tookes said.
Added Castenfelt: “We’re trying to transform what is an everyday, kind of rushed, experience — yet, often the only time you might be guaranteed to yourself — into this wellness piece.”
While the brand is beginning with body oils, there is runway to extend this ethos to other categories as well.
“There are a lot of beautiful things that could be done through Brunel — going into the cosmetics side of things, creating a fragrance — there’s lots of fun things in the pipeline,” Tookes said.
