Summer Fridays is expanding into the bodycare sector with the introduction of its Body Fragrance Mist and Body Butter Balm. These latest offerings are part of a strategic plan by founders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland, who transitioned from influencers to entrepreneurs. They aim to sustain Summer Fridays’ success beyond the initial excitement of its 2018 launch.
“We really think of ourselves as the next global legacy brand,” Hewitt states. “A few years in, we felt confident with the business that we were building, the brand, and the team that we have. Now, eight years in, the goal we had of being around for decades to come, we feel more certain about it.”
In 2026, when trends rapidly change and competition is intense, is it possible to establish a new legacy beauty brand? Hewitt and Ireland, who were influencers when they created the brand, believe it is. Summer Fridays made its mark with the viral Jet Lag mask, a signature product that emphasized hydrating skincare and an everlasting summer glow. Following this, the brand launched the popular Lip Butter Balm in 2020 and has steadily grown its product line, including cosmetics like bronzer, blush balms, and a lip liner. The introduction of the body butter and mist aligns with Summer Fridays’ earlier move into fragrances and previous experiments in the category, such as a belly oil and lotion.
“What I’ve learned about longevity is that it comes down to two things, whether someone reorders in year five and whether you’ve built a company capable of delivering that,” Ireland explains. “Supply chain, partners, forecasting, a field team, real operators in the building; none of it is visible from the outside and all of it determines whether you’re still here. The other piece is being honest about who you’re for. Our sweet spot is the millennial and older Gen Z, and she’s told us clearly what she wants.”
Photo: Courtesy of Summer Fridays
The brand is available on TikTok Shop, Amazon, its own direct-to-consumer website, and in stores like Sephora, which was its initial retail partner. Instead of opting for a social media or direct-to-consumer-first approach, the brand launched with Sephora, thanks to a connection made by Jen Atkin, founder of beauty brand Ouai. Atkin introduced Hewitt and Ireland to Artemis Patrick, Sephora’s CEO of North America, who was then the retailer’s chief merchandising officer. Patrick provided guidance during the brand’s formative stages, offering insights into products, consumer profiles, and shopping behaviors that helped it thrive in a competitive market. Launching with Sephora was a deliberate choice to avoid being pigeonholed as just another influencer brand, according to the founders.
“We knew going into it that people had a preconceived notion of what a creator brand might be, that maybe the formulas weren’t efficacious,” Hewitt notes. “And to have a partner like Sephora really gave credibility to our products and our launches. We knew that we had this really great community online, but that Sephora’s audience was much larger than ours and that people at the time really did want to experience the product in-store.”
