CBD continues to be the darling of just about everyone, even luxury retailers. Unlike trickle-down fashion trends, such as $500 handbags, CBD’s soaring popularity stems from the work of everyday cannabis growers. However, there is no denying the attention paid to CBD products by luxury stores may be able to help spread awareness to an entirely new market segment.
Sephora, a multi-national chain of stores offering personal beauty products is expanding its CBD offerings and will now stock items by Saint Jane. These products will be available for pre-order on May 7 and will be fully available on May 10. Sephora has selected Saint Jane’s Luxury Beauty Serum which includes 500mg of CBD and is designed to provide users with healthy skin.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in client interest and appetite for CBD-infused products,” said Cindy Deily, vice president of skin-care merchandising at Sephora, according to Glossy. “Currently, Sephora carries several brands that have CBD-infused products, including Lord Jones, Flora & Bast, Herbivore, Farmacy, Josie Maran, and now Saint Jane. We anticipate that this will be an area of continued growth for us, as our clients continue to want to explore what’s new and next in beauty.”
Sephora is not alone in the trend of high-end retailers offering CBD products. Neiman Marcus, Barneys, and Saks 5th Avenue also stock CBD brands. Sephora started with selling CBD by Lord Jones in the fall and has quickly expanded to offering twelve CBD items on its online platform. Sephora has five CBD products available in its physical stores.
Saint Jane claims to be a dedicated CBD producer and not just a brand jumping on a lucrative bandwagon.
“There are a lot of brands out there that aren’t 100 percent CBD. We are focused on being the clean and luxury beauty option within the space,” said Saint Jane founder Casey Georgeson.
The partnerships signify some of the best marketing opportunities available to CBD producers. With major online platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram maintaining strict policies against cannabis advertising, brands are not always able to unveil digital marketing campaigns to raise awareness of their products.
“We are focused on our DTC like every new brand, but from SEO terms to payment processors, there have been major roadblocks,” Georgeson said. “We don’t have the same tools a normal beauty brand has, but we have been successful despite the challenges.”
The attention paid by high-end retailers may only seem relevant to the golden ticket winners who are fortunate enough to find their way into those stores, but this may not be the case at all. Luxury retailers may help increase CBD awareness and the price point for a CBD product stocked in Neiman Marcus may be prohibitive, leading customers directly to smaller shops. Also, as many CBD users have questions before making a purchase, knowledgeable staff at mom and pop shops may provide a unique advantage over retailing giants. CBD’s universal appeal could be a tide that raises all retail boats.