Few people carry more weight in the beauty world than Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson, the dynamic duo behind the iconic brand Too Faced (which was acquired by the Estée Lauder Companies for approximately $1.45 billion in 2016). Fewer still have collaborated (twice) with Madonna, ideating on the megastar’s couch over popcorn. And even fewer might achieve all these things, yet still have an appetite for rolling up their sleeves and going into startup mode again. But here we are. Blandino and Johnson have formed a new company, called Toy Box Brands, which launched Polite Society, a characteristically fun, irreverent makeup brand last fall, as well as Diamond Drunk, a jewelry polish, last summer. And they’re just getting started (or restarted as the case may be). We recently caught up with the innovators to talk about evolution, innovation, and the community they’re building with Polite Society.
On the surface, Blandino and Johnson’s Polite Society resembles Too Faced in several ways. Both brands feature products with cheeky names (for example, Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Mascara and Polite Society’s Go Flush Yourself! Face Palette). Both also clearly appeal to makeup lovers who are all in. And both rely heavily on palettes with multiple playful, and often glittery, shades.
You’d be forgiven for noticing the similarities, said Blandino. “Tom Ford didn’t stop being Tom Ford when he left Gucci,” he said. “I developed Too Faced in 1998, and I needed to let that side of me go. But if you see something similar [in Polite Society], I love it. It’s a nod to my past, to who I am,” he said, adding that Polite Society is simply the embodiment of who he is now.
Johnson is quick to point out that there are many new products in Polite Society’s pipeline that will “distinguish us more.” But for now, on the company’s website, you’ll find a foundation, a mascara, a cheek palette, and two of the brand’s latest launches, new shades of B.I.G. Mouth Lip Oil Plumping Gloss and the Forget Social Media, I’m Dope in Real Life Eyeshadow Palette. A couple of makeup sets, hoodies (featuring the Polite As F*ck logo), and a makeup bag round out the collection. Everything is priced between $15 and $99.
Ah, but there are more differences than meet the eye.
To begin with, Polite Society was built on the concept of clean beauty. And while “clean” as it pertains to beauty can mean wildly different things depending on who you talk to, Blandino and Johnson define it as using safe, vegan, and non-toxic ingredients, and prioritizing organic and naturally derived materials whenever possible. For them, sustainability includes packaging as well as product formulas, with a commitment to transparency as part of their DNA. They’re determined to eliminate harmful ingredients, plastics, and chemicals, without sacrificing quality or efficacy.
The line — which took a mere 14 months to launch — is also “more modern and less cupcake-y,” Blandino said.
It’s also definitely not “value engineered,” a term Blandino and Johnson were introduced to during their corporate era, after the acquisition, before the pair’s contract with Lauder ended.
“It’s always been all about the formula for us,” Blandino said. To that end, “We don’t spare any expense, and we don’t worry about the lowest common denominator or who might not like it.”
Case in point: the B.I.G. Mouth Lip Oil Plumping Gloss, which is not, as Blandino puts it, “for the faint of heart. I wanted to create a lip plumper for lip plumper junkies. If you’re someone who doesn’t like a tingle, this is not for you.” Suffice it to say, it’s gone viral on TikTok. As has the line’s foundation, which is egg-shaped, a nod to new beginnings.
Polite Society prides itself on being 100-percent self-funded, emphasizing Blandino and Johnson’s commitment to maintaining control over their vision. Early sales figures have exceeded expectations by double digits at Ulta (the brand’s retail partner), said Johnson.
But success for Polite Society is not just about being number one in the industry. He envisions a brand that emotionally connects with people, fostering a community of like-minded individuals. To build that community, Blandino and Johnson have relied heavily on social media.
“It’s a positive tool to connect with clients and friends all over,” Blandino said.
It also serves as an informal focus group. (The brand does not actually conduct focus groups, rather, Blandino will send products for fans to try through Instagram — often the recipients don’t believe it was really Blandino who reached out to them.)
As for where the founders find their inspiration, Blandino said, “We need to feel it to do it. It’s not, ‘Where can we make the most money?’” This approach explains why Blandino and Johnson introduced Diamond Drunk.
“Everyone has jewelry,” Blandino said. “But nobody had touched jewelry cleaner since the 60’s. It was full of formaldehyde. This one’s sustainable and refillable. We like to take little things we all need and elevate them.”
For brand founders starting out, Blandino encourages belief in one’s vision and uniqueness. He advises against trying to emulate others, stressing that no one else needs to fail for someone to succeed. Besides, learning from failures is crucial — without them, there is no success.
Johnson adds that following one’s gut is essential, cautioning against letting others steer you in the wrong direction.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Blandino and Johnson categorically state that Toy Box Brands will never be sold. “It is not part of the plan,” Johnson says.
What else can we expect to see from Toy Box Brands?
Johnson tosses out the idea of hot sauce. “[People] work hard to make their kitchens look perfect and then there’s this weird hot sauce [bottle on the counter],” Blandino commented, suggesting there’s opportunity to beautify just about anything that doesn’t measure up.
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