The fall (and rise?) of an influencer brand
A look at the relaunch of Cyklar
If you've been following influencer beauty brands, you might have heard about Cyklar, Claudia Sulewski’s body care line. It launched last year with much anticipation, but quickly flopped—only to return last week with a new look, a new strategy, and a chance at redemption.
In case you’re not familiar with Claudia, she’s a longtime vlogger and beauty influencer, and also the girlfriend of Billie Eilish’s brother and songwriter, Finneas O’Connell. After years of building her brand in the beauty space, Claudia launched her own body care venture with Cyklar. But, like many influencer brands, things took a turn very quickly.
The First Launch: What Went Wrong?
When Cyklar launched last fall, they only had one product: a body cream in a reusable glass jar in a scent called “crescent”, described as “woodsy, with notes of velvet, moss and cedar”.
The first iteration of Cyklar was ambitious but missed the mark, and the internet did not hesitate to let their thoughts be known. Claudia’s IG comments and snark reddit pages such as /LAInfluencerSnark were immediately flooded with negative feedback. The biggest offenders:
Lackluster Packaging: The brand’s minimalist packaging didn’t stand out. People felt it was way too bland, blending into the sea of other skincare products on the market. People compared it to existing brands like Bobbi Brown but without the same premium feel.
High Price Point: Priced at $58 for a body cream, consumers felt the product didn’t justify the cost. This was especially problematic for a new brand without any credibility or a reputation for high-quality skincare, and the branding did not help communicate the value. Influencers often make the mistake of thinking they should create luxury products (which they are the target market for), when in reality their biggest fans and advocates are people with very average incomes.
Lack of Unique Selling Points: Despite promoting clean, nontoxic ingredients, and “expert” formulation (whatever that means), Cyklar struggled to differentiate itself. Minimalist branding is common, and so are the “woodsy” notes in scents. Cyklar failed to communicate why it was special and why you should buy the product.
The Comeback
After pausing any promotion of Cyklar earlier this year, Claudia came back with a fresh approach. In true MVP strategy, the new Cyklar has learned from the missteps of its past and announced a big rebrand with a new, more expansive line of products.
Let’s take a closer look at Cyklar’s relaunch strategy:
Branding and Packaging Refresh
No more bland minimalism. The new packaging has a moody yet sophisticated aesthetic, pairing muted greens and beiges with bold accents like pops of red with gold type, adding a touch of luxury and individuality. Product photography now aligns with the brand’s refined identity—elevated yet approachable, and speaks to the quality.
Expanded Product Line
Cyklar has broadened its focus on body care, now offering an expanded line that includes a body wash, lotion, and sculpting ball. Each product shows much more attention to design and appeal.
Signature Scents
This relaunch introduces four signature scents: Bergamot Bond, Sacred Santal, Naked Neroli, and the brand’s hallmark, Crescent. These fragrances are all very trendy right now, and perfectly resonate with the “cool-girl” demographic Cyklar is focusing on.
More Accessible Pricing
One of the biggest changes is in pricing: the body cream, once priced at $58, is now $29, making it more affordable for the everyday consumer and appealing to the brand’s target audience of young 20-somethings.
Marketing Investment
Cyklar initially launched the brand with a website and a dream. This time, the brand is going all-in with a robust 360° marketing strategy. Efforts include influencer gifting, an engaging brand campaign video (written, directed, and starred in by Claudia herself, and it’s impressively well done), and small improvements like a lead capture on their site.
Key Takeaways: Listening to Your Audience
I don’t think Claudia initially launched Cyklar as a minimum viable product, but it ended up taking that form. Cyklar’s journey is a perfect case study in the power of customer feedback and adaptation. The people behind the brand listened to the initial criticism and came back with a revamped brand that directly addresses their past pain points—improved pricing, design, and a more compelling marketing approach.
That said, the beauty and skincare market is highly saturated, and it's tough for another influencer brand to break through. Still, do really like the new execution and approach Cyklar unveiled here - it seems like they are really getting their shit together. It feels intentional and positioned for sustainable, long-term growth.
Anita is a NYC-based product marketer with a focus on brand building, content strategy, and growth hacking.
Get in touch: itsneetie@gmail.com.
This was a great read!