CREATING A BIG MAKEUP BRAND

Erica Gerards isn’t just launching another makeup label—she’s trying to rewrite the rules. After co-founding cult body-care giant Frank Body (now exited), Erica hit a surprising wall: she didn’t want to go to her own job anymore. When investors asked the founders to lock in for five more years, she looked at her future—successful, yes, but unhappy. So she walked away, sacrificing friendships and a fat salary… to chase something bigger.

Enter Fluff, a baby brand just two months into selling, built to “change the face of beauty without changing the face of customers.” Erica saw a dangerous gap: profit-driven beauty pushes more product, more perfection, more insecurity—especially for teens drowning in social media noise. Fluff’s mission? Make makeup fun, not necessary. Confidence first, cosmetics second.

But purpose needs product. Erica went deep: 18 months of customer research, talking to ~100 girls regularly about what they buy, why they buy, how they feel wearing it, and what they hate about the industry. She’s also obsessively clean on ingredients—banning palm oil despite huge manufacturing headaches. With $700K raised, Fluff produces in Italy and Germany, fighting for ethical, high-performing formulas.

No big influencers. No hype shortcuts. Instead, Fluff is co-created with real girls producing the content, shaping the voice, and powering a long-game legacy brand.

Watch the full video here from the Foundr Youtube Channel