Versed has always had community baked into its DNA—long before you could find thriving TikTok alliances for every beauty niche under the sun. It’s Who What Wear’s sister skincare brand, after all, and it collected real-time data from 16 million WWW readers before debuting its lineup of science-backed, innovative, under-$25 formulas. “We didn’t create Versed for ourselves; we created it according to what millennials honestly want,” we shared back in 2019, when the brand originally launched.
Well, what millennials want has shifted—as it should after five years! Preferences change, aesthetics evolve, and our overall skincare needs mature as we do. As such, Versed has responded with a “quiet luxury” rebrand, plus three new targeted products consumers had been begging for. Allow us to (re)introduce Versed, all grown up.
(Image credit: Versed)
It all started by studying “shelfies.” (You know, those aesthetically pleasing spreads of curated beauty collections we continue to see all over Instagram.) The brand noticed more users featuring the Buff It Out AHA Exfoliating Body Scrub and Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion, both of which have a dustier aesthetic compared to the other bright yellows and pinks in Versed’s lineup. Versed also experienced more engagement on its own channels with those very same products. “So we knew her style was changing, but we also knew those more targeted products were coming up more and more in her routine,” Lola Gonzalez Marra, head of creative and design, says of the Versed consumer. It only made sense for the rest of the brand to follow suit.
Considering the market is practically overflowing with zippy, vibrant products vying for Gen Z’s attention, you might be surprised by the decision for more muted packaging. “It is definitely more elevated. It’s more mature,” Gonzalez Marra tells us. “The colors are the same Versed color palette, just a little bit dustier, more desaturated, things that speak to [the consumer’s] style sensibilities.” The message is clear: Versed remains committed to its millennial audience. In the great flood of beauty launches, it’s a drop of dusty rose in a sea of vivid pink.
(Image credit: Versed)
Of course the brand has formulas for everyone, regardless of age, but rather than putting its stake in the ground with Gen Z like the lion’s share of brightly colored beauty brands, Versed has decided to amplify its millennial impact. “It was honestly a marriage of us wanting to grow up with our consumer that met us in the beginning and identifying that the millennial audience is being served less and less,” Gonzalez Marra shares. The layouts are more digestible, too, with each “family” organized by hue. (Retinol products are rose; the hydration line is blue.) Note, the actual formulas have remained unchanged.
The materials themselves also take cues from the prestige market, such as frosted bottles, elevated “romanced” pumps, and other underrated aspects that have a “quiet luxury” feel. “That’s something that I really don’t see as much in masstige,” notes Justine Wu, head of Versed product development. Rest assured these packaging updates don’t come with a ramped-up cost—each product still retails for under $25. I like to compare the brand to the high-quality basics in your closet: chic, versatile, and always a safe bet.
(Image credit: Versed)
“Every choice [we] make is a reflection of [our] style, and that applies to skincare,” says Gonzalez Marra. It’s why the concept of “shelfies” became so popular in the first place; your skincare routine can totally reflect your personal aesthetic, if you want it to. “We want to be that brand that you feel really good about purchasing in every way—it looks good, it feels good, it works really well. It checks off all of the boxes,” she adds. Consider it your capsule wardrobe of skincare.
And today, the wardrobe expands with three new products: a brightening eye gel (with a handy rollerball applicator for instant de-puffing); a creamy, chemical sunscreen; and a hero brightening serum. As for the future? Expect more category expansions, says Gonzalez Marra. “We’ve dabbled into body, into color with lip oils… There are so many opportunities to create fun, new products at great price points that feel great.”
The next five years might not warrant another full-on rebrand (or maybe they will—who knows what the beauty landscape will look like?), but Gonzalez Marra confirms Versed will continue to cater to its millennial audience by giving them exactly what they want (including a new version of the viral “croissant” headband, which may or may not be already in the works). For now, feel free to shop the shiny launches along with the updated Versed staples we editors will forever adore.
Versed Skin
Weekend Glow Brightening Serum
Consumers had been begging for the brand to bring back its iconic brightening serum, and now, it’s finally here! My skin doesn’t typically love vitamin C (it usually responds with breakouts and irritation), but this one only leaves me looking radiant. It has a gentle, stabilized form of the classic antioxidant, along with licorice root extract to further even tone and temper inflammation.
Versed Skin
Weekend Glow Brightening Eye Gel
Another addition to the Weekend Glow line (all brightening products are a pale yellow for ease!), this vitamin C– and caffeine-infused eye gel wakes up my under-eyes like no other. I’m such a fan of the rollerball applicator; as someone who looks super puffy when I wake up—especially after a couple glasses of wine or a salt-heavy dinner the night before—I feel instant relief from the cooling tip. I can feel my bags literally deflate.
Versed Skin
Good Defense Daily Sunscreen SPF 50
I adore Versed’s mineral sunscreen, so I was excited to try its creamy, chemical version. Spiked with ceramides and bisabolol, it plumps the skin upon application and layers tremendously under makeup—almost like a hydrating primer.
Versed Skin
Press Restart – Gentle Retinol Body Lotion
Here’s one of the popular products that kicked off this entire rebrand! Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion is a nourishing, coco butter–infused confection that also smooths fine lines, fades sunspots, and firms crepey skin.
Versed Skin
Buff It Out AHA Exfoliating Body Scrub
This is a shower-time staple for me. I love that it’s housed in a tube instead of a jar, as it feels way more hygienic than repeatedly scraping product out with my fingers. I also love that it contains finely ground pumice and chemical exfoliators (namely, lactic and glycolic acids) to instantly smooth rough skin and prevent bumps over time.
Versed Skin
Water Rush Eye Gel
This hydrating eye gel will always have my heart! It’s so difficult to find a simply hydrating formula that doesn’t irritate the eff out of my eyes (they’re super sensitive), and this one does just the trick.
Versed Skin
Doctor’s Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask
On days my skin looks a little lackluster, I turn to this best-selling mask. The brand once called it “a literal pot of gold,” and I honestly can’t think of a better term. With a blend of lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and pineapple and papaya enzymes, it efficiently buffs away dead skin and leaves behind a megawatt glow. It’s a godsend product for event prep—take it from me.
Versed Skin
Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum
Retinol newbies, I cannot recommend this $22 sensitive skin–approved serum enough. It contains microencapsulated retinol plus arophira and bakuchiol (both of which are natural retinol alternatives) to smooth skin texture with zero irritation.
Versed Skin
Dew Point Gel-Cream Moisturizer
Fun fact: This is the moisturizer I used to finally convince my fiancé to start using moisturizer. (Baby steps!) It’s lightweight yet deeply hydrating, which is exactly what you want in a gel-cream formula. It also has the most comfortable, bouncy texture and is fragrance-free—a total winner.
Versed Skin
Weekend Glow AHA Liquid Exfoliant
Exfoliating toners are my jam. I will typically ditch my AHA serums in favor of an acid-soaked swipe, and this is one of my favorites for allover skin brightening. With kojic and azelaic acids, AHAs, and bearberry extract, it’s great for evening out skin tone and fading stubborn hyperpigmentation.
Gentle cleansers are so, so hard to get right. They’re either way too foamy and stripping or, um, don’t actually make my skin feel clean. This one is Goldilocks. It lathers like a dream without making my skin feel tight, and it actually clears away all traces of makeup and sunscreen. Plus, it’s fragrance-free!
