Scarlett Johansson to Launch Skincare Brand, with Funding from The Najafi Companies

NEW YORK, June 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Scarlett Johansson announced today that she will make her first foray into entrepreneurship with a skincare brand expected to come to market in early 2022. Together with her co-founder, entrepreneur and beauty/fashion executive, Kate Foster, the duo has raised funding to support its launch and growth plans.

The full funding was provided by The Najafi Companies, an entrepreneurially driven private investment firm which has backed brands including Tracee Ellis Ross' Pattern Beauty, Beach House Group, Moon Oral Care, and more.

Johansson, a globally recognized actor with deep experience as an ambassador for luxury cosmetics companies, began her exploration of the beauty industry several years ago, educating herself on the market, formulations, and brand identity.

After considering many paths to entry, Scarlett has chosen to operate independently. In this structure, she is empowered to be intimately involved with every aspect of the company, flex her creativity, and maintain her vision for the brand.

Johansson serves as the Founder and Chairman of the new company and Foster is the Co-Founder and CEO.

"I've been fascinated by the transformative power of beauty since I was a child. My mother instilled in me a passion for self-care from my early teenage years. Several years ago, I took a step back from my beauty deals with the goal of creating something true to me. The result is a clean, accessible approach to beauty." –Scarlett Johansson

"We are proud to have built a brand that fills a void in the market and addresses a true consumer need. Our brand platform is differentiated and has a great deal of runway for growth and expansion. This is truly just the beginning." – Kate Foster

"It's so rare to find the right partners with the right products at the right time. With Scarlett and Kate, it became immediately clear to us that this is a special opportunity. Scarlett has been on a mission and her level of commitment, engagement and passion is both inspiring and a key differentiator in the marketplace. We are thrilled to be supporting Scarlett's entrée into entrepreneurship and are so excited for the future of this company." -- Jahm Najafi, Founder and CEO of The Najafi Companies

About Scarlett Johansson:
Tony and BAFTA winner, five-time Golden Globe nominee, and two-time Academy Award nominee Scarlett Johansson is the highest grossing female actor of all time. She was most recently seen in the final installment of the Avengers film series, Avengers: Endgame, and will reprise her role as 'Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow,' in the highly anticipated stand-alone film Black Widow, in theaters July 9th, 2021. She earned Academy Award nominations for her work in Marriage Story, directed by Noah Baumbach, and in Taika Waititi's JoJo Rabbit. Other recent roles include Avengers: Infinity War, Lucy, Under the Skin, Ghost in the Shell, Isle of Dogs and Her, which earned her a Best Actress award at the Rome Film Festival.

About Kate Foster Lengyel:
Kate Foster Lengyel is an entrepreneur and executive from the beauty and fashion industries. Her first foray into entrepreneurship was as Founder and CEO of SwearBy, a digital platform focused on word-of-mouth product recommendations, which was acquired by media powerhouse Meredith Corporation in January 2020. Her knowledge of ecommerce, marketing and brand strategy was built through a career of leadership roles at companies including the beauty division of Victoria's Secret, Juicy Couture, and NYDJ. Kate holds three degrees: an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MPS from the Fashion Institute of Technology concentrating in Beauty Marketing and Management, and an AB from Colgate University. Kate volunteers her time as a mentor for Colgate's entrepreneurship program and resides in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children. 
Kate Foster Lengyel

About The Najafi Companies
The Najafi Companies, based in Phoenix with offices in Los Angeles and New York, is an entrepreneurially driven private investment firm founded by Jahm Najafi in 2002. The firm makes investments across industries, with significant holdings in consumer, brands, ecommerce, retail, media, tech and sports. The Najafi Companies is not a fund and does not manage third party capital. By utilizing its own capital, the team is able to be extremely selective, think long-term, move quickly and operate in true alignment with management. Their passion is to invest, acquire businesses and create value in areas that are underserved or undergoing rapid transformation. And the firm's mission is to "do well and do good," and partner with world-class, entrepreneurial teams. For more information, visit www.najafi.com.

SOURCE The Najafi Companies