This Viral Skincare Brand Just Became the Epitome of Quiet Luxury—Without the Wallet Strain

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.

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.

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.

"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.