Milani Cosmetics® Launches “America’s Next Top Primer” Campaign

Milani Cosmetics on America’s Next Top Primer to Be with 2000s-Inspired Reality TV Spoof

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Milani Cosmetics^® is cranking up the nostalgia with its America’s Next Top Primer campaign – a reality TV–inspired showdown where primers, not contestants, are up for the ultimate glow-up title.

Among the contestants, which range from the primer that just can’t hold it together, causing makeup to shift and smudge throughout the competition, to the overachieving primer that clings to everything it touches, a new rising star emerges. Milani Cosmetics spotlights its Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Smoothing Primer with an over-the-top reimagination of makeover competition drama to bring fun and flawless finishes to center stage.

“Early 2000s nostalgia is part of the cultural zeitgeist today, and we saw the perfect opportunity to revisit the era that gave rise to our brand and marked the golden age of reality television,” said Jeremy Lowenstein, CMO of Milani Cosmetics. “This campaign playfully showcases the power and innovation of Milani’s new primer while celebrating a genre that defined the Millennial generation and continues to captivate Gen Zers and Gen Alphas, today’s leading culture-drivers.”

“We set out to deliver something unexpected that would resonate beyond traditional beauty marketing,” said Ellen Markus, VP, Marketing of Milani Cosmetics. “By leaning into social-first storytelling and a universally relatable makeup struggle, we’re creating a moment that gets people talking, sharing and engaging with Milani in a whole new way.”

The campaign features a diverse cast that includes comedian and actress Zainab Johnson (Hijabs Off, Amazon Original) as the charismatic reality TV show host. She’s joined by a panel of judges played by sketch comedy actors Ele Woods (Keke Palmer’s Turnt Up with the Taylors), Amber Joy (Greenhouse Academy, Netflix) and Joe Hegyes (@bequietjoe, TikTok). Content creators Natalie Shine (The Big Silly Trivia Game), Zoe Kim and Imani Blackmon are cast as primer contestants, each a personification of a different face primer fail – or the ultimate primer “win.”

Milani Cosmetics’ in-house creative and marketing teams independently conceptualized, cast and produced the campaign, a significant achievement that underscores the brand’s initiative to steer its own storytelling. Molly Mitchell, former writer at The Late Late Show with James Corden and Freeform TV’s sitcom grown-ish, was tapped to draft the script.

“As an indie brand, Milani’s superpower is our exceptionally talented and nimble in-house teams, giving us the agility to move at the speed of culture while keeping true to our brand DNA,” said Valerie Enriquez, Global Creative Director of Milani Cosmetics. “In a fast-moving industry oversaturated with bold marketing stunts, we set out to create a whimsical, mischievous campaign that is unmistakably Milani and impossible to ignore.”

Milani ranks #6 among top U.S. brands in the $2.2 billion face category and is the third fastest–growing brand within the top 10.* When it comes to quality, Milani stands shoulder to shoulder with prestige brands, with 96% of its supply chain sourced from the same manufacturers in North America, Europe and South Korea that produce premium cosmetics sold at Sephora and Ulta.

“As Milani’s Conceal + Perfect franchise continues to be a major growth driver, we are committed to reinforcing our position as a leader in mass beauty by investing in cutting-edge formulations, strategic category expansion and meaningful consumer engagement to drive both brand loyalty and business impact,” said Mary van Praag, CEO of Milani Cosmetics.

Embracing the skinification of beauty and continuing to build on the strong equity behind the Conceal + Perfect franchise, Milani provides the latest in skincare and makeup hybrid technology. The Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Smoothing Primer ($15.99) feels like whipped souffle on skin, delivering a cooling sensation while instantly blurring, moisturizing and holding makeup all day.

Moisture-locking micro-powders create a soft-focus effect that blurs and diffuses the appearance of fine lines, pores and imperfections. 3D-Hydrating Complex™ helps smooth and soften dull texture, while optimizing the skin’s natural hydration levels. With 5% glycerin, 3% niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, the primer helps nourish and hydrate, while nutrient-rich blue algae, Korean pear extract, arnica and blue chamomile provide antioxidant benefits.

In a consumer perception study, 100% of respondents saw instantly smoother skin with a soft-blurred finish and all-day hydration and 100% agreed the primer gripped makeup immediately and made application smoother. In addition, 97% of those surveyed agreed that the look of pores and uneven texture was immediately minimized and 91% agreed the primer gripped makeup all day long and extended wear.

Watch the campaign video here. The campaign will roll out across digital and social channels, including MilaniCosmetics.com, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube beginning March 15, 2025.

*TABS Nielsen-XAOC, L52W ending 6/15/24

ABOUT MILANI COSMETICS

Milani was founded over 20 years ago with the passionate belief that everyone should have the opportunity to own luxury beauty. Based in Los Angeles, the brand continues to innovate for and with its diverse community, relentlessly testing the limits of high-quality makeup at affordable prices. Milani products are developed with the best North American, European and South Korean beauty labs using only the most luxurious formulas, rich pigments and high-performance ingredients. By championing inclusivity, self-expression and experimentation through makeup, the brand continues to amass a devoted, multicultural following of artists, change-makers and forward-thinking creators – Milani Makers™ – and equips them with the accessible luxury they need to express their authentic selves. All products are proudly cruelty-free and never made with parabens, phthalates or formaldehyde. Milani Cosmetics. Luxury that’s born inclusive, not exclusive.

Milani is available at Ulta, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Amazon and MilaniCosmetics.com. Learn the latest from the brand @milanicosmetics on Instagram and TikTok.