Essence Corp has kicked off 2026 with a slew of high-profile successes for Fenty Beauty, Parfums de Marly and Dolce & Gabbana.
Not only was the Miami-based beauty distributor honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award in Travel Retail 2026 at the Parfums de Marly Paris Annual Convention (see Starboard story on page 22 to read some of the innovative initiatives that Essence Corp has used to catapult the niche French Haute Parfumerie brand into a best-seller), but Essence has also extended its ground-breaking rollout of Fenty Beauty to 13 Caribbean markets and 25 points of sale.
Essence Corp originally launched Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty simultaneously across nine Caribbean islands in October/November 2024 and since then has selectively been adding new markets throughout the region. Most recently, the team rolled out super-star Rihanna’s flagship cosmetics and skincare brand to Guyana through a partnership with local retailer Glamour Beauty in Georgetown.
Guyana joins Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Saint Maarten & Saint Martin, and Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia and St. Thomas in offering Fenty Beauty –along with Martinique and Guadeloupe in the French Antilles, which launched last October.
In May, Essence Corp embarked on another milestone with the launch of Dolce & Gabbana Beauty Makeup in the Cayman Islands — the first in the Caribbean, in partnership with Kirk Freeport Ltd. As part of the launch, guests experienced an exclusive masterclass hosted by Julia Petrarca, bringing the world of Dolce & Gabbana Beauty to the island.
The exclusive masterclass for Dolce & Gabbana Beauty hosted in partnership with Kirk Freeport Ltd. in the Cayman Islands marked the launch of the brand in the Caribbean.
“More than a launch, this was a meaningful step in shaping the future of beauty in the Caribbean,” comments the company.
This summer, Essence and Dolce & Gabbana also partnered with cruise retailer Harding+ to bring an immersive Light Blue fragrance takeover onboard Sun Princess Cruises. Light Blue fragrance is a cornerstone scent in the brand’s fragrance portfolio, celebrated for capturing the vibrant spirit of Mediterranean living.
The limited-edition activation was designed around how guests want to experience retail at sea today and took advantage of the ship’s Mediterranean itinerary — the region that inspired the fragrance.
