With their recent brand launch, Ciele, Nikki DeRoest and Cerre Francis are playing it secure.

Secure as in certified Clean at Sephora in addition to high SPF rankings on each of the products, that’s.

Ciele, the brainchild of DeRoest, a makeup artist, and Francis, who was previously at Hourglass Cosmetics, is debuting with three stock keeping units — a blush, a ending powder and a skin tint — which range in price from $34 to $44. They may debut on the brand’s website, in addition to Sephora’s, on Aug. 24 and in 270 doors nationally on Sept. 1.

The brand, the founders said, was three years within the making. The duo met while working together at Róen. “We exited, and the subsequent day we’re sitting on the table asking what were we going to do,” Francis said. “As a makeup artist, Nikki is so skin-driven, SPF has been such a story for her. Why wasn’t it being done?”

For DeRoest, the genesis of the brand began along with her own experience. “I’m nearing 40, and the entire sun spots and melasma and sins of being young within the sun have began to come back out,” she said. “I used to be sitting there asking why nobody had made a blush with SPF — where you place blush is strictly the realm I’m all the time attempting to protect. It began there.”

The products are formulated with non-comedogenic ingredients such allantoin, bisabolol and niacinamide. All of them use mineral UV blockers and are formulated in compliance with EU regulations, though Francis said the brand would find its footing within the U.S. first before heading abroad. “The fundamental focus is North America,” she said. “I’m such a believer that slow and regular wins the race. We’ll work strategically when the time is correct.”

Formulating against the U.S.’s regulatory backdrop for SPF took time, and investment. Sonoma Brands provided pre-launch funding of an undisclosed amount. 

“I’m thrilled to be an investor in Ciele. Nikki and Cerre have created a ravishing , distinct brand and launch assortment with modern and amazing formulas, all with SPF,” said Kevin Murphy, managing director of Sonoma Brands. “My colleagues and I actually have been fortunate to have backed pioneering beauty brands prior to now including Merit, Versed, Vacation, Supergoop! and Tarte as they began their journeys. We’re grateful that Nikki and Cerre selected Sonoma Brands Capital as their partner as Ciele embarks upon what I think goes to be a really fun ride.”

Neither party would comment on sales, but industry sources expect the brand to succeed in $5 million in retail sales for its first yr in the marketplace.

Said Alison Hahn, senior vice chairman of makeup and fragrance merchandising at Sephora, “We’re thrilled to partner with Ciele and proceed bringing our clients modern, effective products that support their unique beauty needs. Ciele offers high-performance, effective clean makeup products formulated with broad-spectrum SPF to guard and support the skin. We look ahead to welcoming this brand into our Sephora community and know it can be a beautiful addition to our assortment.”