Tresalis takes majority stake in Vyrao as founder Yasmin Sewell stays on
Newly formed Tresalis bought control of fragrance brand Vyrao in its first acquisition. Founder Yasmin Sewell keeps a stake and leads creative direction.
Tresalis, a newly established health and beauty platform, has taken majority ownership of the wellbeing fragrance brand Vyrao, according to reports published on 1 October 2026 by Cosmetics Business and Personal Care Insights. It is the first acquisition for Tresalis.
Founder Yasmin Sewell stays with the company as founder, chief brand officer and shareholder. Both outlets report that Sewell continues to lead the brand’s creative and strategic direction.
Neither outlet disclosed a price or the size of any stake. Cosmetics Business reports that rumours of a sale first surfaced in summer 2026.
What the deal changes for ownership and control
Tresalis now holds the majority of Vyrao’s equity. Sewell and the existing investors Elevate Beauty and Manzanita Capital keep minority stakes, Cosmetics Business reported. Neither report gives percentages.
Cosmetics Business describes Vyrao as a wellbeing-focused, neuroscience-led fragrance brand that sells perfumes and home fragrance. It describes Elevate Beauty as an early-stage venture capital platform and Manzanita Capital as a beauty-focused private equity firm.
In this deal, majority ownership sits with the buyer, while creative and strategic direction stays with the founder under the title of chief brand officer. Personal Care Insights reports that Tresalis says Vyrao will keep its brand identity and leadership and benefit from the group’s clinical experience, operating resources and global network.
The reports do not describe the governance terms, such as board seats, vesting or any lock-in period for Sewell’s stake.
Deal at a glance
Tresalis, anchored by family office ATHOS and Dr. Fernando Tamez, took majority ownership of Vyrao in its first acquisition, reported on 1 October 2026. Price and stake sizes were not disclosed.
Who Tresalis is and how it describes its model
Tresalis calls itself an owner-operator platform that acquires and grows science- and efficacy-led consumer health, wellness and beauty brands. Personal Care Insights says it combines long-term capital with hands-on work in brand growth, commercialisation, international expansion and shared infrastructure.
Its founding team is anchored by the Munich-based family office ATHOS and the beauty entrepreneur Dr. Fernando Tamez, according to Cosmetics Business. Neither report gives a founding date or headquarters.
Cosmetics Business says Tamez described the kind of brand the platform looks for as one with strong authenticity, differentiated intellectual property and significant international potential.
Vyrao is the first brand in the platform’s portfolio. Personal Care Insights gives no timelines, targets or further acquisition plans.
The investors and retail footprint behind the brand
The Industry Beauty describes Vyrao as a British fragrance and wellbeing label. Sewell, a former fashion buyer and creative director, launched it in 2021 after starting development in 2019. Its fragrances are designed around desired moods.
Estée Lauder Companies’ New Incubation Ventures took a minority stake in March 2023 to fund geographic expansion, larger campaigns and product development. By then the brand was distributed in the UK, US, Australia and Japan.
L Catterton invested in September 2024 in a second funding round, with Manzanita Capital and Estée Lauder’s corporate venture arm also taking part, according to the same report. Retail partners have included Selfridges, Liberty, Saks and Mecca.
The 1 October reports give no retail plans under Tresalis. Cosmetics Business lists Elevate Beauty and Manzanita Capital as continuing minority holders. The reports do not say whether L Catterton or Estée Lauder’s venture arm still holds a stake.
The Industry Beauty reported, citing The Business of Fashion, that Vyrao was closing in on a buyer. At that point the buyer, the transaction value and the expected completion date were undisclosed.
Majority ownership sits with the buyer, while creative and strategic direction stays with the founder under the title of chief brand officer.
What the people involved have said, and what comes next
Cosmetics Business quotes Sewell saying she created Vyrao with the aim of elevating mood and energy, with fragrance as the first medium.
Tamez described Vyrao as “a rare brand” that sits at the intersection of luxury fragrance, emotional wellbeing and credible science. He also said the brand has enormous potential to scale globally, according to both outlets.
Cori Aleadri, founding partner of Elevate Beauty, told Cosmetics Business that the brand has always stood apart as a pioneer in the beauty category. She cited Sewell’s creative leadership and the brand’s distinctive identity as a foundation for growth. Elevate Beauty says it is genuinely excited to remain part of the journey in the brand’s next chapter.
The reports describe general plans to grow the brand and expand internationally while preserving its identity, with no timeline. The price, stake sizes, retail strategy and any new products had not been disclosed in the reports reviewed.
Photo: Simon Burchell · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
