Boscia, the Japanese-inspired skin-care brand behind the viral Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask, is getting a second act. As announced today, beauty accelerator The Center Brands has acquired Boscia from Japanese cosmetics company FANCL in partnership with New Orleans dermatologist Mamina Turegano, MD. The brand is slated to relaunch direct-to-consumer in the first quarter of 2027.
The news comes roughly two and a half years after Boscia appeared to wind down. In May 2024, the brand announced a closing sale of 55-percent-off sale on everything through May 31. Boscia did not formally confirm a permanent closure at the time, but the move set off alarm among fans on Instagram and Reddit, many of whom called its products their “holy grail.”
FANCL launched Boscia in California in 2002; the name is a blend of “botanical” and “science.” The brand was first sold exclusively at Sephora before expanding to Ulta Beauty and Amazon, and built a following for clean formulas made without synthetic preservatives or artificial fragrances. Its 2010 peel-off charcoal mask later found a second life on TikTok, and its Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser became another signature.
Under its new owners, Boscia will be reshaped through a dermatology lens while keeping its Japanese skin-care traditions, according to the announcement. Dr. Turegano, who is of Japanese heritage, says the brand’s roots resonate with her, recalling childhood skin-care routines with her mother and grandmother.
“Boscia has always felt personal to me because of its Japanese roots,” she says. “I’m excited to bring that connection and my perspective as a triple board-certified dermatologist to Boscia.”
Ben Bennett, founder of The Center Brands, says the team was drawn to the brand’s history and Japanese skin-care philosophy, and describes the goal as “taking what made Boscia special and advancing that unique sensibility into the future.”
The companies did not disclose financial terms of the deal or Dr. Turegano’s specific title with the brand, saying only that her perspective will help guide its evolution. Details on which products will return, any new launches and whether Boscia will come back to physical retailers have not yet been announced.
The Center Brands, founded by Bennett, builds and scales beauty brands; its portfolio includes Naturium, Phlur, Saltair, Prequel, CYKLAR, MAKE Beauty and Proper.
Dr. Turegano has more than 16 years of experience and is triple board-certified in dermatology, internal medicine and dermatopathology. She trained at Georgetown University, completed a fellowship at UCLA and focuses on integrative dermatology. Her research has been published in JAMA Dermatology and the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
