Key Takeaways:
In the escalating battle for premium amenity real estate, Equinox has made its next move. Beginning in March, the high-performance luxury fitness operator will replace Grown Alchemist (which had a short one-and-a-half-year run after replacing Kiehl’s) with Le Labo as its new global amenity partner across more than 100 clubs worldwide. The curated assortment will feature Le Labo’s Body–Hair–Face collection, including shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face cleanser, face lotion, and body and hand lotion, all centered on a basil and verbena aromatic profile.
For a category that once treated locker-room placement as mere sampling, this shift is proof that amenities have moved from being an afterthought to a branding battleground. Equinox framed the transition as a sensory and strategic elevation. In its announcement, the company described the partnership as part of its “continued evolution as a luxury experiential brand,” emphasizing recovery, ritual, and environment as core touchpoints of the member journey.
“Everything that’s part of the Equinox experience is deeply considered and intentional,” Parinda Muley, Senior Vice President, Chief of Staff and Strategic Partnerships at Equinox, said in a press release. “Le Labo is no exception—they stand out for their authenticity, craftsmanship, and for being a true extension of our members’ lifestyle and experience.” The language is telling. Amenities are no longer positioned as utilities. They are extensions of identity.
For Grown Alchemist, the outgoing partner, the relationship had been rooted in brand alignment and experiential storytelling. CEO Anna Teal previously told BeautyMatter that the Equinox relationship was “beyond the amenities,” emphasizing spa treatments and community engagement layered on top of product placement.
“Partnerships with brands that are adjacent and [that] work in those spaces offer Grown Alchemist a really authentic opportunity to introduce and seed our brand with that community in a way that isn’t a hard sell.We’re authentically seeding our brand into that consumer’s life.” That seeding strategy worked for years. But in a category increasingly driven by cultural capital, scent cachet, and social media visibility, authenticity alone may not be enough.
The Rise of the Amenity Arms Race
The gym locker room has become an unlikely stage for prestige signaling. Kiehl’s was replaced by Grown Alchemist in May 20024. Now, the former, through its partnership with Life Time Fitness, has articulated the business logic behind embedding skincare into wellness rituals. “When we looked at where Kiehl’s shows up most authentically in people’s lives, wellness was a clear space for us to lean back into,” Guillaume Monsel, Head of Marketing at Kiehl’s US, told BeautyMatter. “Today’s wellness enthusiast views fitness, recovery, and skincare as interconnected parts of the same lifestyle.”
He emphasized the power of contextual engagement. “Members encounter Kiehl’s at a moment when self-care is already top of mind. The timing matters, and that context makes the interaction both more memorable and more meaningful.” The implication is clear that in these spaces, trial converts to ritual, and ritual drives long-term loyalty.
John Hunter, founder of Hunter Amenities, a global manufacturer and formulator that creates, produces, and supplies premium personal care guest amenities, has long described the economics of this model as ‘tryvertising.’
“In hospitality channels and fitness facilities, there is a daily demand for hair and bodycare products, and the exposure can be immense for securing the right client,” Hunter told BeautyMatter.
He also offered a striking metric, citing that a hotel chain with 300 properties and 30,000 rooms can generate more than 7.5 million consumer touchpoints per year. Translate that to Equinox’s 100-plus global clubs, and the scale becomes obvious.
The decision to bring in Le Labo mirrors a subtle but meaningful recalibration. Founded in 2006 and synonymous with slow perfumery and urban luxury, Le Labo carries strong cultural currency. Its fragrances, particularly Santal 33, have achieved cult status among fashion and creative circles. By centering its Equinox collection around basil paired with verbena, the brand injects an immediately recognizable sensorial identity into locker rooms worldwide.
This is strategic. Fragrance brands carry a different emotional weight than clinical or biotech-forward skincare. Scent lingers. It signals taste. It spreads socially. Equinox explicitly referenced members’ desire for experiences that “engage both body and senses.” In the amenities war, cultural clout is fast becoming a differentiator.
Consumer Reaction: Divided but Engaged
The change has not gone unnoticed. On Reddit’s Equinox community threads, members quickly reacted to the announcement. Some celebrated the move, viewing Le Labo as an upgrade aligned with Equinox’s luxury positioning. Others lamented the departure of Grown Alchemist, citing a preference for its formulas or frustration with yet another amenity turnover.
The reaction shows a broader truth that members notice. Amenities have become embedded in the emotional texture of the club experience. They are discussed, compared, and judged publicly. For brands, that visibility cuts both ways. Positive reception can drive retail curiosity. Backlash can spark immediate scrutiny.
As more prestige brands eye gyms, airport lounges, and hotels, competition for premium partnerships is tightening. Hunter noted that selectivity is crucial. “Being selective as to which brands will be accepted and in what type of hospitality environment is key.” Equinox, long positioned at the apex of luxury fitness, represents one of the most coveted placements in North America and beyond.
For Grown Alchemist, the shift does not negate the broader strategy of amenity partnerships. The brand continues to operate in travel and hotel environments, where experiential storytelling and product placement remain core pillars. Teal has emphasized rigorous evaluation of such partnerships. “We review every single partnership to make sure that we are constantly reviewing [if] it is right for us, [and if] we [are] optimizing that partnership.” That iterative mindset may prove essential in a space where contracts are finite and cultural relevance moves quickly.
The global wellness economy is projected to reach $9.8 trillion by 2029, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Beauty and personal care are deeply integrated into that growth. Amenities partnerships sit at the intersection of these forces, including wellness as lifestyle, beauty as ritual, sampling as conversion, and environment as branding.
What the Equinox–Le Labo switch ultimately reveals is that the amenities channel has matured. The discourse has moved from free shampoo in the shower. It is about signaling, sensory branding, and competitive positioning. The locker room has become a luxury runway, and it seems as though the amenities war is far from over.
