BOARD MEMBER BREAKDOWNS: MEMORIES AND THE VISION FOR THE PROJECT

Thalia Pappas

FRENCH RIVIERA ELEGANCE

Since she first began using Orange Gelée at 16, Thalia has always equated it with French Riviera sophistication. To her, it’s a beauty product that represents elegance. She’s still got “one precious little tube” that she’s still holding onto. “If you're trying to bring back nostalgia, it has to be about both the color and fragrance,” she told us.

Rodman Primack

IT'S ABOUT EXCLUSIVITY

Rodrick had “always been aware” of Orange Gelée because it was always in his mother's and grandmother’s bags. The aluminum tube lives in his memory, as well as the texture that would make you instantly look—or at least felt like you’d look—tanner. But Orange Gelée’s marketing played a big part and is something he said we should keep in mind. “Because of its advertising and its packaging, there was something about it that felt exclusive. You want to make sure that you've tapped into the nostalgia for something like that,” he said.

Denise Dion

FRAGRANCE & SPF LEVEL

Denise was hanging out at the beach when one of her girlfriends showed up with Orange Gelée and told her she had to try it. The fragrance was an instant sell. After that, she was hooked on Orange Gelée and didn’t use anything else. “Nailing the fragrance is going to be really important,” Denise said. She was also excited about the SPF element, which would be more in line with today’s SPF standards. “Yay, we get to be sun worshipers again, but be safe about it,” she said.

Julee Wilson

PACKAGING, SCENT, AND CONSISTENCY

When Julee was a kid, her mom used Orange Gelée, usually cocktailing it with another bronze product on beach days. But if her mom had extra left over, she’d rub some of it on Julee, who said it “smells like a vacation” and reminds her of water, family, friends, and having fun. According to the longtime beauty editor, the product’s packaging, scent, and consistency should be prioritized for success.

Ali Fadakar

THE SCENT & NOSTALGIA

Ali, a former fragrance buyer, knows how vital Orange Gelée’s scent will be for die-hard fans. He’s most curious about the nostalgic effect of the new product. “In the first usage, it needs to take them back to what they remember. And I think that's probably going to be the most amazing part,” he said.

Deana Clement

THE SCENT IS CRITICAL

Deana’s parents always had Orange Gelée in their beach bags. For her mother’s 80th birthday, she painted a watercolor portrait of her late father’s last tube, which she still has. “My sister and I will use it as a perfume in the middle of the winter just to smell like him,” she said. The scent is really important to Deana, and understandably, getting it wrong would be a dealbreaker for her. “If it weren't close, I wouldn't buy it,” she said.

Robbyn Norman

A LESS GREASY TEXTURE

Robynn remembers sitting in a backyard tanning with her friends when she first used Orange Gelée. Not only did the texture and the scent immediately draw her to it, but so did the packaging. “It was much different than all the other lotions. I don't think there's been anything like that on the market that came out almost like paint and just went onto your body so nicely,” she said. One thing she suggested was to make the new product less greasy. “Just take away a little bit of the greasiness without compromising the texture,” she said.

The Orange Gelèe Revival Project is a joint initiative between Vacation® and Orange Gelee fans to bring back the beloved product by Summer 2024.