{{Short description|Iranian-Canadian computer scientist (1978-2019)}} {{Infobox person | name = Brandon Truaxe | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ali Roshan | birth_date = {{birth date|1978|06|19|df=yes}} | birth_place = Tehran, Iran | death_date = {{death date and age|2019|01|20|1978|06|19|df=yes}} | death_place = Toronto, Canada | education = University of Waterloo | occupation = Entrepreneur | known_for = | spouse = | children = | website = }} '''Brandon Truaxe''' (born '''Ali Roshan'''; 19 June 1978 in Tehran – 20 January 2019 in Toronto), was an Iranian-Canadian computer scientist and cosmetics entrepreneur known as the founder of Toronto-based beauty company DECIEM.
== Early life == Truaxe was born Ali Roshan in Tehran on 19 June 1978<ref name="heavy">{{cite news |last1=Derysh |first1=Igor |title=Brandon Truaxe Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/news/2019/01/brandon-truaxe-dead/ |work=Heavy |date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422175956/https://heavy.com/news/2019/01/brandon-truaxe-dead/|archive-date=April 22, 2019}}</ref> during a lull in the unrest that would explode in revolution a few weeks later. His family left Iran and came to Toronto in 1995 as refugees. His mother died of breast cancer when he was young and his estranged father returned to Iran. He studied computer science at the University of Waterloo, graduating in 2001. His formative professional experience happened around this time, when he had an internship on analysis software for "one of the big cosmetic manufacturers — a big brand that owns many things" in New York, and was shocked at the mark-ups it charged.<ref name="nuvom16">{{Cite web|url=https://nuvomagazine.com/magazine/summer-2017/brandon-truaxe-founder-deciem|title=Brandon Truaxe of Deciem|date=2017-05-30|website=Nuvo Magazine|last=Molvar|first=Kari}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Craik |first=Laura |date=2017-05-04 |title=Brandon Truaxe: the man who will change the way you buy beauty |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/brandon-truaxe-the-man-who-will-change-the-way-you-buy-beauty-a3529571.html |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref>
Shortly after graduation, Truaxe founded a software development firm, ''Schematte Corporation'', and a nutritional supplements company, ''Organic Senses Ltd.'' The companies were dissolved in 2008 and 2007 for failure to file annual returns.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-dead-at-40-company-executive-1.1201571|title=Deciem founder Brandon Truaxe dead at 40: Company executive|author=|date=January 21, 2019|website=BNN Bloomberg|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618125605/https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-dead-at-40-company-executive-1.1201571|archive-date=June 18, 2019}}</ref>
In 2003, Truaxe founded his first skincare brand, ''Euoko,'' with partner Julio Torres, supported by Pasquale Cusano, a Vancouver jeweller, who served as his mentor and investor.<ref>Jamie Rosen: [https://www.wmagazine.com/story/euoko The Mix Master], ''W Magazine'', 1 April 2008</ref> Truaxe resigned from the company in 2011.<ref name=":0" />
In 2009 he founded another skincare brand, Indeed Labs. Truaxe left Indeed Labs in 2012 to found DECIEM, his fourth business.<ref>[https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/How_to_launch_a_fastgrowing_cosmetics_company/119001 How to launch a fast-growing cosmetics company], ''Cosmetics Business'', 17 June 2016</ref><ref name="Fipo30Nov">{{Cite web|url=https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/the-inside-story-of-how-deciem-the-abnormal-beauty-company-lived-up-to-its-name|title=The inside story of how Deciem, the Abnormal Beauty Company, lived up to its name|date=2018-11-30|website=Financial Post|last=Brean|first=Joseph}}</ref>
== DECIEM == In 2012, Truaxe founded ''DECIEM The Abnormal Beauty Company'', which functioned as an umbrella company. All DECIEM products are free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury and oxybenzone.<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://theordinary.com/about |website=The Ordinary |accessdate=11 February 2020 |archive-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515233912/https://theordinary.com/about |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In April 2013, DECIEM debuted its first brand, Inhibitif, followed by The Chemistry Brand, Fountain and Grow Gorgeous. During the period of his non-compete clauses, he created the anti-aging hand cream for The Chemistry Brand. It was an instant bestseller when it launched, partly because people were also using it on their faces.<ref name="nuvom16" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.racked.com/2016/9/22/12993276/deciem-skincare-reddit|title=What Is Deciem and Why Are People So Obsessed?|first=Cheryl|last=Wischhover|date=September 22, 2016|website=Racked}}</ref>
DECIEM's multi-brand strategy was driven by a vertically integrated structure: it had its own laboratory, in-house manufacturing, in-house e-commerce, in-store stores, and proprietary marketing infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.onvista.de/news/the-estee-lauder-companies-investiert-in-deciem-the-abnormal-beauty-company-64857193|title=Estée Lauder Companies investiert in DECIEM, The Abnormal Beauty Company|website=onvista.de|date=2017-06-16}}</ref>
In August 2016, Truaxe co-launched DECIEM's The Ordinary product line, which focused on "cutting-edge" skincare products with moderate prices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/news/a41570/best-selling-deciem-products/|title=The 14 Deciem products everyone's obsessed with|date=2017-05-18|website=Harpers Bazaar}}</ref> The Ordinary was DECIEM's eleventh brand. It first sold exclusively online, then in various department stores, eventually opening about 30 company-owned stores in Canada, the US, the UK, Mexico, South Korea, and the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-and-off-the-avenue/the-ordinary-cult-skin-care-secret-ingredient-is-being-dirt-cheap|title=The Cult Skin-Care Brand Whose Secret Ingredient Is Being Dirt Cheap|date=January 29, 2018|website=The New Yorker|last=Syme|first=Rachel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=The method behind Canadian beauty product founder's madness |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikN6DJxAM6o |work=CBC News: The National |type=video}}</ref>
In June 2017, Truaxe's success attracted the attention of leading beauty conglomerate Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), which acquired an equity ownership of 28% (one-third equal partner) in DECIEM for $50 million. At the time, Truaxe released a statement praising ELC for embracing "our margins, our pricing strategy, our future plans (and) our disruptiveness".<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/01/21/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-dead-at-40-says-company-executive.html Brandon Truaxe, controversial founder of Toronto-based beauty brand DECIEM, has died], ''The Star'', 21 January 2019</ref> His decision was driven by the fact that the company simply could not keep up with the consumer demand for their products. In late 2018, DECIEM was in 42 stores worldwide and sold more than one product every second.<ref name="Fipo30Nov" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Parsons |first=Sara |date=January 21, 2019 |title=Deciem and Indeed Labs lead tributes to founder Brandon Truaxe, who died aged 40 |url=https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Deciem_and_Indeed_Labs_lead_tributes_to_founder_Brandon_Truaxe_who_died_aged_40/150989 |access-date= |website=Cosmetics Business |language=en}}</ref>
Truaxe received, among others awards, the ''Luxury Briefing Award'' (for ideas and excellence across the luxury industry) in the “Innovation in Beauty” category.<ref>[https://www.luxury-briefing.com/event/luxury-briefing-awards-2018/past_awards Luxury Briefing Awards 2017]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://transparencydigital.ca/deciem-a-case-study-of-the-beauty-industrys-biggest-disruptor |title=Deciem: A Case Study of the Beauty Industry's Biggest Disruptor |access-date=2019-12-03 |archive-date=2022-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906040409/https://transparencydigital.ca/deciem-a-case-study-of-the-beauty-industrys-biggest-disruptor/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Under his leadership, annual revenue was headed to $300 million in sales, with plans to quickly quintuple in size in 2019.<ref name=NYT /><ref name="Fipo30Nov"/>
== Controversy == In early 2018, Truaxe was accused of erratic behavior. Co-founder of DECIEM Nicola Kilner stated that "Before 2018, he barely even drank alcohol," responding to reports that he was ingesting psychedelic mushrooms in front of employees, convinced of their creative and spiritual benefits. According to an interview with the Financial Post, Truaxe took crystal meth in Britain, leading to an arrest and treatment.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/style/deciem-brandon-truaxe-ordinary.html|title=He Built, Then Nearly Broke, a Successful Beauty Start-Up. Can It Go on Without Him?|last=Bromwich|first=Jonah Engel|date=April 17, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 15, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418062204/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/style/deciem-brandon-truaxe-ordinary.html|archive-date=April 18, 2019|url-status=live}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
In October 2018, ELC sought legal action after Truaxe ordered all of DECIEM's operations to close with immediate effect due to "financial crimes". He reached out on social media claiming attacks on his reputation via false information and fear for the safety of his family and himself.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DuzEHg6FFDk|title=Deciem CEO Brandon Truaxe says he is shutting down Deciem|website=YouTube }}</ref> Truaxe was ousted as CEO, and Kilner was appointed as the sole CEO. A few days later, a restraining order was issued against Truaxe after he had sent emails to ELC chair emeritus Leonard Lauder and other executives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/1/21/18191759/brandon-truaxe-deciem-dead|title=Brandon Truaxe, the controversial founder of the skin care company Deciem, has died|date=January 21, 2019|website=Vox|last=Wischhover|first=Cheryl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125030745/https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/1/21/18191759/brandon-truaxe-deciem-dead|archive-date=January 25, 2019|url-status=live}} {{paywall}}</ref><ref name="NYT" /><ref name="heavy" /> Andrew Ross, executive vice president of strategy and new business development at ELC, and Pasquale Cusano, the Vancouver jeweller, were now the company's only board members. ELC's injunction also led to the appointment of Pricewaterhouse Coopers to investigate, and report to the board, the alleged financial crimes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Allison |date=October 12, 2019 |title=Deciem Founder Brandon Truaxe Has Been Ousted |url=https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/brandon-truaxe-ousted-from-deciem-1202877953/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212224059/https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/brandon-truaxe-ousted-from-deciem-1202877953/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date= |website=WWD |language=en-US}} {{paywall}}</ref><ref name="Fipo30Nov" />
== Death == Only a few months later, Truaxe died at age 40. His death took place early one morning, 20 January 2019, reportedly after falling from his Toronto apartment in the Distillery District.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hui |first=Nicole |date=January 22, 2019 |title=Deciem Founder Brandon Truaxe Reportedly Died After Falling From His Toronto Apartment In Distillery District |url=https://www.narcity.com/toronto/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-reportedly-died-after-falling-from-his-toronto-apartment-in-distillery-district |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202155214/https://www.narcity.com/toronto/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-reportedly-died-after-falling-from-his-toronto-apartment-in-distillery-district |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |access-date= |work=Narcity}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brean |first=Joseph |date=February 23, 2023 |title=Out of the Ordinary: The Tragic Story of Brandon Truaxe |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/true-crime/true-crime-byline/true-crime-byline-out-of-the-ordinary-the-tragic-story-of-brandon-truaxe |access-date=April 18, 2026 |work=National Post}}</ref>
A spokesperson for Estée Lauder Companies stated: "Brandon Truaxe was a true genius, and we are incredibly saddened by the news of his passing. As the visionary behind Deciem, he positively impacted millions of people around the world with his creativity, brilliance and innovation."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/22/deciem-founder-brandon-truaxe-the-brain-behind-the-ordinary-brand-dies-aged-40|title=Deciem founder Brandon Truaxe, the brain behind The Ordinary brand, dies aged 40|date=2019-06-22|website=The Guardian|last=Levin|first=Sam}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bromwich|first=Jonah Engel|date=2019-04-17|title=He Built, Then Nearly Broke, a Successful Beauty Start-Up. Can It Go on Without Him?|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/style/deciem-brandon-truaxe-ordinary.html|access-date=2021-12-30|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
== External links == * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHb84PRc40c "How The CEO Of The Ordinary Lost Control Of Her $2.2B Company"]: Nicola Kilner, co-founder of DECIEM and its CEO until 2024,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scott |first=Nateisha |date=November 21, 2024 |title=Deciem co-founder Nicola Kilner steps back as CEO |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/deciem-co-founder-nicola-kilner-steps-back-as-ceo |work=Vogue}}</ref> interviewed by Steven Bartlett for the podcast The Diary of a CEO (June 5, 2023)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Truaxe, Brandon}} Category:1978 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Cosmetics people Category:Canadian chief executives in retailing Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada Category:Canadian computer scientists Category:Iranian computer scientists Category:Iranian emigrants to Canada Category:University of Waterloo alumni Category:Canadian businesspeople in fashion Category:Canadian businesspeople in the cosmetics industry