Yasmin Sewell Sold Most of Vyrao and Kept the Brand Chair

Founders usually describe a sale as an exit. Yasmin Sewell’s came with a new job title. When Tresalis took majority ownership of Vyrao on September 30, 2026, she stayed on as Founder, Chief Brand Officer and shareholder, according to the company’s announcement on PR Newswire. Neither the price nor the exact stake was disclosed.

At a glance

From the shop floor to the perfume bottle

Sewell came to fragrance from retail. She was a fashion and creative director at luxury retailers Browns and Liberty, BeautyMatter reported in 2024, and is a certified reiki practitioner with training in Ayurveda and flower essences. Development of Vyrao began in 2019 and the brand launched in 2021. That mix explains the pitch: perfume sold as a way to change how you feel. In the release, Sewell says she created Vyrao “with the sole purpose of elevating our mood and energy.”

The first scents were made with British perfumer Lyn Harris, per BeautyMatter, and later ones with the Science of Wellness programme at International Flavors & Fragrances. The line grew from eau de parfum into candles, incense and cream scents, and into body care in 2026, according to the announcement, which lists Liberty London, Harvey Nichols, Space NK and Goop among its stockists.

Two investors, then a buyer

The funding trail is public even where the numbers are not.

• March 2023: Estée Lauder Companies’ start-up incubator, New Incubation Ventures, took a minority stake, as BeautyMatter notes in its coverage of the sale.
• September 2024: L Catterton, the LVMH-backed private equity firm, made what BeautyMatter described as a “significant minority investment.” The amount was not disclosed.
• August 2026: Cosmetics Business relayed a Business of Fashion report, citing an unnamed source, that a sale was close. It had not yet named a buyer.
• September 30, 2026: Tresalis, a platform that did not exist a year earlier, announced Vyrao as its first acquisition.

Tresalis describes itself as an owner-operator for “science- and efficacy-led” health, beauty and wellness brands. It is anchored by ATHOS, a Munich family office, and Dr. Fernando Tamez, a serial health and beauty entrepreneur. Sewell and the existing investors, among them Elevate Beauty and Manzanita Capital, keep minority stakes. FRP Corporate Finance advised on the deal.

What the title tells you

“Chief Brand Officer” is a small piece of corporate design. Sewell is not running finance, supply chain or the wholesale calendar; the announcement says she continues to lead creative and strategic direction while Tresalis supplies what it calls clinical expertise, operating resources and a global network. The deal splits the founder’s job in two and keeps the half she is known for.

Whether that split holds is the open question. The announcement identifies no other management changes, and does not say what the operating support will look like in practice.

What founders can take from it

• A first-ever deal for the buyer is a negotiation about roles. Tresalis has no track record to point to, so the terms of the founder’s role matter more than usual.
• Early institutional money can set up the sale. Two rounds of minority capital gave Vyrao distribution in around 20 countries (BeautyMatter) before a control buyer arrived.
• Ask for the title that matches what you do best. Sewell’s is specific to brand, not a generic “stays on.”

Related founders

• Iskra Lawrence and Saltair: TSG Consumer Takes a Majority Stake: another founder who moved into a brand-facing role after a majority sale.
• Nima Jalali Sold the Majority of Salt & Stone: a founder who stayed CEO with a minority stake.
• Founder Exits of 2026: 23 Deals and What Founders Kept: the year’s founder ownership deals in one table.

Sourcing: the deal date, parties, roles, minority holders, advisers, product range and Sewell’s quote come from the company’s PR Newswire announcement of September 30, 2026, which was opened directly, and match Cosmetics Business and Ouispeak Fashion coverage. The 2023 and 2024 investments, Sewell’s background and distribution come from BeautyMatter. The August rumour is per Cosmetics Business citing Business of Fashion. The price and stake have not been published. No portrait is used; the image is a typographic card.