A-list celebrity exposure Winnipeg company Mermaid Cove Cosmetics claims space in 2025 Academy Awards swag bag By: Aaron Epp Posted: 6:02 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025

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A mother-and-son duo from Winnipeg is hoping their line of ocean-inspired skincare products makes a splash among Hollywood’s elite.

Ildiko Gyarmati and Bela Gyarmati are the founders of Mermaid Cove Cosmetics. Three of the company’s products will be included in this year’s “Everyone Wins” gift bags, which will be given to select Academy Award nominees and the Oscars TV broadcast host, comedian Conan O’Brien.

“It’s something I totally didn’t expect,” Ildiko said. “I’m very excited.”

Assembled and distributed by Distinctive Assets, a Los Angeles-based entertainment marketing company, the gift bags feature more than US$200,000 of products and exotic getaways. The bags, which are actually delivered in suitcases, will be given to the nominees in all four acting categories, as well as the best director nominees.

Each will contain Mermaid Cove’s Kov Regenerative Moisturizing Cream, Salt & Surf soap and Canadian Glacial Clay Face Masque.

“We wanted it to be a progression of products, and they were all designed to nourish the skin using natural ingredients,” Bela said. “It cleanses, detoxifies and hydrates.”

It’s a blockbuster opportunity for the Gyarmatis, who started Mermaid Cove at their St. James neighbourhood kitchen table in late 2019.

“It’s kind of a cool moment.”–Bela Gyarmati

The company is committed to producing cruelty-free skincare products that are made using natural ingredients. The name is inspired by the Gyarmatis’ shared love of the ocean; a portion of the proceeds from each product sold is donated to marine conservation efforts.

Mermaid Cove’s story starts with the breast cancer diagnosis Ildiko received 22 years ago. To give herself the best chance of beating the disease, she changed her diet and increased her physical activity.

Wary of the chemicals in mainstream beauty products, she started making her own skincare cream. Friends and family began using it and eventually Bela suggested they start a business.

The Gyarmatis make the majority of the products in their home kitchen and started selling them via Mermaid Cove’s website in 2020. Sales have increased steadily every year since, according to Ildiko. She and Bela are working on getting their merchandise into stores and spas.

When the Gyarmatis first started Mermaid Cove, Ildiko joked it would be great if the company’s products were in a gift bag handed out to celebrities. Bela took the idea seriously and contacted Distinctive Assets last year.

Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary chose to include Mermaid Cove Cosmetics because he was touched by the company’s story and impressed by its products.

“It’s one of the best-smelling soaps I think I’ve ever encountered in my life,” he said.

Founded in 1999, Distinctive Assets is credited with spearheading the proliferation of award show swag. The company regularly hands out gift bags to nominees at a range of awards shows, including the Grammy Awards and Tony Awards.

Some nominees have come to look forward to the gift bags, according to Lash, who has received handwritten thank-you notes from past recipients such as Bette Midler and Oprah Winfrey.

“It’s sort of gratifying, to be honest, to know that people are anticipating this perk,” he said. “But the best thank you I can get — and that my brands can get — is for them to enjoy and use the products.”

Companies pay Distinctive Assets a fee to have their products included. This year, the fee started at US$4,000.

Mermaid Cove Cosmetics is not the first Manitoba brand Distinctive Assets has worked with. In the past, the company has included pillowcases from Blush Silks, pet food from Smack, baking from Flour and Flower, and candles from Coal and Canary in its gift bags.

Bela acted in local film and TV productions when he was in university, so being included in this year’s “Everyone Wins” package is especially meaningful.

“I went from aspiring to be an actor to now our products being given to nominees,” he said. “It’s kind of a cool moment.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca