Hey it’s Chase and Jimmy here!

If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? Who knows.

But if an email skips the pitch, can it still perform?

DRMTLGY showed us yes. Their layering guide is the kind of education that builds trust and still drives sales.

Also inside:

✔️ Think your Q4 numbers are “fine”?
✔️ Subscription growth engines for CPG
✔️ Hiring Vault: 7 New retention marketing jobs

Let’s get into it.👇

Think your Q4 numbers are “fine”?

This Omnisend session will show you what they’re really telling you... and where the biggest growth opportunities are hiding. Learn how to run a proper year-end audit, spot performance patterns you’ve been missing, and translate 2025 results into a sharper 2026 strategy.

Start the new year with clarity >> Register Free

DRMTLGY’s Layering 101 Email: Clean, Educational, and One Step Away From Great

DRMTLGY leans into education with this Layering 101 email, and honestly, it’s a smart play. Not every send needs to push a promo or scream buy now. Teaching customers how to actually use their skincare builds trust, reduces returns, and helps people get the “oh wow my skin is glowing” results that turn them into repeat buyers.

This email is already doing a lot right, it just needs a few thoughtful upgrades to go from “solid” to “steal-worthy.”

Header Block

Let’s start at the top. The first few seconds where your reader decides if they’re staying or scrolling.

What We Love

• Strong value props up top. Rewards, free shipping, and a sign-up nudge all make the reader feel like they’re already winning before they even scroll.

• Hero reads like a true post-purchase moment. It signals “we’re here to help you,” not “we’re here to pressure you.”

• Layering 101 is a universally appealing angle. It’s simple, helpful, and instantly relevant to anyone trying to make their routine actually work.

• The copy under the headline is tight. It explains why layering matters without drifting into chem-lab jargon.
  

What We’d Do Differently

• The hero image is clean, but could work harder. A subtle hint of which DRMTLGY products this routine includes would strengthen the brand connection instantly.

• Featuring the actual products in the routine builds that “oh I should probably add that to cart” curiosity.

• A quick tagline like “Build a Routine That Actually Works” would anchor the educational vibe right away.
  

Body Block

This is where the teaching moment actually happens. The heart of the email and the place customers lean in.

What We Love

• Tips are simple and beginner-friendly. No one wants a 14-step routine breakdown on a Tuesday morning - this keeps it digestible.

• Visual icons make skimming a breeze. The design feels intentional, airy, and easy to follow.

• The structure mirrors a true step-by-step routine. Exactly what a layering email should feel like.
  

What We’d Do Differently

• This section needs a follow-up CTA. Right now the reader learns… but then hits a dead end. A “Shop Layering Essentials” button would keep the momentum alive.

• Introduce products right here. Which serum is thin? Which moisturizer is thick? Which cleanser sets the stage? Make the routine shoppable instead of theoretical.

• Add tiny “pro tips” like Best for AM, Best for beginners, or Best for sensitive skin. Small details that add big value.
  

Footer Block

And finally, the place where most brands lose steam, but where DRMTLGY still manages to deliver value.

What We Love

• The perk grid is stacked. Rewards, referrals, SMS, auto-ship, Afterpay, it's a full buffet of reasons to stick with the brand.

• Social links and app store CTAs are neat and unobtrusive.

• Branding stays tight all the way through. No visual whiplash.
  

What We’d Do Differently

• The footer feels a little text-dense. Loosening spacing or grouping perks into two rows would help it breathe.

• Add a final nudge like “Explore Best Sellers” or “Build Your Routine.” If they’ve made it this far, they’re warm, give them a next step.
  

Where This Email Works

Before we wrap, let’s zoom out and talk about why this email is strategically strong and where it fits in the lifecycle.

Post-Purchase Education

Perfect for the “just bought a serum… now what?” customer. This reduces returns, cuts down confusion, and makes customers feel guided instead of left alone with a bottle and hope.

Awareness + Consideration

Education is a power move. It positions DRMTLGY as the expert, not just another skincare brand yelling into the void. Teach first, sell second, earn trust always.

Routine Building

Skincare is a routine category. When you show steps, you create natural opportunities to upsell missing pieces. It’s the softest, smartest way to increase LTV.

Evergreen Value

This is plug-and-play content. Drop it in your welcome flow, post-purchase series, or evergreen education sequence. It’ll perform for months.

Final Thoughts: What Email Marketers Can Learn

Here’s the big takeaway… the part every marketer should underline.

This email is a reminder that education sells, just in a slower, more sustainable way. When you help customers get better results, they trust your brand more and buy more often.

With a few added CTAs, product tie-ins, and better spacing, this could be one of DRMTLGY’s strongest evergreen or post-purchase education emails.

3 Quick Wins to Steal Next Time

✓ Pair every lesson with the products that fit naturally into the routine.
✓ Drop a secondary CTA under educational blocks to keep engagement moving.
✓ Add spacing and subtle structure to make how-to content feel premium and easy to digest.

This email was pulled from Inboox.ai, a new ai-powered library packed with 1M+ Shopify emails, actionable insights, and inspo. Explore here. 

Subscription growth engines for CPG

This is the breakdown every CPG founder wishes they had earlier. Jordan Menard walks through the growth engines, creative systems, and retention levers behind Instant Hydration and Ryze. Plus, he gets into actionable insights on onboarding, habit-building, and scaling subscriptions with intent.

Watch the replay

👨‍💻 The Hiring Vault

• CRM Manager, Boulder, CO: PopSockets

• Senior Manager, Email and CRM Marketing, Port Chester, NY: The Shade Store

• Retention Marketing Manager, Henderson, NV: Inno Supps

• Manager, Lifecycle & Retention Marketing (DTC), Los Angeles, CA: FIJI Water

• Growth Marketing Manager, New York, NY: Hill House Home

• Retention Marketing Manager, Brooklyn, NY: Etsy

• Coordinator, Email and SMS Marketing, New York, NY: Sol de Janeiro

That's a wrap for today!

Appreciate you hanging with Chase and me. We hope you found something you can put to work ASAP.

If you did, don’t keep it to yourself! Send ecomemailmarketer.com to your favorite DTC marketer and get them in on the action.

Catch you next time!

🤘 Jimmy Kim

PS - Your next best customer might be reading this right now. Want in? Email Jimmy to sponsor this newsletter and more.

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