Boots Acquired by Canada’s Weston Family for $8.9 Billion
The Westons agreed on Wednesday to buy the UK's Boots from Sycamore Partners and the Pessina family, pledging to invest in the retailer's stores and online and expand healthcare services.
Beauty
Analysis and advice on the fast-evolving beauty business.
Does Tom Ford Need Tom Ford?
After this week’s $2.8 billion Estée Lauder buyout, Tom Ford, the designer, is set to serve as “creative visionary” at his namesake brand through the end of 2023. What happens after that?
How Beauty Brands Can Take Advantage of TikTok Trends
The app, known for tutorials, hacks, dupes and drama, has become a major beauty destination. Thinking big picture and focusing on education can help brands keep up with a rapid trend cycle.
Why Estée Lauder Bought Tom Ford
The designer’s makeup and fragrance line brought glamour, sex appeal – and sales – to the cosmetics giant. Keeping the magic in house was worth nearly $3 billion.
Estée Lauder Acquires Tom Ford in $2.8 Billion Deal; Designer May Exit at End of 2023
Ermenegildo Zegna Group will license the right to manufacture and distribute all clothing and accessories from the new owner.
Estée Lauder to Buy Tom Ford in $2.8 Billion Deal
The beauty conglomerate is expected to tap at least one partner to handle the fashion side of the business, according to a source.
Clean Beauty Is Booming, and Black Consumers Fear Being Left Behind
Though strides have been made in developing nontoxic products marketed to white women, change in the Black haircare market has been slow.
How Candles Explain What’s Happening in the Beauty Industry
As the candle category has boomed, the product now matters just as much as the branding around it — a sentiment reflected across beauty.
The Battle for the UK Beauty Consumer
The $13 billion British beauty sector is heating up, with new entrants setting their sights on the market, including Farfetch and Sephora.
Where Is the Next Glossier?
The beauty industry is serving up a lot of the same brands and products while non-celebrity founders struggle to raise money to scale innovative concepts.
‘Lipstick Effect’ Starts Fading for Consumer Beauty Groups
Cosmetics makers are feeling the squeeze as consumers pull back on even small luxuries.
Case Study | How to Build an Independent Beauty Brand
From fragrance to skin care to hair care, independent brands are making their mark on the beauty industry, but competition is stiff and scaling these businesses is more complex than ever.
How Morphe Bet Big on the Power of Celebrity Beauty – And Lost
The cosmetic brand’s parent company is facing an uncertain future after a series of troubled attempts to launch new makeup and skin care lines around influencers and pop stars.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF
Report: L’Oréal Explores Unloading Chemical-Related Liabilities
The French company has engaged restructuring advisers to explore options for rising US legal liabilities linked to its use of talc and other chemical ingredients in some of its cosmetic products, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
Sycamore Said to Near Deal to Sell Boots
The private equity firm is nearing a deal, valued at $9 billion, to sell the UK health and beauty retail business to the Canadian branch of the billionaire Weston family, a source told Bloomberg.
Dyson’s $499 AI Toothbrush Sees Rocky Debut
The UK firm blamed a production error resulting in ‘water seepage’ for the disappearance of its newly launched camera-equipped toothbrush from stores.
Sephora to Launch at Marks & Spencer
‘Sephora at M&S’ will roll out in M&S stores and online starting next spring, with plans to expand to 100 locations by the end of 2028.
Novo Buys Rights to Early Obesity Pill For $2.6 Billion
The Wegovy maker has signed a deal to license an experimental obesity pill from China’s Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals as it seeks to regain share of the global GLP-1 market.
Oura Delays US IPO
The smart ring maker said on Tuesday it has delayed its US initial public offering, citing market uncertainty.
Scarlett Johansson’s Skincare Brand The Outset Closes
As of Monday, the premium brand’s website has been updated with a message announcing its closure.