L’Oréal Joins Forces With Nykaa to Invest in Indian Beauty Brands
BOLD, the French conglomerate’s venture capital fund, will collaborate with retailer Nykaa to invest in the next generation of Indian beauty brands.
Beauty
Analysis and advice on the fast-evolving beauty business.
Can Scents Be Supplements?
Niche scent house Initio Parfums Privés is in the business of triggering joy with a brand new offering of functional fragrances, as a number of other perfume labels also use neuroscience as a niche.
Does Prestige Skincare Still Matter?
This week, Priya Rao gets into it all: moisturisers and serums, the Biebers’ Rhode collab and Nykaa x Deepika Padukone.
The New Fragrance Opportunity Is Centuries-Old
Fragrance brands like Loewe and Vyrao are capturing a burning desire for upscale incense sticks, with retailers like Violet Grey and FWRD reporting strong sales in the nascent category. Should other brands listen up, or will the trend flame out?
How the Fear of ‘Old Lady Hands’ Mobilised the Beauty Industry
The growing obsession with ‘hand age’ versus ‘face age,’ is driving a boom in the premium handcare and aesthetic treatment market.
At Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, Colour Cosmetics Navigate Caution and Creativity
As the global beauty industry convened in Bologna for the world’s largest beauty trade fair, panellists from NellyRodi, Florasis, and Cénée joined BoF’s Shenel Wickramaratne to explore how colour cosmetics are balancing creative expression, consumer value and brand identity in a changing market.
How War Is Exposing Beauty’s Packaging Problem
From soaring plastic costs to aluminium supply shocks, the US-Israel war with Iran is unraveling the beauty industry’s overreliance on plastic packaging and infrastructural gap for affordable and scalable climate-friendly solutions.
How Fragrantica Became the Internet’s Perfume Bible
One of the highest-traffic beauty sites in the world, the perfume directory has become a magnet for both brand awareness and controversy.
Beauty’s New Challenger Conglomerate Has Always Been Here
By shedding its food and ice cream businesses, Unilever is betting big on beauty. But matching the scale, valuation and category depth of rivals like L’Oréal and The Estée Lauder Companies will require sharper focus and strategic discipline.
Maison Margiela’s Upmarket Fragrance Play
The L’Oréal-licensed fashion line is launching a new 'haute perfumery' collection, in addition to its more masstige Replica line, to capture an emerging class of scent ‘connoisseurs.'
What Beauty’s Richest Customers Want
Increasingly, beauty brands that target high-net-worth individuals are not competing against their Sephora shelfmates. They’re competing against luxury experiences or goods, like a stay at the Amangiri or a trip to a top plastic surgeon.
What Will Be the Next Aesop?
The L’Oréal-owned brand has grown considerably since becoming known for its cult-cool hand soap, leaving room for challengers like Evolvetogether, Commune and Sangre de Fruta to take its place.
The Business of Looksmaxxing
From experimental drugs to cosmetic surgery, an extreme beauty ideal is taking shape among young men — and turning into business opportunities for haircare, supplements and more.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF
Private Equity Firm Inflexion Invests in Manucurist
The European investor, which previously backed Medik8, has taken a 49 percent stake in the premium French nail line.
Novo Nordisk Looks to Target Hair Loss in Consumer Push
The maker of Ozempic and Wegovy seeks to expand its direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical business as rival Eli Lilly outpaces in weight-loss drugs.
PR Agency CGC Launches Performance Media Division
Known for its premium beauty clients including Glossier and Hermès Beauty, the agency’s new division combines influencer marketing and AI insights.
Luxury Perfume Line Roja London Acquired by Extravaganza Beauty
Master perfumer and founder Roja Dove will remain with the brand in a new consultancy role.
Olaplex Names New CEO
Christoph Kaul will succeed Amanda Baldwin, who led the hair care label through its acquisition by Henkel earlier this year.
Perelel Expands C-Suite, Tapping Rare Beauty’s CMO
Known for its prenatal vitamins, the wellness label has hired Rare Beauty's Ashley Murphy as its chief marketing officer, while Anjelika Temple moves into the chief creative officer role.
Supergoop Announces Chief Commercial Officer
The sunscreen label has appointed former Coty executive Jamie Parker to the newly created role as it gears up to become a “global skin health company.”