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.
Beauty
Analysis and advice on the fast-evolving beauty business.
How ‘Made in Mexico’ Perfumes Won Over Niche Customers
Nimble niche perfumers like Xinú, Perfumérica and Laguna Cyprien are riding a wave of popularity with domestic customers and overseas visitors, and finding that building global brands doesn’t always mean US expansion.
Exclusive: Khloé Kardashian Wants to Make ‘the Next Elizabeth Taylor’ Perfume
Celebrity-fronted perfumes have lost some lustre in the niche fragrance era. That isn’t deterring the serial entrepreneur and reality star.
Gen Z’s New Humble Brag? Plastic Surgery.
‘They’re taking selfies of their plastic surgery appointments as if it’s a concert or a ‘get ready with me’ video,’ said one plastic surgeon. ‘They want everyone to know.’
Shift in Drinking Habits Wipes $830 Billion Off Alcohol Stocks
Shares of the world’s top listed beer, wine and spirits makers have shed a combined $830 billion in a little more than four years as the industry grapples with monumental change, a Bloomberg analysis revealed.
Estée Lauder Is Growing Again. Now Comes the Hard Part.
The US giant handily beat expectations and its own guidance in its latest earnings, but softness in the US and its hair and makeup businesses show it can’t take its foot off the gas yet.
Can Target Win Back Beauty Shoppers?
The Midwestern retailer’s wider struggles are well documented; below, I offer an inside look of what’s really working (and not) in beauty and wellness.
Investors’ Conservative Panic Isn’t Silencing Queer Beauty Founders
After years of championing identity-led brands, founders are now grappling with a rise in conservatism putting LGBTQ+-owned businesses at risk.
Why Drugstore Beauty Is Succeeding Everywhere Except the US
Within a crowded beauty market, US drugstores are struggling to compete — while their overseas counterparts continue to thrive. To regain relevance and bring success home, American chains must evolve.
Inside Industry Perspectives on the Convergence of Beauty and Wellbeing
Westman Atelier founder Gucci Westman, celebrity hairstylists Lacy Redway and Vernon François, and renowned make-up artist and founder of Makeup by Mario, Mario Dedivanovic, were among the leading beauty insiders and innovators who joined The Business of Beauty and Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing for an intimate breakfast in New York.
Is the Bush Back? Only if You Can Sell It.
Skims’ controversial ‘bush thong’ is just one gimmick in a long line of brands using body hair for PR stunts and runway shocks, sparking online discourse about how personal grooming has — and hasn’t — changed.
Wellness Wants In on the Members Club Boom
A new wave of wellness clubs are cropping up across the world, offering ice baths, optimisation, saunas and socialisation. How big can the trend get?
Why Young Women Are Getting Facelifts
Customers in their 20s and 30s are being driven towards this invasive surgery by ‘filler fatigue’, the use of weight-loss drugs and the development of new surgical techniques.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF
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.
Vyrao Acquired by Brand Platform Tresalis
The niche perfume brand has been purchased by the new beauty operator created and backed by German investment firm Athos.
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.