L'Oréal

L’Oréal’s dermatological beauty division is usually a blockbuster, but the impact of increased competition and the decline of drugstore distributors on its recent earnings show the company can’t rest on its laurels.

Despite a slowdown in the M&A pipeline and rising pressure on indie brands, British cosmetics company Refy thinks it can buck the trend and become a breakout star. Pulling it off will require careful calibration to help it broaden its presence without denting its status.

The luxury skin and body care brand is nurturing a culture of learning and development to position its retail employees for internal mobility and progression. BoF sits down with the general manager of Europe, a commercial director and London-based store manager, to learn more.

The backlash that follows a botched product launch can quickly spill over from a bad news cycle to an all-out PR crisis. Beauty brands have the power to foresee these events, and stop them happening, providing they’re willing to do the legwork.

The L’Oréal-owned cosmetics brand discontinued its first smash hit product, the Naked eyeshadow palette, in 2018. It’s hoping a limited edition re-run could hold the key to a wider brand reboot.

The owners of Chanel and L’Oréal have invested in American luxury label The Row, alongside Natalie Massenet and Nick Brown’s Imaginary Ventures and Lauren Santo Domingo’s St. Dominique Capital. What will the deal mean for The Row’s unique business?

The Wertheimer family and Francoise Bettencourt Meyers’ Tethys Invest have acquired minority stakes in The Row, valuing the Olsen sisters’ luxury label at approximately $1 billion, with Imaginary Ventures also joining the investment.

The Kenvue-owned skincare giant is releasing a new range, Collagen Bank, targeting younger consumers with actress Hailee Steinfeld as a spokesperson, a TikTok-first rollout and a focus on anti-ageing care.

With a limited number of targets on the market, strategics and private equity firms are rushing to snap up the most promising brands.

The men’s market is a tiny fraction of the overall beauty industry. That hasn’t stopped a slew of brands trying to grow its appeal.