From IPO plans to new market entry, here are the headlines that shaped the beauty industry last week.
ITALIAN COUTURIER VALENTINO GARAVANI DIES AT 93 YEARS OLD
Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian couturier, died at the age of 93. A defining icon of elegance, he built a global fashion empire while its beauty licence have been manager by Puig and now L’Oréal.
INTERPARFUMS SALES UP 2.1% IN 2025 AT CURRENT EXCHANGE RATES
Interparfums reported a 2.1% increase in sales for 2025 at constant exchange rates to €899m, with growth in North America and a strong operating margin despite challenges from US tariffs. However, sales in Asia declined by 8%, and the company remains cautiously focused on developing new projects for 2026, including brands like Annick Goutal and Off-White.
P&G’S BEAUTY DIVISION EXPERIENCED 4% ORGANIC SALES GROWTH IN Q2 FY26
Procter & Gamble reported softer-than-expected Q2 sales, missing forecasts due to shrinking consumer demand. However, its Beauty segment performed well, with organic sales growing 4%, led by mid-single-digit growth in hair care and personal care. The company expects a stronger second half driven by innovation and strategic investments.
L’OCCITANE IS LOOKING TO DO AN IPO IN THE USA
L’Occitane Groupe, which was taken private in 2024, is now considering a U.S. IPO as soon as this year and has enlisted JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley for the potential listing. The French skincare retailer, previously publicly traded in Hong Kong, reported €2.8 billion in sales for its latest fiscal year.
LVMH SELLS DFS TRAVEL RETAIL BUSINESS IN GREATER CHINA
China Tourism Group Duty Free has acquired DFS’s travel retail business in Greater China from LVMH and the Miller family. As part of the deal, both parties have also agreed to form a strategic retail partnership in the region.
SEPHORA PARTNERS WITH KOREAN RETAILER OLIVE YOUNG
Sephora has announced a partnership with Korean beauty giant Olive Young to stock a curated selection of K-beauty skincare online and in approximately 700 stores worldwide starting in fall 2026. This move is a strategic effort by Sephora to strengthen its position amid intense global competition for a share of the booming K-beauty market.
SEPHORA WILL ENTER THE BELGIUM MARKET IN 2026
Sephora has officially confirmed its upcoming arrival on the Belgian market in 2026 as part of its European expansion strategy. While the exact date remains unconfirmed, the first store is reportedly planned for the prestigious Avenue Louise in Brussels.
L’ORÉAL INVESTS $383M TO CREATE A TECH HUB IN INDIA
L’Oréal will invest $383 million to establish a beauty tech hub in Hyderabad. The hub will serve as a global base for AI-driven innovation and aims to create 2,000 tech jobs by 2030.
MANZANITA’S BRAND MALIN+GOETZ FILES FOR ADMINISTRATION IN THE UK
The US beauty brand Malin+Goetz has filed for administration in the UK, resulting in the closure of its seven London stores and its head office, with 72 layoffs. Its products will remain available in the region through third-party retailers like John Lewis and Space NK.
L CATTERTON INVESTS IN FRENCH PERFUME BRAND EX NIHILO
L Catterton, the private equity firm backed by LVMH, has acquired a significant minority stake in the high-end French fragrance brand Ex Nihilo. The investment, which sees previous investor Eurazeo exiting, will be used to fuel the perfume brand’s international expansion, particularly in the United States.
BAIN CAPITAL IS LOOKING TO ACQUIRE JAPANESE BEAUTY GROUP FINETODAY
Bain Capital has made a binding offer to acquire Japanese beauty personal-care group Finetoday Holdings, aiming to capitalize on its strong footprint in key Asian markets like China. This move comes after Finetoday canceled its IPO plans and reflects private equity’s continued interest in the beauty sector.
AS BEAUTY SHUTS DOWN MAKEUP BRANDS MALLY BEAUTY AND COVERFX
AS Beauty is shutting down the Mally Beauty and CoverFX brands it acquired in recent years, after failing to successfully reinvigorate them amid industry challenges. The company’s other portfolio brands will continue to operate, though these closures reflect a wider trend of distress within the competitive beauty market.
ELF LAUNCHES FIRST FRAGRANCE COLLECTION WITH H&M
E.l.f. Beauty is launching its first-ever fragrance collection through a limited-edition collaboration with H&M, featuring three scents inspired by its popular makeup products. This marks E.l.f.’s inaugural foray into fragrance and H&M’s first beauty partnership, with the collection launching globally on January 29.
COSMOGEN DEVELOPS MINI LIPSTICK FOR L’ORÉAL LUXE
The packaging supplier Cosmogen has developed a series of miniature lipstick formats for L’Oréal’s prestige brands, including Lancôme, YSL Beauty, Armani Beauty, and Prada Beauty. These mini lipsticks, intended for travel retail and discovery kits, represent a strategy to offer accessible, multi-shade collections that appeal particularly to Gen Z consumers.
ARMANI BEAUTY RELAUNCHES ITS ICONIC LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION
Armani Beauty is relaunching its iconic Luminous Silk Foundation after 25 years, reformulating it with new ingredients and expanding its shade range to stay current with beauty innovations and consumer demands. The launch is supported by a major campaign and in-person activations, continuing the brand’s strong association with cinema and targeting both its loyal customers and a new generation.
SUMMER FRIDAYS DOUBLES DOWN ON THE LIP CATEGORY
Building on the massive success of its Lip Butter Balm, Summer Fridays is expanding its lip category with the February launch of Flushed Lip Stain and SoftLine Lip Liner. The new products, available through the brand’s exclusive partnership with Sephora, aim to offer easy, long-lasting color while the brand continues to grow internationally and maintain its skincare-first identity.
GISOU LAUNCHES ITS NEW LIP MASK WITH A POP-UP IN DUBAI
Honey-infused beauty brand Gisou is launching its new lip mask with an immersive pop-up experience in Dubai, hosted in partnership with Sephora. The activation underscores the brand’s strategy to expand into new categories while leveraging its heritage in bee-farmed ingredients and deepening community engagement through experiential marketing.
LUXURY FRAGRANCE BRAND AMOUAGE OPENS A POP-UP IN SEOUL
Luxury fragrance house Amouage has entered the South Korean market by opening a pop-up boutique in Seoul, designed to test consumer response ahead of a permanent flagship. This move is part of the brand’s broader strategy to expand its retail presence across the Asia-Pacific region.
AMAZON OPENS ITS LARGEST PHYSICAL RETAIL STORE
Amazon is launching its largest-ever physical retail store, a 230,000-square-foot big-box location in Illinois. The store blends in-person shopping with online order fulfilment, marking a major strategic push to compete directly with giants like Walmart and Target.
KOREAN HAIRCARE BRAND UNOVE TO LAUNCH AT SEPHORA US
Korean haircare brand Unove, known for its “glass hair” repair products, will launch at Sephora in the U.S. on February 3. The brand aims to translate its success in Asian markets by offering its clinically proven, inclusive formulas to a broader American audience.
PRO-AGEING BRAND STRIPES BEAUTY ENTERS ULTA BEAUTY
Stripes Beauty, the pro-ageing wellness brand founded by Naomi Watts, has launched at Ulta Beauty both online and in select Wellness boutiques. This partnership significantly expands the brand’s reach and reinforces Ulta’s commitment to serving the underserved demographic of women navigating midlife and menopause.
AUSTRALIAN LUXURY SKINCARE BRAND RATIONALE LAUNCHES AT HARRODS
The Australian luxury skincare brand Rationale is launching exclusively at Harrods in London as part of its global expansion, introducing its six-step regimen focused on sun protection and skin immunity. Founded by cosmetic chemist Richard Parker, the 40-year-old brand emphasizes reversing sun damage through daily use of its science-backed products, which are already popular in Australia and the U.S.
