This week, the global cosmetics and personal care industry highlighted continued activity across M&A, sustainability and regulatory developments, as companies pursued portfolio changes, international expansion and ingredient innovation while legal and competitive pressures remained in focus across key markets.
M&A and portfolio activity featured prominently. Puig took full ownership of ISDIN in a €1.2 billion deal, while Caudalie Group acquired a majority stake in French skincare brand Talm. Colgate-Palmolive explored a potential US$1 billion sale of personal care brands, and Blackstone considered a US$2 billion sale of ZO Skin Health. Barington Capital also pushed Bath & Body Works to explore a potential sale.
Corporate and financial developments continued across major beauty groups. L’Oréal overtook LVMH as France’s most valuable listed company, while Bernard Arnault dropped out of the world’s top 10 richest individuals as LVMH faced a slowdown in luxury demand. Kimberly-Clark prepared asset sales as it sought EU approval for its US$40 billion acquisition of Kenvue. Coty, meanwhile, agreed to continue payments to its former CFO through June 2027 following its leadership transition.
International expansion and distribution remained active. e.l.f. Cosmetics expanded into Brazil through an exclusive partnership with Sephora, while Diane Perfect Beauty increased its US distribution with a launch at Target. Hunter entered men’s grooming through an exclusive partnership with Boots, and Amorepacific outlined a target of KRW15 trillion in sales by 2035.
Leadership changes also featured. Kevin.Murphy appointed Elisa Fischer as Global CEO to lead the professional haircare brand’s next stage of international expansion.
Sustainability, ingredients and supply-chain innovation remained in focus. Unilever joined the PaperFlex Consortium to support the development of scalable paper-based alternatives to flexible plastic packaging. TRAFFIC and Biodiversify launched the Wild Harvest Improvement Project (WHIP) framework to strengthen supply chains for wild-harvested ingredients. Inolex launched SustOleo™ Embrace, a silicone-free sensory enhancer combining skin-smoothing properties with extended fragrance retention.
Regulatory developments continued across international markets. Pakistan’s Senate science and technology committee approved the General Cosmetics Bill 2026 as the country moved to strengthen cosmetics regulation. Beiersdorf CEO Vincent Warnery warned that increasing EU regulation could affect the competitiveness of the European cosmetics industry.
Legal and intellectual property disputes also remained active. Estée Lauder’s counterfeit lawsuit against Walmart moved forward, while Shiseido sued Aldi China over a LACURA lookalike beauty product. Arizona filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal concerning alleged cancer risks associated with hair relaxers. Amway sued an Amazon seller over alleged unauthorised product sales, while Wild Child Laboratories faced legal action concerning SPF claims linked to recalled sunscreen products.
Brand closures also featured this week. RAW Skincare announced it will close after nearly a decade in business, bringing an end to the plant-based skincare brand known for its refillable packaging and simplified product routines.
Taken together, this week reflected continued activity across M&A, sustainability and regulatory change, alongside international expansion, ingredient innovation and legal disputes. From major skincare transactions and portfolio reviews to alternative packaging, wild-harvested ingredient supply chains and evolving cosmetics regulation, companies continued to reshape their strategies across the global cosmetics and personal care landscape.
