Jenni Baden HowardIn breaking news this morning, L’Oréal has confirmed that it will “very soon” start work on evaluating a possible investment in Giorgio Armani, in line with new instructions from the late designer’s will detailing a phased sale or listing of the fashion house. “Speaking at a fireside chat with analysts, L’Oréal CFO Christophe Babule said the beauty group will “definitely” assess an opportunity to acquire a stake in Armani,” reports Global Cosmetics News. “The luxury house is set to open a process for the sale or listing of an initial 15% stake within 18 months.”
In other financial headlines, WWD reports that Iris Ventures is leading a $15 million investment in Innerskin, founded three years ago by Chrystelle Eid, which specializes in noninvasive skin care treatments at 19 clinics across France.
Here at CEW today, Jacquelyn Wenskus, Director and Fragrance Industry Analyst at Circana, unpacks the findings of Circana’s 2025 Holiday Purchase Intentions Report. Fragrance remains one of the most gifted items among U.S. consumers. “In 2025, Circana expects that Q4 prestige fragrance sales will post low single-digit growth and once again exceed $4 billion in the U.S,” writes Wenskus. “Each year, December drives the largest impact and accounts for about 60% of total Q4 sales. The greatest concentration of December spend is during the week before and the week of Christmas, when stores are crowded with last-minute shoppers.”
Also at CEW, reporter Faye Brookman explains how beauty is staying recession-proof, thanks to the popularity of hair, fragrance, and wellness deals this holiday season.“Mastercard said U.S. retail sales rose 4.1% on Black Friday, an improvement from 3.4% a year ago,” she writes. “And while Adobe reported that U.S. shoppers spent a record $14.3 billion (an increase of 7.1% over last year) on Cyber Monday, Lead Analyst Vivek Pandya noted that Black Friday is increasingly challenging Cyber Monday’s dominance.” Read more in our special report.
On a celebratory note, L’Oréal Paris USA celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Women of Worth at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, on December 2. “Celebrating 20 years of Women of Worth is incredibly special. This program has created a legacy of impact, highlighting the power of women’s leadership and service,” commented L’Oréal Paris USA President, Laura Branik. “We are proud to honor this year’s honorees and shine a national spotlight on their extraordinary work, because every woman is Worth It.” Meanwhile, Lancôme is marking its 90th anniversary with the launch of a limited-edition collection, Les Exceptionnels, of iconic fragrances, and other beauty products — including a special, gold-colored edition of its Absolu Rouge lipstick.
Read more about these and other news stories by clicking on the links below.
L’Oréal Confirms Possible Giorgio Armani Investment. “A potential Armani investment would strengthen L’Oréal’s position in luxury beauty and secure long-term control over one of its highest-profile fragrance and makeup licenses amid intensifying competition for prestige brands,” according to Global Cosmetics News. (GLOBAL COSMETICS NEWS)
Iris Ventures Leads $15 Million Investment In Innerskin. “The new funds will be used to expand the network of clinics beyond France, into the rest of Europe, and build the face and body skin care line,” reports WWD. (WWD)
Circana’s 2025 Holiday Purchase Intentions Report Drops. “For fragrance shoppers in the department and beauty specialty stores, this year’s demand is expected to be fueled by offerings across both the premium and affordable price tiers,” reports Jacquelyn Wenskus, Director, Fragrance Industry Analyst, Circana. “This includes higher juice concentrations like parfums and luxury brands, as well as lower priced alternatives such as mini sizes and body sprays.” (CEW)
How Beauty Is Staying Recession-Proof For The Holidays. “Black Friday proved that even with ‘deals for days,’ shoppers still showed up in-store. While headlines hinted at slow traffic, I observed that beauty told a different story — crowds, lines, and plenty of excitement,” wrote Larissa Jensen, Circana’s SVP Global Beauty Advisor, on LinkedIn. (CEW)
L’Oréal Paris USA Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Women of Worth. “The brand honored 10 extraordinary nonprofit female leaders whose vision, dedication and leadership are transforming communities,” reports Happi. “The milestone event united this year’s honorees alongside the brand’s lineup of global ambassadors. These included Helen Mirren, Andie MacDowell, Kendall Jenner, Aja Naomi King, Gillian Anderson, and Ariana Greenblatt.” (HAPPI)
Lancôme Unveils Les Exceptionnels Collection. The limited edition curation of iconic products includes a gold Absolu Rouge lipstick, hand-crafted in a sculptural shape, with the iconic Lancôme rose agora pattern on top of the case. (BEAUTY PACKAGING)
