Gabriella TermineFrom the Super Bowl to new cofounders, CEW takes a deep dive into today’s hottest beauty news.
Super Bowl LX underscored a major shift in modern marketing, cultural relevance, and creator partnerships which now drive brand success more than airtime alone. According to a report by BeautyMatter, with Bad Bunny delivering the first halftime performance entirely in Spanish, Latino representation emerged as a powerful force shaping both conversation and consumer engagement. Beauty brands such as eos, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Tree Hut capitalized on this momentum by aligning their campaigns with authentic cultural narratives, proving that resonance translates into measurable performance. Data from CreatorIQ reinforces this evolution, showing that creator-led campaigns generate higher earned media value and extend a brand’s cultural shelf life beyond game day. Tree Hut’s debut earned 10 million social views and over 500,000 engagements, while e.l.f. highlighted a Latino consumer base that represents 18% of buying households — 29% above the category average. As post-game dialogue increasingly determines impact, the takeaway is clear that brands that invest in creators and reflect real communities secure influence that lasts well after the final whistle.
Against this backdrop of culture-driven influence and performance marketing, is the importance of operational discipline and financial resilience. Sally Beauty Holdings began fiscal 2026 with a strong first quarter, delivering results at or above expectations despite a cautious macro environment. Total sales reached $943 million, with adjusted diluted EPS rising 12% to $0.48, supported by margin expansion and disciplined cost control. According to CEW, comparable sales were flat overall, though Sally U.S. and Canada posted 1.3% growth, driven by an 8% increase in color sales and a 28% surge in e-commerce. Gross margin expanded to 51.3%, and free cash flow totaled $57 million, enabling debt reduction and share repurchases. The company also exited lower-margin European operations, sharpening its focus on higher-return growth and reaffirming full-year guidance with cautious confidence.
Sally Beauty’s steady performance mirrors a broader trend across the sector, as the overall U.S. beauty market continues to demonstrate surprising strength despite ongoing economic headwinds. According to Circana, per CEW, the U.S. beauty industry delivered strong results in 2025, with prestige sales rising 4% to $36 billion and mass beauty increasing 5% to $72.7 billion. Hair emerged as the fastest-growing prestige category, fueled by hair treatments, styling products, and scalp care, which marked its third consecutive year of double-digit growth. Innovation surged, with launches up more than 20%, and hair remained the only prestige category where online sales account for the majority of purchases, driven by convenience and replenishment. Meanwhile, makeup and skin care posted solid gains, and fragrance continued to grow, reinforcing beauty’s resilience as an accessible indulgence for consumers.
Yet while category growth and innovation create tailwinds, sustained success increasingly depends on strategic focus, portfolio discipline, and knowing exactly which consumers to serve. Joey Shamah, co-founder of AS Beauty, explains the strategic thinking behind closing Mally Beauty and Cover FX as part of the company’s focus on first-order profitability and long-term value creation, reports Beauty Independent. After acquiring Laura Geller Beauty and Julep from bankruptcy in 2019, AS Beauty pulled Laura Geller out of Ulta and Sephora to rebuild profitability, then returned to those retailers once sales surged to over $300 million, roughly ten times the brand’s performance at acquisition. Shamah says the company’s success stems from its focus on mature women’s makeup, a less crowded demographic with stronger customer acquisition efficiency. Looking ahead, AS Beauty is targeting larger legacy brands with $50 million-plus wholesale run rates, aiming for scalable acquisitions rather than distressed assets.
This emphasis on sharpening brand portfolios and prioritizing profitability isn’t limited to emerging operators — global heritage players are making similar recalibrations to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Shiseido Co. said it expects to return to operating profit this year after posting its first loss in decades in 2025 due to a write-down of the Drunk Elephant brand, reports Beauty of Fashion. The cosmetics and beauty company forecasts operating profit of ¥59 billion ($380 million) for the year ending December, with sales seen rising 2.1 percent to ¥990 billion ($6,363 billion). Analysts on average project ¥56.4 billion ($362 million) in operating profit on sales of ¥992 billion ($6,377 billion). Once a formidable challenger to L’Oreal SA and Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Japan’s largest cosmetics maker is navigating its toughest test in decades, hit by missteps in North America and losing market share to agile Asian rivals. The company is cutting costs, prioritizing core brands, expanding fragrances portfolio, and moving into medical and dermal cosmetics to put itself back on track. Chief Executive Officer Kentaro Fujiwara unveiled a plan in November to grow sales by 2% to 5% annually through 2030, targeting a core operating profit margin of at least 10%.
To read more about these articles, please click the headlines below.
From Bad Bunny To Beauty Brands, Culture Was The Super Bowl’s Real MVP
Sally Beauty Kicks Off Fiscal 2026 with Momentum, Margin Discipline, and New Growth Levers
Circana: Prestige Hair Wins Big in 2025
AS Beauty Co-Founder Joey Shamah On Beauty M&A, Shuttering Mally Beauty, Cover FX
