Jenni Baden HowardThe inaugural Beauty New York beauty event opened with a celebratory gala last Thursday, followed by two full days of industry activities, with a high footfall. More than 30 participating brands were showcased in the Oculus, over the three-day event. “Beauty New York was an opportunity for us to show our renaissance, to be able to share that with our customers,” Dawn Hilarczyk, Chief Operating Officer at Borghese Inc., told WWD, in a special report.
LVMH is reported to be looking at selling 50% of its ownership of Fenty Beauty, which it co-founded with Rihanna in 2017. According to Global Cosmetics News, sources say the luxury conglomerate is partnering with Evercore, the investment bank, to seek out potential buyers for its stake. In other investment news, the science-powered skin care brand Sweet Chemistry has raised $1 million from investors.
Unilever has announced that its ‘power brands’, which include Dove, Rexona and Sunsilk, were key sales drivers in its bumper third quarter of trading. “Growth was broad-based across all business groups and driven by our power brands,” commented Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez. Meanwhile, Beiersdorf has lowered its sales forecast, with its core brand, Nivea, coming “under particular pressure from July to September,” reports Market Screener.
At CEW today, we highlight the findings of The Consumer Sentiment Index, published by AlixPartners, which surveyed 5,000 U.S. beauty consumers across five pillars: access, experience, price, product, and service. “The integration of beauty, health, and wellness defines how retail players win in this space,” reports CEW’s Andrea Nagel, who unpacks the major datapoints in our report. Also here at CEW, we spotlight new research by Ready to Beauty — the first global think tank for multicultural beauty entrepreneurs and brands — which centers on the challenges and opportunities driving the Black beauty market today. Drawing on the lived experiences and insights of industry professionals, the research spans the first half of 2025 through the end of June.
In other news, Lancôme is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a cinematic holiday campaign, set in Paris, starring its global ambassadors, Julia Roberts, Aya Nakamura, Ni Ni, and Isabella Rossellini. It was directed by Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle.
Read more about these news stories by clicking on the links below.
Behind The Scenes At Beauty New York. Over 30 beauty brands hosted activities in cubicles in the Oculus, including Borghese Skincare, which created one in the style of an Italian villa. (WWD)
LVMH Said To Be Exploring The Sale Of 50% Of Its Fenty Beauty Ownership. “While LVMH and Rihanna’s representatives have not commented, sources estimate the brand could fetch between US$1 billion and US$2 billion, based on its 2024 net sales of approximately US$450 million,” reports Global Cosmetics News. (GLOBAL COSMETICS NEWS)
Sweet Chemistry Raises $1 Million Investment. The funding round was led by Sandbridge Capital. (BEAUTY INDEPENDENT)
Unilever’s ‘Power Brands’ Driving Growth. Unilever brands including Dove, Rexona and Sunsilk, drove sales growth, contributing 78% of the quarter’s turnover. (COSMETICS BUSINESS)
Beiersdorf Lowers Sales Forecast. “In the third quarter of 2025, we observed a further slowdown in the skincare market, especially in emerging markets,” commented Beiersdorf CEO, Vincent Warnery. “As a result, we now expect organic sales growth of around 2.5 percent for our Consumer business for the full year.” (MARKET SCREENER)
The Consumer Sentiment Index Shows How Wellness Is Redefining Today’s Beauty Shopper. Among the datapoints of note is that “influencer relationships rank last in consumer purchase motivators, with only 57% considering them important. But nearly three-quarters of online and social consumers say ratings and reviews are an important driver of purchase decisions,” reports CEW’s Andrea Nagel. (CEW)
Ready to Beauty Spotlights Today’s Black Beauty Market. The State of Black Beauty: An Industry Study covers four key areas as we head into 2026, ranging from Retail Shifts for Black Beauty to What Defines a Black Brand Today. (CEW)
Lancôme Marks 90th Holiday Celebration. Along with a cinematic ad campaign, the Holiday range includes a limited-edition Holiday Beauty Box, filled with 10 brand heroes. (HAPPI)
