Andrea NagelFrom celebrity-founded beauty companies to fragrance innovation and major corporate deals, these recent developments highlight how quickly the industry is evolving.
Scarlett Johansson’s skin care brand, The Outset, is shutting down after about four years in business. The brand launched in 2022 with a focus on simple, gentle skin care and grew from five products to around 14. Although Johansson’s name helped attract attention, the company aimed to build an identity beyond the typical celebrity beauty brand. In recent months, The Outset offered major discounts before announcing it would stop operations. The company will still process existing orders, but the online store has closed. The Outset’s closure comes as several other celebrity-backed beauty brands have also recently disappeared, showing how difficult it can be to maintain a beauty business long-term. (Beauty Independent)
Fragrance primers are emerging as a new way to help perfumes last longer on the skin. Instead of changing the fragrance itself, these products prepare the skin so scent molecules can stay on the surface and release more gradually. Brands such as Obart and Future Society are exploring this idea through formulas designed to hydrate the skin, support its barrier, or create a better environment for fragrance. The trend reflects growing consumer interest in getting more wear from their favorite perfumes, with searches for long-lasting fragrance and layering techniques increasing. Looking ahead, scent care could go beyond extending perfume and begin focusing on the skin’s natural microbiome and how it influences personal scent. (Beauty Matter)
L’Oréal India is moving forward with the acquisition of Onesto Labs, the parent company of digital-first beauty platform Innovist, after receiving approval from India’s Competition Commission. The deal gives L’Oréal full ownership of Onesto Labs and adds several Indian personal-care brands to its growing portfolio. Innovist includes names such as Bare Anatomy, Chemist at Play, SunScoop and Anecdote, with products sold through online platforms, quick-commerce services and physical retailers. Founded in 2019, Onesto Labs has focused on science-based skincare and haircare products. While the financial details have not been revealed, the acquisition strengthens L’Oréal’s presence in India’s expanding beauty market while allowing Innovist’s founding team to continue operating the business. (Storyboard18)
Procter & Gamble has changed the way it advertises its Braun Skin-i Expert IPL hair removal device following an investigation by Italy’s competition authority. Regulators raised concerns about claims suggesting the device could keep users “hair-free” for two years, which they believed could give consumers a misleading impression about how long results would last. In response, P&G agreed to remove those claims from its advertising and avoid making specific promises about the duration of results. The company also extended its 100-day money-back guarantee through the end of 2026. The case highlights the growing attention beauty companies face when making claims about the effectiveness and long-term results of personal-care products. (Cosmetics Business)
Shein is facing financial pressure after reporting a sharp drop in operating profit during the first half of 2026. The online fashion retailer’s operating profit fell by nearly 53 percent, while revenue increased by only about 1 percent. Rising shipping, tariff, and other operating costs have affected the company as demand has weakened in several important markets. The results are Shein’s first financial update since its Hong Kong stock market listing in September, which valued the company at around $26 billion, far below its peak valuation of roughly $100 billion in 2022. With sales also declining in the U.S., Shein is now under greater pressure to control costs and return to stronger, more profitable growth. (Global Cosmetics News)
Marks & Spencer and Sephora are teaming up to bring Sephora’s beauty offerings to more shoppers across the United Kingdom. Starting in spring 2027, Sephora-branded beauty areas are expected to open in 100 M&S stores, with trained beauty advisers helping customers in person. The partnership will also bring Sephora’s products to M&S’s online platform, giving shoppers another way to access the retailer’s selection. The move follows Sephora’s successful shop-in-shop strategy with Kohl’s in the U.S. and gives the brand another way to grow its presence in the UK. For M&S, the deal is part of a larger effort to strengthen its beauty business and attract more customers through a wider range of products and services. (Global Cosmetic Industry)
To read more about these stories, click the headlines below.
Scarlett Johansson’s Skincare Brand The Outset Shuts Down
Fragrance Primers: The Future Of Scent Care
L’Oréal India Gets CCI Nod To Acquire 100% Of Innovist Parent Onesto Labs
Shein Operating Profit Falls 53 Percent In First Results Since IPO
M&S And Sephora Team Up To Bring Sephora To 100 UK Stores
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