L’Oréal Has Its Eyes on Medik8
All speculation of course. Katini Skin launches on Sephora.com, Coty layoffs, and IPSY's 2025 Beauty Discovery Report
Welcome to this week’s beauty aisle restock! First things first—a huge thank you to all 500+ subscribers!! Whether you’ve just joined or have been browsing the aisle since day one, your support means everything. I’ve enjoyed reading your comments, coffee meetups, email exchanges + testing out the latest new launches, especially from emerging brands.
If you’re new (hi!), think of this newsletter as your ultimate beauty in brief on Substack and in your inbox, no paywall.
I had the opportunity to interview the founder of an exciting, new skincare brand based in NYC. Keep your eye out for a special beauty aisle newsletter this month!
Weeks of 4/19-5/10
Katini Skin has now launched on Sephora.com! It’s a staple in my routine and has helped with the dryness I experience after using actives and fading hyperpigmentation. Highly recommend the Clarity Purifying Face Oil Serum and/or the Collagen Boosting Oil Serum. My skin has really transformed with this line!! (You might also notice someone familiar on the Clarity Purifying Face Oil Serum Ppage if you look real closely… 😉)
L’Oréal is reportedly the leading contender to acquire U.K. skincare brand Medik8, a move that would strengthen its dermocosmetics division and expand its presence in the fast-growing aesthetic skincare market.
They’re also now offering a Crystal Retinal Age-Defying Facial, an in-clinic treatment combining retinal and vitamin C to deliver visibly smoother, firmer, and more radiant skin in just one hour with no downtime, building on the brand’s bestselling Crystal Retinal serum. This brand has been the topic of my group chat. Has anyone tried anything from them? Drop your favorite product in the comments!
Goop Beauty is entering the Italian market through a year-long exclusive with retailer The Beautyaholic’s Shop, marking a key step in its global clean-beauty expansion following last year’s brand refocus.
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, in partnership with Sephora, has launched across Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Hong Kong SAR. Not enough people are talking about how good this product line is.
Unilever has announced the closure of REN Clean Skincare after 25 years, citing internal challenges and market conditions that hindered its long-term sustainability, despite the brand's pioneering role in clean beauty. Another one bites the dust.
Oh My Cream has acquired struggling U.K. clean beauty e-tailer Naturisimo to accelerate its British market expansion, gain loyal customers, and strengthen its position as a leading luxury clean beauty destination.
Latest Appointments
SharkNinja has appointed former Ulta Beauty CMO Michelle Crossan-Matos as its first chief growth officer to drive global expansion and customer-focused strategy across its product lines.
SharkNinja has also named former Glossier and L’Oréal exec Kleona Mack as its new CMO, tapping her to lead marketing and shape the brand’s next phase of innovation in hair and skincare tools.
L’Oréal has appointed longtime exec Delphine Viguer-Hovasse as its first Chief Innovation & Prospective Officer, signaling a future-forward push to unify strategy and R&D under one visionary helm.
Financials
The Estée Lauder Companies expects sales to decline up to 9% in fiscal 2025, still driven by continued weakness in travel retail and Asia-Pacific, but anticipates a return to growth in 2026 following its ongoing business reset.
Puig’s Q1 2025 sales rose 8% YoY to €1.21 billion, beating the €1.19 billion analyst estimate, driven by 10% growth in fragrance and fashion, and 12% growth in the Americas. There was a 4.2% decline in makeup though.
Olaplex’s Q1 2025 sales dipped 1.9% to $97 million, with gains in specialty retail offset by declines in professional and direct-to-consumer channels, though the brand remains confident in hitting its 2025 sales targets.
Coty's Q1 CY2025 results fell short of market expectations, with a 6.2% drop in revenue.
Coty took a $71M loss selling its stake in Skkn by Kim and posted a $409M quarterly loss overall!! Which resulted in…
Coty cutting around 700 jobs and streamlining operations to save $130 million, targeting nearly $500 million in total savings by FY27. Ooof.
Series Funding
Wonderskin just secured a $50M Series A investment led by Insight Partners to scale its science-meets-viral-beauty strategy.
Beauty tech startup Blank Beauty raised a $6.5M Series A investment led by Kirker to scale its custom, on-demand product manufacturing platform, delivering personalized nail color straight to customers' doors in minutes.
L’Oréal Paris has named 17-year-old actress Ariana Greenblatt its youngest-ever Global Ambassador, who will star in campaigns for Revitalift Vitamin C and Elvive Glycolic Gloss.
Estée Lauder has partnered with Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica to open its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas, offering immersive, multi-sensory facials and body rituals using the brand’s Re-Nutriv range. Facialist and EL Re-Nutriv Global Skincare Ambassador, Crystal Greene, whom I received my first ever facial by, is there as as part of a residency, providing personalized facials!
At Echelon Noir Productions' inaugural hair show, “Black Hair Reimagined: The New Era of Beauty”, Tracee Ellis Ross celebrated the rich legacy and future of Black hair artistry, featuring iconic stylists (Vernon François! Jawara Wauchope!) and A-list talent while honoring the pioneers who shaped the culture.
Speaking of Jawara, he’s been named international brand ambassador for Hair Rituel by Sisley!
J.C. Penney has ended its partnership with Thirteen Lune, which aimed to bring minority-owned brands to over 600 stores, after financial struggles at Thirteen Lune caused payment issues for the brands involved. The scandal continues.
Not exactly beauty but I HAVE to report that the world’s first fully flushable pad is here. Though not avail in the U.S., Fluus, will launch June 2025 in Boots!
For funsies: WWD published a list of the highest paid Beauty CEOs. Spoiler alert, all but one were men.
Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin have become the Proud Beauty Partner of the 2024 WNBA Champion New York Liberty, marking the first official WNBA partnership for the brand.
Supergoop! launched its "Feel Super" campaign with Liza Koshy, blending humor and sun safety to spotlight the brand's skin-loving SPF products and encourage joyful, everyday sun protection.
This week I had the opportunity to attend IPSY’s Brand & Creator Forum and The Ipsies: 2025 Beauty Awards. There were two impactful panels that spoke on the topics of brand building and funding/selling your brand, and fun brand activations from brands like BUXOM, First Aid Beauty, FEMMUE, and Byroe.
Some standout winners from the awards included:
Best Cheek Product: ONE/SIZE Cheek Clapper 3D Blush Trio Palette
Best Lip Product: FENTY BEAUTY Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
Best Body Product: DRUNK ELEPHANT Wonderwild™ Miracle Butter
Most Innovative Brand: DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY
Member-Favorite Brand: Mexico Edition: ELEMIS [Their Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm is game changing]
IPSY also debuted its first-ever Beauty Discovery Report, pulling insights from 20 million beauty lovers to spotlight the products and trends actually moving the needle in 2025.
Key Takeaways:
The MUA > Celebs: Makeup artist-founded brands are outperforming celebrity beauty lines, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the shift. IPSY is calling it the “MUA Movement” and it's already showing up at the 2025 Ipsies with big wins from Danessa Myricks, Charlotte Tilbury, and Formula Z.
Gen Z Picks Gloss Over Fragrance: Though fragrance is a fast growing category, Gen Z is reaching for lip gloss as a top beauty staple.
Berry Lips Take Over Back-to-School: There was a surge in berry-toned lipsticks during the back-to-school season in 2023 and 2024.
Serums Are Stealing the Spotlight: Serums and moisturizers are outperforming foundation! Moisturizer was the most purchased category—Tatcha The Water Cream being the most purchased.
I usually spend my Sunday nights doing my nails, a ritual I picked up during COVID. My nail kit has it all—gel nail extensions, gems, chromes, polishes. You name it, I probably have it! I don’t have as much time to do elaborate nail looks (gel removal is a process) and my current hobbies (rock climbing + pottery) don’t keep polish on my nails long. I saw two different people this week with glittery, magnetic nail looks and I just so happen to have Dashing Diva’s One Gel Magnetic Starter Kit in Villainous*, so with less than eight minutes to spare this morning, I applied this gel polish that delivers a base coat, color, and top coat, all in one layer and played around with the magnetic wand. The best part about this gel polish is the removal—with Dashing Diva’s new One Gel Magic Off*, I’ll be able to watch this gel bubble off in minutes. NO damage!!
*gifted
Alix Earle and Pantene have partnered on a limited-edition “Unexpired Pantene” shampoo and conditioner duo, inspired by her viral TikTok post praising her mom’s old Pantene. Love love love how quickly they were able lean into this.
Our fav DJ Paris Hilton has finally launched Parívie, a luxury skincare line featuring high-tech formulas powered by inPHinite Youth Technology, designed to combat environmental stressors and support “smoother, more resilient-looking skin”.
Sol de Janeiro launched the new Badalada Vitamin Infused Lotion, featuring their Cheirosa 62 scent and a formula containing 7-hyaluronic acid, Brazilian sugarcane, and Brazil Nut Oil for weightless hydration and smooth skin.
Decorté has launched its Sun Shelter Multi Protection Sunscreen SPF 50+ in the U.S., blending broad-spectrum protection with skincare benefits from ingredients like rosemary extract, mallow extract, and aloe, offering a lightweight, non-greasy formula suitable for all skin tones.
Tower 28 is also launching a sunscreen—SOS FaceGuard Broad Spectrum SPF 30 this month!
ELC Brand Aramis is set to launch Intuition by Aramis in August 2025, with Dwyane Wade as the Global Ambassador, embodying the brand's reimagined vision of ‘modern masculinity’ through a woody, green neo-fougère scent.
L’Oréal’s SkinCeuticals launched Advanced RGN-6, a regenerative cream designed to reverse six key signs of aging and skin damage, offering visible results in just one week.
Jasmine Tookes has launched Brunel, a new body care brand debuting with three scented, skin care–infused body oils designed to elevate everyday routines with wellness, fragrance, and science-backed actives.
John Paul Mitchell Systems is launching Paul Mitchell Clear, a four-piece, fragrance- and dye-free hair care line for sensitive skin with under 10 ingredients per product. Very intrigued by this!
If you enjoyed this week’s restock, consider restacking or letting me know your thoughts on the latest beauty news and launches in the comments.
thank you so much for publishing these, kareen. as a cosmetic chemist & beauty analyst i find them so helpful and a lovely start to my morning. xx