Dive Brief:
With skincare persevering with its rise, Unilever has agreed to acquire skincare brand Paula’s Choice, the corporate introduced on Monday. The deal is predicted to be closed by Q3 in 2021.
Unilever famous that Paula’s Choice, a DTC skincare brand based in 1995, creates content material and digital instruments to present easy-to-understand data on the science behind its skincare. The brand made an “Ingredient Dictionary,” which explains analysis on virtually 4,000 substances, and in addition runs an “Expert Advice” hub, which gives curated skincare and ingredient data, per the corporate announcement.
Sunny Jain, Unilever magnificence and private care president, stated in a press release that Unilever is trying to develop its portfolio within the high-growth skincare phase.
Dive Insight:
Skincare is the phrase of the day within the magnificence area, because the return of the make-up class stays unsure. Over the previous 12 months or so, Unilever has responded to the class’s power by specializing in DTC skincare manufacturers. The firm has invested in three skincare corporations in that timeframe, following a broader pattern of established corporations supporting rising manufacturers.
“Paula’s Choice is a real pioneer within the digital area for magnificence and has created a mission-based brand rooted in fact and transparency,” Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever government vp and CEO of status, stated in a press release. “We cannot wait to introduce the brand and its iconic merchandise to an excellent greater viewers.”
In 2016, Unilever made waves for buying Dollar Shave Club, a hit story that has been arduous to replicate by the razor brand’s DTC friends, Billie and Harry’s. As Unilever acquires and invests in up-and-coming magnificence and private care manufacturers, others within the area are bringing in capital, launching new merchandise and partnering with established retailers in pursuit of progress. Both Heyday and Maëlys have lately raised funds to develop their attain. In June, clear DTC hair care brand Vegamour partnered with Sephora to promote its new Vegamour Gro assortment on the cosmetics retailer’s web site, and DTC private care brand Native launched a line of face and physique sunscreens in April.
In addition to the Paula’s Choice acquisition, Unilever has made different modifications to the way it’s approaching the wonder area. In January 2020, Unilever and its subsidiary Sundial Brands launched a multicultural hair care line for Gen Z shoppers in partnership with Target, and earlier this 12 months, the corporate opted to cease utilizing the phrase “regular” in its magnificence and private care advertising and packaging as a part of its Positive Beauty initiative.
