Updated: March 22
Beauty M&A deals have showed nearly no signs of slowing, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Just a few weeks into 2021, there have already been multiple billion-dollar beauty M&A deals, including the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.’s deal to acquire the rest of Deciem, parent company of The Ordinary, and Shiseido inking a deal to sell its personal care business to CVC Capital.
There have also been smaller deals, as venture capitalists continue to back beauty companies.
Here is a list of the beauty M&A transactions so far in 2021:
January
Paper Cosmetics, a direct-to-consumer natural and sustainable deodorant brand, closed a funding round. Terms were not disclosed.
SuperOrdinary received a minority investment from Alliance Consumer Growth. SuperOrdinary helps U.S. beauty brands expand into China, and has worked with The Ordinary, Olaplex, Drunk Elephant and other brands.
Coty Inc. closed on a minority investment in Kim Kardashian West’s beauty business, KKW Beauty. The $200 million investment gave Coty a 20 percent stake in the business.
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Perfect Corp. raised a $50 million Series C round led by Goldman Sachs. Perfect Corp. develops artificial reality and artificial intelligence technology used in virtual try-on apps for the beauty industry.
Curlsmith, a brand that specializes in textured hair, raised a Series A led by BFG Partners.
Hero Cosmetics got a minority investment from Aria Growth Partners, a new private equity firm. Hero is best known for its Mighty Patch line of hydrocolloid acne patches, but has also branched into other skin care products.
Cathay Capital took a minority stake in Juliette Has a Gun, a French fragrance business.
Reckitt Benckiser acquired feminine care brand Queen V, which makes vaginal health products for women.
Amyris Inc., the biotechnology company behind Biossance, said it will acquire Terasana, a clean CBD brand.
Gemma Labs, a data-driven hair care business, raised $2.75 million from PSL Ventures and other individual investors.
Thirteen Lune raised $1 million from friends and family, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Naomi Watts and Gregg Renfrew of Beautycounter.
San Francisco Equity Partners acquired natural beauty manufacturer Smith & Vandiver Corp.
February
Dame Products, which makes vibrators, raised $4 million in seed funding for women-run venture firms.
CVC Capital signed a deal to buy Shiseido’s personal care brands, including Tsubaki, Senka, Uno and Sea Breeze. The brands are expected to be transferred into a joint venture run by CVC in July.
L’Oréal finalized the acquisition of Takami, a Japanese skin care brand.
Skin Inc Supplement Bar, a skin care line focused on customization, raised $7 million from Singapore-based investment fund Mistletoe.
WellBiz Brands Inc. acquired the franchise rights for Drybar’s salon business, which includes 141 Drybar salons.
Givaudan is buying Myrissi, an AI business that translates fragrances into color patterns and images.
CBD wellness brand Beam raised $5 million in Series A funding. The business was launched by former athletes Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran and is focused on topicals for pain relief.
Art of Sport — founded by Matthais Metternich, Brian Lee and the late Kobe Bryant — secured $6 million in funding led by entrepreneur Mark Cuban.
The Estée Lauder Cos. said it would acquire the rest of Deciem, the parent company of The Ordinary. Lauder is increasing its 29 percent stake in the business to 76 percent, valuing Deciem at $2.2 billion, and in three years, Lauder plans to buy the rest of the company at a to-be-determined valuation.
Madison Reed, which specializes in clean, at-home hair color, has raised $52 million with plans to launch more products, open more Color Bars and ramp up technology.
111Skin, the high-end skin care line from London plastic surgeon Yannis Alexandrides, has received an investment from Vaultier7.
Inflection has invested in Pangaea Laboratories, the owner of Medik8 skin care.
March
Amyris said it plans to buy clean Costa Brazil, a clean skin care business. Founder Francisco Costa will join Amyris as chief creative officer.
Yatsen Holding, the parent company of Perfect Diary, has signed a deal to acquire Eve Lom from Manzanita Capital.
Fueguia 1833 has gotten a minority equity investment from Ilwaddi WLL. The plan is to accelerate distribution for the niche fragrance line, and to expand manufacturing abilities.
AS Beauty, the owner of Julep and Laura Geller, has acquired Mally Beauty, the beauty brand of celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal. Mally Beauty is sold on QVC, Amazon, Tmall and on its own website.
Curls, a hair care line for people with textured hair, has gotten a minority investment from Beauty By Imagination, which also owns WetBrush, Goody, Ouidad and Bio Ionic. Mahisha Dellinger, the founder of Curls, will remain Curls’ majority and controlling owner, and will continue to lead the brand. She will continue to focus on innovation and expand the company’s give-back programs, which focus on developing the next generation of Black female entrepreneurs. She will also join the BBI board. Under BBI, Curls plans to expand distribution.
Core Equity Holdings has taken a majority stake in Franck Provost’s hair care empire, Provalliance.
American Securities, a private equity firm, has agreed to acquire Conair, which owns the Cuisinart, Conair, Babyliss, Scunci and Waring brands. Members of the founding Rizzuto family will retain minority ownership.
Eco-friendly fragrance brand Maison J.U.S. has raised 600,000 euros from angel investors.
NewSpring Franchise, a lower middle market private equity fund, has invested in Blo Blow Dry Bar. Blo has more than 100 locations in North America.
Hub.cycle, which converts fruit and vegetable waste into raw materials for the personal care and industries has raised 1.5 million Euros.
For more from WWD.com, see:
Behind HydraFacial’s $1 Billion Valuation
Here’s Where Beauty Stands in Its Progress Toward Racial Equity
Tracee Ellis Ross Joins Ulta Beauty as Diversity & Inclusion Adviser
By: acollinswwd
