No BS Beauty News

Ulta Beauty posted strong Q4 2025 revenue of $3.9B (+11.8% YoY), beating forecasts, but shares dropped nearly 12% after SG&A expenses surged 23% to $1B — driven by AI personalization investments, Space NK integration, and elevated labor costs. FY2026 EPS guidance midpoint of $28.30 came in slightly below analyst consensus, amplifying investor concern about margin compression.

Supplement brand Cymbiotika debuted at Ulta Beauty on March 15, marking the brand's first beauty retail partnership after a Target launch in October. Ulta is positioning the rollout — which includes an exclusive NAD+ offering using liposomal delivery technology — as part of a broader strategy to blend inner wellness with topical beauty. Cymbiotika previously raised $25M in seed funding backed by celebrity investors including The Weeknd and Post Malone.

Henkel has agreed to acquire Not Your Mother's — and parent company DeMert Brands — from private equity firm Main Post Partners. The deal, terms undisclosed and pending regulatory approval, significantly expands Henkel's North American consumer hair footprint alongside Schwarzkopf, Got2Be, and Authentic Beauty Concept. The acquisition comes as Henkel also reportedly pursues a takeover of bond-builder Olaplex.

Estée Lauder Companies has entered into an agreement to buy out the remaining 51% stake in Forest Essentials — India's leading luxury Ayurveda skincare brand — following an initial minority investment in 2008 and a 49% stake acquired in 2020. The deal, expected to close H2 2026, marks ELC's first acquisition under incoming Group President Stéphane de La Faverie and signals a strategic bet on the fast-growing Indian prestige beauty market.

LVMH has appointed Philippe Farnier as Deputy CEO of Parfums Christian Dior and the broader LVMH Beauty Division — a newly created role effective March 9, reporting to Véronique Courtois. Farnier will oversee commercial and omnichannel strategy across the Division. The move signals LVMH's continued investment in strengthening its beauty leadership structure at a time when Parfums Christian Dior is one of the group's most strategically significant divisions.

Charlotte Tilbury has released a supercharged reformulation of its globally bestselling Magic Cream, introducing Recoverstem — a proprietary blend of over 100 naturally derived peptides designed to address 10 visible signs of aging and target pollution and blue-light damage. The price point remains unchanged. The reformulation is notable as a high-stakes update to a hero product generating significant brand revenue.

Olaplex has officially replaced its landmark No.3 treatment with No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment ($34), a pre-shampoo product built on Bond Building Technology plus a new Damage Defense Cationic Complex claimed to reverse hair damage in one use. The launch is accompanied by a campaign starring SNL's Chloe Fineman, and will roll out across the brand's full existing distribution footprint.

Boots released its sixth annual Beauty & Wellness Trends Report, drawing on data from 17 million Advantage Card holders. Key findings: K-beauty sales grew 5x with a product sold every 11 seconds; 64% of UK adults now use AI tools to guide beauty purchases; collagen sales up 62% YoY; and 43% of consumers no longer view cosmetic tweakments as taboo. The report launched alongside 20 new brands entering Boots, including K-pharmacy and Korean skincare labels.