Comment: Investing in China
At the beginning of the year when the COVID-19 crisis was limited to China, discussions centered on...May 18, 2020
Comment: Back to big brands
Not so long ago there was a certain uneasiness among beauty groups about the rise of indie...April 20, 2020
Stress tests & COVID-19
In Paris we have spent our first week in confinement. Many retailers have had their first week...March 23, 2020
Playing the game with China
Managing the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on business is not easy. Apart from the dramatic sales...February 24, 2020
China and the long view
The big question over the past few weeks is to what extent the coronavirus will affect business,...February 10, 2020
BW Confidential unveils new-look Beauty Insight
The market has changed. So have we. Today we bring you our new-look Beauty Insight, which we...January 21, 2019
Busy summer for beauty M&A
The summer is usually a quieter period for most businesses. This was not the case in beauty,...August 22, 2018
Acquisitions of small, independent brands continue in beauty
Another week and another acquisition of a small, independent fragrance brand. This time it was Maison Francis...March 29, 2017
Store closures continue in US retail
Retail shifts continue in the US and they are mostly focused on store closures. In the past...March 1, 2017
Key industry players remain optimistic about beauty
The political and economic climate may be uncertain, emerging markets continue to report slower growth and mature...February 15, 2017
The rise of small brands and their impact on the market
A key talking point in the industry is the rise of small brands and their impact on...February 1, 2017
Agon predicts continued volatility, but confident for 2017
At his New Year’s address to the press in Paris last night, L’Oréal ceo Jean-Paul Agon said...January 25, 2017
Online direct-to-consumer brands hot acquisition targets
The majors’ move to learn more about online selling and marketing by acquiring savvy digital start-ups was...January 18, 2017
M&A key theme in beauty in 2016
M&A was a key feature of the beauty market in 2016. Major groups looked to inject creativity,...January 16, 2017
The need to stay relevant
Looking back on 2016, there is one trend that stands out strongly: the need to stay relevant...December 14, 2016
Online audiences and the power of influencers
It looks like having the latest breakthrough product could take a backseat to cultivating a strong online...November 30, 2016
Seeding trend heats up in beauty
It’s no secret that beauty M&A is heating up. But there is another trend that is picking...November 15, 2016
Beauty brands and standalone stores
Are beauty brands destined to become retailers in some shape or form? Will standalone stores become a...November 2, 2016
Buying growth has its price
This week saw Coty make another acquisition, with the proposed purchase of hairstyling appliance brand ghd for...October 18, 2016
A new breed of beauty entrepreneurs
A new breed of entrepreneur is shaking up the beauty market. Perhaps never before have there been...October 6, 2016
Travel retail: An attractive channel for beauty brands
The global travel-retail market may have reported a 2.7% fall in sales in 2015, but perhaps never...September 23, 2016
Digital and targeting millenials
Most honest executives would admit that they are still struggling with digital and reaching millennials. Part of...September 19, 2016
Busy first half for beauty acquisitions
It has been a busy first half for beauty when it comes to acquisitions. There have been...September 14, 2016
Major new fragrance launches set for this fall
Retailers are encouraged by the strong crop of new fragrances coming out this fall. In a category...August 24, 2016
More acquisitions in beauty
Another week and another few brands change hands in beauty. The big news last week was the...July 5, 2016
The beauty landscape continues to shift
The beauty landscape continues to shift. After last year’s announcement that Coty would buy P&G’s specialty beauty...June 22, 2016
Color brands likely to be attractive acquisition targets
In terms of niche acquisitions, the focus has been mainly on fragrance over the past year and...June 8, 2016
Amazon a threat to US department-stores
US department stores are having a tough time, with both Macy’s and Nordstrom reporting first-quarter sales declines....May 25, 2016
Celebrity make-up launches on the rise
There’s nothing new about beauty brands teaming up with designers and celebrities to launch products. However, in...April 26, 2016
A changing Chinese market
L’Oréal ceo Jean-Paul Agon has commented several times about the fast pace of development in today’s market...April 13, 2016