The global beauty industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Once driven by Western ideals and Eurocentric standards, the sector is now propelled by consumers demanding authenticity, inclusivity, and cultural nuance. Among the continents affected by this evolution is Africa—a continent whose beauty traditions are as varied as its people, yet historically, arguably underserved by multinational brands. As purchasing power rises, digital access expands, and local conversations shape global trends, Africa is fast becoming one of the most exciting and contested frontiers in prestige beauty, including Clarins.
For a brand often associated with European elegance and heritage, Clarins’ venture into Africa is not only premised on geographic expansion, but also on reinvention. As the beauty industry accelerates its shift toward inclusivity and localization, Clarins is recalibrating its legacy through a Southern African lens, placing authenticity, diversity, and regional relevance at the heart of its strategy.
At the helm of this transformation is Isabel Martins, Clarins’ CEO for South Africa and Southern African markets. A 15-year veteran of the company, Martins brings Parisian precision and a deeply personal sense of purpose to her post in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she now spearheads operations across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and beyond. “When I arrived, Clarins was a beautiful sleeping brand in South Africa,” she said to BeautyMatter. “People knew the name but not what we stood for. Now, we’re telling our story in full color and with real local faces,” she added.
A 50-Year Presence, Reimagined
Clarins’ presence in South Africa stretches back five decades. Initially introduced via a third-party distributor, the brand opened its own subsidiary 15 years ago in response to growing market potential. Today, Johannesburg hosts a full in-market team, including 140 in-store beauty coaches and a dedicated e-commerce infrastructure that serves every corner of the country.
Yet while the brand’s physical presence is most robust in South Africa, its reach—and aspirations—extend further. Through partnerships with its agents and retail networks, Clarins is available across the continent. The ambition, Martins made clear, is not just footprint but meaningful engagement. “We are not looking for temporary visibility,” she said. “We are building relationships with people who reflect our values.”
Central to Clarins’ African success has been its redefined approach to representation. The South African division recently launched the Skin Illusion Full Coverage Foundation campaign, exemplifying this shift. Featuring 28 shades and fronted by plenty of South African women who are diverse not only in skin tone, but in life story and professional background, the campaign was so impactful that Clarins’ headquarters in Paris requested to repurpose it globally, Martins revealed.
“We didn’t cast based on follower count,” she explained. “We chose women with something to say. Women whose beauty wasn’t performative but powerful.” The decision to localize the campaign production—everything from casting to creative direction—was not only a marketing success but also a cultural statement. “[The consumer response has been] better than we could have ever dreamed,” Martins said.
The foundation, composed of 80% skincare ingredients, is formulated for longevity and luminosity without masking the skin. Sales have been so strong that certain shades are already out of stock—a testament to both pent-up demand and the accuracy of the brand’s shade calibration. “It wasn’t just a product launch,” said Martins, “it was the result of years of collaboration with our French labs to ensure undertones worked for African complexions. We were heard.”
The Rise of the African Beauty Connoisseur and Intercontinental Complexities
The myth of the uninformed consumer has long plagued international strategies in Africa. Clarins is working to dismantle that, particularly in Southern Africa, where Martins describes the average shopper as “an expert.” Whether shopping for skincare serums or lip oils, she noted, customers ask detailed questions about ingredient sourcing, sustainability practices, and clinical efficacy.
Clarins’ Double Serum, a flagship product recently relaunched in the market, is one of its strongest performers, alongside eye serums and hydration ranges. On the color cosmetics front, lip oils dominate sales, followed closely by mascaras and foundations. “South Africans want both science and story,” Martins revealed. “They are incredibly savvy, and they want to know the ‘why’ behind what they’re buying.”
Digital commerce has played a pivotal role in unlocking this market. With more than half of Clarins’ sales occurring on mobile devices, the brand’s South African e-commerce platform has become a critical touchpoint, particularly for men’s grooming—a segment that’s far more advanced than in Europe, according to Martins. “Men here take pride in skincare. Our bestsellers online are from the men’s line.”
Despite its momentum, however, Clarins’ African expansion isn’t without friction. One of the most persistent challenges remains logistics. All of Clarins’ skincare is manufactured in France, a decision rooted in the brand’s commitment to French pharmaceutical-grade quality and corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles. Products are shipped to South Africa exclusively by sea—a deliberate choice to minimize environmental impact. However, sea freight adds a three-month lag to inventory planning, a delicate balancing act that requires precise forecasting and robust warehousing.
Then there is the broader continental challenge of intra-African trade. Despite being able to ship products from South Africa to Europe with relative ease, transporting goods from South Africa to Ghana or Nigeria is riddled with delays, bureaucracy, and prohibitive tariffs. “It’s a huge frustration,” Martins admitted. “There is so much opportunity in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt. But until we solve the transport and policy bottlenecks, scaling access remains complex.”
She then cited Woolworths’ new pan-African beauty retail initiative as a sign of hope. “The moment we can crack distribution into capital cities—even just for click-and-collect e-commerce models—we’ll unlock exponential growth.” For now, Clarins’ physical retail presence in South Africa is built entirely through department store partnerships with Woolworths, Edgars, and Truworths, among others. The brand is present in 350 doors nationally and maintains a flourishing online presence through local platforms like Superbalist and Takealot.
Clarins has flirted with the idea of standalone stores, but Martins said that the current retail strategy is serving their goals efficiently, at least for now. Notably, this model has enabled the brand to keep its products accessible across a range of price points. While prestige serums sit at the higher end of the scale, more affordable hydration lines and color products bring in middle-class customers. The average basket size is around ZAR 1,800 (approx. $95), a healthy spend that reflects the brand’s cross-demographic appeal.
Building a Beauty Legacy in Africa
While South Africa remains the crown jewel of Clarins’ African strategy, the broader continent is on its radar, although cautiously. Expansion, Martins suggested, must be thoughtful. “You can’t just enter a country and leave it on autopilot. You need trained staff, localized storytelling, supply chain reliability, and long-term commitment. Otherwise, you risk damaging the brand,” she said.
The company’s ambitions aren’t limited to revenue growth. Clarins’ Gift With Purpose CSR initiative has already delivered over 82,500 meals to children in South Africa and launched 16 sustainable gardens in early childhood centers, in partnership with Save the Children. “We’re not just here to sell,” Martins said. “We’re here to make a difference.”
As Clarins continues to deepen its roots in Southern Africa, its evolution offers a blueprint for how heritage beauty brands can stay relevant in a fast-changing world by projecting prestige not only from the top down, but by building it from the ground up, one meaningful relationship at a time.
