It was certainly a good run and it was bound to happen, but we’ve started to see the beauty bubble deflate. Billion-dollar deals have slowed, although this quarter saw a couple, with General Atlantic taking a 60% stake in Morphe Cosmetics at a $2.2 billion valuation and Colgate acquiring Filorga for $1.69 billion. Angels, Venture Capital, and Private Equity are making smaller investments and placing their bets on the next crop of indie brands that could be on the path to unicorn status. While some are still talking about the “retail apocalypse,” others are seeing new life in retail as D2C brands look for new ways to acquire consumers, like the Le Tote acquisition of Lord + Taylor from Hudson’s Bay Company. Communities and causes are giving birth to new retail ventures like NakedPoppy and Grove Collaborative.
Inside the BeautyMatter Q3 Report:
