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L’Oréal has acquired a majority stake in the UK’s Medik8 as it seeks to expand its position in the skincare market, the French beauty giant confirmed on Monday.
As part of the deal, private equity firm Inflexion will remain a minority shareholder, and the current management committee will also stay in their roles.
The cost of the stake is officially undisclosed, although the Financial Times reported last week that the potential deal was worth around €1bn.
L’Oréal’s share price was roughly unchanged on the news.
“We are delighted to welcome Medik8 to the L’Oréal family,” said Cyril Chapuy, President of L’Oréal LUXE. “As a premium skincare range, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, Medik8 perfectly complements our existing skincare portfolio,” he added.
L’Oréal has been seeking to capitalise on the boom in science-driven skincare, partly driven by social media influencers.
Brands already under its “Dermatological Beauty Division” include La Roche-Posay, Cerave, Vichy, Skinceuticals, and Skinbetter Science.
This unit brought in over €7bn in revenue in 2024, representing an almost 10% year-on-year rise, making it L’Oréal’s fastest-growing division.
Seeking to expand its portfolio, L’Oréal bought soap maker Aesop in 2023, and Korean beauty brand Dr.G in December.
Last year, L’Oréal also acquired a 10% stake in skincare firm Galderma, as well as acquiring the beauty licence for Miu Miu.
At the time of the Galderma deal, the French firm said it was “increasingly investing in a more holistic approach, spanning the entire beauty routine” — thereby “anticipating and intercepting the signs of skin ageing”.
Medik8, founded in 2009, specialises in anti-ageing treatments and was bought by UK-based private equity firm Inflexion in 2021.
