GetHarley, the London-based online skincare consultation platform, has secured a $52 million funding round led by Index Ventures, a current investor in the company. GetHarley, the London-based online skincare consultation platform that links customers with skincare clinicians and customized skincare products, has secured $52 million in funding with Index Ventures as the leading investor. GetHarley was established in London in 2019 by Charmaine Chow. It is a telemedicine platform that provides direct access to licensed skincare professionals, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons, who offer recommendations for skincare products and treatments for a variety of conditions such as acne, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, rosacea, melasma, and other. GetHarley is marketed as a convenient and cost-effective personalized skincare solution. It allows customers to virtually consult with top-tier skincare professionals for a nominal fee and receive expert advice on their skincare needs and treatments. The platform also provides concierge services to help beauty clinics provide customized products to their customers. GetHarley's business also includes selling personalized skincare products that cater to individual needs based on factors such as skin type (dry or oily) and skin tone (light or dark). These products can range from cleansers and serums to moisturizers and eye creams. Before this latest funding round, GetHarley had raised a total of $15 million in two previous funding rounds. Its most recent funding was raised on April 1, 2021, in a Series A round. Charmaine Chow, CEO and founder of GetHarle said: “The skincare industry is overflowing with false claims, celebrity marketing and thousands upon thousands of choices about how to care for your skin,” “You end up wasting huge amounts of time, money and energy trying to figure out what works for you. I should know – I looked everywhere for solutions for my challenging skin. And while consumers are being pulled in multiple directions, clinicians are time-poor and overstretched and you can never quite get hold of them. GetHarley solves all this, giving experts a one-stop platform, and helping global consumers get access to the best advice in a crowded marketplace.” Charmaine Chow added.

Olay, the skincare brand of P&G, has launched its first sensitive skin care product line, including the Olay Sensitive Facial Cleanser with Gentle Cream, Sensitive Eczema Therapy Skin Relief Cream, Sensitive Soothing Moisturizer and Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Recently, P&G's skincare brand, Olay, has introduced a range of products for sensitive skin, which includes the Olay Sensitive Facial Cleanser with Gentle Cream, Sensitive Eczema Therapy Skin Relief Cream, Sensitive Soothing Moisturizer, Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30. The Olay Sensitive Skin product range contains essential components such as USP-grade colloidal oatmeal, which dermatologists recommend soothing and safeguarding the skin, as well as Vitamin B3, peptides, and shea butter, which help to condition the skin. Additionally, these products are free of steroids, fragrances, parabens, phthalates, dyes, and mineral oil, all of which can irritate sensitive skin. The products are designed to alleviate sensitive skin issues while utilizing effective ingredients. The Olay Sensitive Facial Cleanser with Gentle Cream is priced at $14.99. which is formulated with oat extract and vitamin B3 to alleviate seven common symptoms associated with sensitive skin, such as dryness, flakiness, itchiness, a weakened skin barrier, irritation, and tightness. The Olay Sensitive Eczema Therapy Skin Relief Cream is non-comedogenic and free of steroids, fragrances, parabens, phthalates, dyes, and mineral oil, so it works great for sensitive skin. Our ultra-rich formula absorbs into the skin slowly, giving you instant hydration and temporary relief from eczema. The Olay Sensitive Soothing Moisturizer, which is priced at $29.99, has a fast-acting formula that delivers instant and long-lasting hydration while also providing temporary relief from itching. The Olay Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is priced at $29.99. This sunscreen will be rapidly absorbed by the skin and complements almost all skin tones. Its distinct formulation provides transparent protection against UVA/UVB radiation, and it is specifically designed for sensitive skin with a fragrance-free formula. The Skin Health Alliance has approved it for use by dermatologists.

Chanel has signed one of the largest leases since the pandemic by renting a two-story shop in Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong's top shopping districts. The London-based luxury brand is set to focus on the HK travel retail market. French luxury brand Chanel has recently rented a two-story duplex shop of approximately 1,765 square meters in the Capitol Centre of Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, as well as a six-story street-facing advertisement facade. The lease term is from May 2023 to May 2026, with two additional three-year renewal options, allowing for a total lease period of up to nine years. Located right in front of a subway station exit, the shop boasts a large facade, making it one of the most recognizable retail locations on what was once the world's most expensive shopping street. The space was previously rented by fashion retailers Forever 21 and Victoria's Secret before remaining vacant during the pandemic. Although Chanel has not yet disclosed the specific decoration and operation plans for the store, nor revealed the rental amount, several local media in Hong Kong have reported that Chanel pays a monthly rent of approximately HKD 3 million ($383,000), making it one of the biggest leases since the outbreak of the pandemic. Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department released the provisional statistics of retail sales for April 2023. The value of total retail sales in April provisionally estimated at HK$34.7 billion ($4.43 billion), saw growth of 15% compared to last year. While the total value of retail sales increased by 21.7% during the first four months of 2023 when compared with the same period in 2022. The new store in HK indicates that Chanel is optimistic about China’s travel retail market. Chanel’s CEO, Leena Nair, stated that the Asia-Pacific region, led by China, accounts for more than half of the company's revenue. Chanel's CFO, Philippe Blondiaux, also stated that the company will continue to open new independent beauty and fragrance boutiques.

Chanel will launch more environmentally friendly product packaging. The French luxury fragrance brand’s new Change fragrance will now feature an anodized aluminum strip instead of the previously used polished brass that was galvanized. Chanel is making further progress towards offering more environmentally friendly product lines. As a result, the Chance eau de toilette range will now feature an anodized aluminum strip instead of the previously used polished brass that was galvanized. Aluminum is not only lightweight but also one of the most recycled metals available. Moreover, this material change eliminates the need for chemicals used in galvanizing. To successfully implement this material change, the luxury fragrance brand has enlisted the help of g.pivaudran, a French manufacturer that specializes in creating aluminum components for the perfume, cosmetics, and spirits industries. Chanel has set a significant goal to reduce the environmental impact of all its product ranges. To achieve this, the brand has decided to replace the galvanized varnished brass band that surrounds the new Chance bottles with an anodized aluminum one. The anodized aluminum strips for the new Chance fragrance bottles are manufactured by g.pivaudran in the southwest of France and assembled by glassmakers in France and Italy who collaborate with Chanel. Although consumers may not notice the change, g.pivaudran stated that it is a significant symbolic gesture by Chanel towards becoming more eco-friendly, without any unnecessary showiness, and is also effective and practical. Chanel will launch the new bottles with the 100ml version, with all other sizes to be decorated with the anodized aluminum strip by 2024. g.pivaudran is now responsible for producing the new strips for all sizes of the Chance fragrance bottles, including 35ml, 50ml, 100ml, and 150ml. Marc Pivaudran, CEO of g.pivaudran said: “Our expertise allows us to shape aluminium in a host of manners, to assembly a range of materials and resolve the current requirements of our clients. Aluminium, by its very nature, is eco-responsible, can be endlessly recycled, is lightweight and suitable for multiple uses, and forms our response to the desire for added value by luxury brands.” Source: Premium Beauty

Image Skincare, a worldwide skincare brand, announced that Sennen Pamich, who previously served as the president of Wella Company Americas, has been appointed as the company's new CEO. Sennen Pamich Image Skincare recently announced that Sennen Pamich, who previously served as the president of Wella Company Americas, has been appointed as the company's new CEO, effective as of May 2023. Before his tenure at Wella Company, which is the second-largest retail hair color and professional beauty company in the world, Sennen Pamich held the position of Senior Vice President of COTY Professional Beauty, North America. Before that, he served as Global President of Portfolio Brands and Global President Revlon Salon Division for Revlon Inc. During his time at the company, he played a significant role in integrating Elizabeth Arden and in the successful acquisition of the Colomer Group. In addition, Sennen Pamich also has extensive experience in executive and leadership positions at prominent global beauty and healthcare brands including BVLGARI, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble. He holds an M.B.A. in International Business and a B.S. in Business Administration from the U.S. International University. Image Skincare is specializing in developing, promoting, and distributing clinical products for the professional skincare sector. The company has a broad range of innovative products that include cleansers, eye creams, moisturizers, serums, masques, foundations, and peels that are sold in more than 60 countries. Image Skincare founder and Chairwoman, Janna Ronert, said, “Sennen has a strong track record of developing world class organizations and scaling global enterprises, and will be a great cultural champion of Image.” “I am thrilled to join Image at this important point in the Company’s evolution,” said Sennen Pamich. “Image’s commitment to providing professional-grade skincare products that not only meet customers’ needs but also are backed by clinically proven results have cemented the Company as a skincare market leader. I look forward to working closely with my talented Image colleagues to continue to drive innovation and scale our professional products and treatment offerings.”

Grascent submitted its prospectus, planning to list on the ChiNext board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The company’s clients include well-known international fragrance and flavor companies and daily chemical giants such as Procter & Gamble, Givaudan, and Firmenich. Hangzhou Grascent Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Grascent) submitted its prospectus, planning to list on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's ChiNext board, with Changjiang Financing as the sponsor institution. In 2022, Grascent's total revenue reached 631 million yuan ($88.69 million), an increase of 6.23% year-on-year. Grascent was established in 1999 and is mainly engaged in the research, development, production, and sales of bio-based and fully synthetic fragrances. It has formed three product series, including pine oil, cypress oil, and fully synthetic fragrances. The specific products include nearly 40 subdivided varieties such as sandalwood, methyl cypress ketone, and Turkone series, which are mainly used as raw materials for daily chemical fragrance formulations. Starting from 2010, Grascent has obtained three rounds of financing, including angel round, Series A, and Series B, with investors including Taiheng Investment and Jiaxing Minglang Investment. According to the latest prospectus, the revenues of Grascent in 2020-2022 were 540 million yuan ($75.90 million), 594 million yuan ($83.49 million), and 631 million yuan ($88.69 million), respectively, with net profits of 64.43 million yuan ($9.06 million), 40.74 million yuan ($5.73 million), and CNY 68.14 million ($9.58 million). Grascent explained that the fluctuations in net profit were mainly affected by factors such as the international and domestic market environment. The purchase prices of their main products, pine oil, and cypress oil, rose in 2021, causing the gross profit margin of the main business to decline slightly compared to the previous year. In terms of revenue from main products, the revenue of Grascent's bio-based fragrances from 2020-2022 was 193 million yuan ($27.13 million), 171 million yuan ($24.04 million), and 164 million yuan ($23.05 million), accounting for 36.07%, 29.02%, and 26.34%, respectively, showing a downward trend year by year. The revenue of another major product, fully synthetic fragrances, showed an upward trend, with revenues of CNY 182 million ($25.58 million), CNY 236 million ($33.17 million), and CNY 268 million ($37.67 million) from 2020-2022, accounting for 33.81%, 40.05%, and 42.99%, respectively. At present, Grascent's core customers mainly include the world's top ten fragrance and flavor companies, daily chemical giants, and large international traders, such as Procter & Gamble, Givaudan, Firmenich, and Symrise. The prospectus shows that during the reporting period, the sales revenue of Grascent to its top five customers accounted for 41.83%, 43.90%, and 43.98%, respectively. Givaudan and Firmenich have always been the top two important customers, while Symrise and MASBY have also been among the top five largest customers. In 2022, Givaudan, Firmenich, and MASBY were Grascent's TOP3 customers, contributing sales of 89.1 million ($12.52 million) yuan, 68.8 million yuan ($9.67 million), and 49.91 million yuan ($7.02 million), accounting for 14.11%, 10.90%, and 7.91% of total revenue, respectively.

Thuso Mbedu, the South African actress who starred in the Hollywood blockbuster historical epic The Woman King, has been named by L'Oréal Paris to be their latest global Brand Ambassador. Thuso Mbedu at Cannes for L'Oréal Paris. Picture: Supplied. Thuso Mbedu, the South African actress, has been named the latest global Brand Ambassador by L'Oréal Paris and will represent the Sub-Saharan Africa region as a spokesperson. L'Oréal Paris said In a post on Instagram: "In addition to her successful international acting career, Thuso is passionate about empowering women and girls by providing them with educational resources alongside the non-profit organisation Save The Children.” Mbedu gained recognition for her performance in the South African teen drama series "Is'Thunzi," which earned her back-to-back International Emmy awards in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, in 2022, she starred in the blockbuster historical epic The Woman King. Thuso Mbedu made her first appearance as a representative of the L'Oréal Paris brand on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, where the beauty company served as an official partner. Mbedu was a guest of honor at the event. According to a statement, Thuso Mbedu, known for her role in The Woman King will provide her perspective to global advertising campaigns, product launches, and public appearances for L'Oréal Paris. The collaboration intends to transform beauty standards and encourage a surge of self-esteem and confidence throughout the continent. Burkhard Pieroth, the President of L'Oréal Sub-Saharan Africa, expressed enthusiasm in welcoming Thuso Mbedu to the L'Oréal Paris family. Burkhard Pieroth said: "Her exceptional talent, timeless beauty, and commitment to empowering others align perfectly with our mission," Pieroth said. "We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey together to inspire individuals to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate their inner beauty."

Guerlain, the LVHM-owned perfume, cosmetics, and skincare house, is set to expand its products line to prestige hair care by launching Abeille Royale Scalp and Hair Collection on 15 June. Guerlain, the perfume, cosmetics, and skincare brand owned by LVMH, is planning to expand its product line to high-end hair care. The brand will be launching its Abeille Royale Scalp and Hair Collection on June 15th. The newly introduced collection is a branch of the Abeille Royale skincare line, owned by LVMH. It features hair care items that incorporate honey sourced from bees on Ouessant Island. Among the products available are the Revitalizing and Fortifying Shampoo and the Repairing and Replumping Care Conditioner, priced at $82 each. Additionally, there is the Double D Radiance and Repair Hair Mask, which costs $93, and a Hair Care Brush priced at $169. The brush, developed in collaboration with Japan's S-Heart-S and inspired by shiatsu techniques, complements the hair care range. The formulas of the Abeille Royale Scalp and Hair Collection incorporate the innovative Blackbee Honey Repair technology and are enriched with ingredients derived from natural sources, accounting for up to 95 percent of the composition. The products feature fragrances crafted by Thierry Wasser, who serves as Guerlain's in-house master perfumer. Guerlain parent company LVMH stated in the 2022 annual report that Guerlain saw remarkable growth in the previous year, primarily driven by its successful performance in the fragrance sector. The L'Art et la Matière collection, which exemplifies the brand's expertise in high-end perfumery, expanded with the introduction of new fragrances. The skincare segment also delivered strong results, with the Abeille Royale range receiving a revitalization through the relaunch of its renowned product, the Double R Renew & Repair Advanced Serum. Source: WWD

Sharon Chuter, the founder and CEO of Uoma Beauty, has declared that she will be resigning from her leadership role within the company she established in California. Sharon Chuter, the founder and CEO of Uoma Beauty, has declared on her Instagram post that she will step down from her leadership role within the company she established. Sharon Chuter announced on Instagram that she has stepped down from her roles as CEO and board member at Uoma Beauty. stating, “I have left the role of CEO and also from the board of directors. I’m excited to be able to focus all my energies on creative endeavors — product development, campaigns, and many more exciting projects within and also outside Uoma Beauty.” Her post stated that she is thrilled to shift her attention entirely to creative pursuits such as developing new products, launching campaigns, and pursuing other exciting projects both within and outside of Uoma Beauty. The UOMA Beauty brand, founded by Sharon Chuter, a former beauty executive from Nigeria who is now based in LA and London, is known for its inclusivity. As a black-owned beauty brand, UOMA Beauty is considered the most diverse. Its range of products is designed for everyone and is characterized by its rebellious and innovative approach. UOMA Beauty stated on its official website that UOMA means beautiful and the company believes that beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself and they exist to re-write the rules of inclusivity and diversity to create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us. Even though Sharon Chuter is stepping down from her position as CEO and board member, she will still hold shares in the company and will remain involved as a "product and creative visionary" for the brand. “Through the inspiring leadership of founder and CEO Sharon Chuter, Uoma Beauty has made beauty industry history. Her bold, innovative, and inclusive approach to high-quality products remains at the heart of everything we do.” UOMA Beauty added.

L’Oréal announced that its corporate venture capital fund, BOLD, has secured a minority stake in the US biotech startup Debut which is known for its expertise in "cell-free" manufacturing of ingredients. L’Oréal announced that its venture capital fund, BOLD, has secured a minority stake in Debut, a US-based biotech company. The investment will enable Debut to rapidly expand its manufacturing platform and meet the increasing demand for innovative ingredients that can be used in cosmetics, skincare, and packaging. BOLD led a round of Series B funding for the San Diego-based biotech company, which raised a total of $34 million. L’Oréal stated that this investment is a result of the existing joint development programs between L’Oréal and Debut, which capitalize on Debut's vast intellectual property portfolio to bring high-value, sustainable ingredients to the market more quickly. Debut, a company based in San Diego, California, is focused on discovering, formulating, clinically testing, and manufacturing new ingredients and products. They specialize in using a cell-free advanced biomanufacturing platform that overcomes the constraints of traditional fermentation techniques and directly controls biological processes to produce complex natural products, including polyphenols, biopolymers, and natural colors. These products are highly valued for their anti-aging, high-performance, and antioxidant properties, and the use of this platform enables Debut to bring these products to market faster and more sustainably. Debut's cell-free advanced biomanufacturing platform greatly simplifies the manufacturing process and allows for a greater variety of products to be produced. With this technology, new ingredients can be developed and produced in as little as six weeks, from the discovery phase to pre-production. These ingredients can be used in a range of high-performance and sustainably made beauty products, such as moisturizers, serums, and hair care products. Barbara Lavernos, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Research, Innovation, and Technology of L’Oréal said “Cell-free biomanufacturing is not science fiction: it is here. We could not be more excited to be the first beauty company to invest in this technology with Debut. We are delighted of our partnership with DEBUT to create together stand-out active beauty innovations while protecting the planet’s resources.” "We are absolutely delighted to have L’Oréal as an investor at a time when advanced sciences are needed to thoroughly re-imagine how beauty ingredients are made, to address the challenges of cost, quality, scalability and sustainability head-on,” said Joshua Britton, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Debut. Source: L’Oréal

China National Institute for Food and Drug Control released the Guidelines for the Registration and Approval of Cosmetics and New Raw Materials. The application for an extension of registration for domestic and imported special cosmetics should be submitted within 90 to 30 working days before the expiration of the product registration certificate. June 5th, the China National Institute for Food and Drug Control released the Guidelines for the Registration and Approval of Cosmetics and New Raw Materials (hereinafter referred to as the "Guidelines"). The Guidelines announced nine guidelines for the registration and approval of new cosmetic raw materials with a higher risk, changes in domestic special cosmetics, first-time registration, extension, and cancellation of registration, changes in imported special cosmetics, first-time registration, extension, and cancellation of registration. According to the annex of the Guidelines, the application for an extension of registration for domestic and imported special cosmetics should be submitted within 90 to 30 working days before the expiration of the product registration certificate. Applications will no longer be accepted after the deadline. The acceptance agency will review the application within 5 working days of receiving it and issue a new registration certificate to the applicant within 10 working days from the date of acceptance. For the registration and approval of new cosmetic raw materials with a higher risk, as well as changes, first-time registration, and cancellation of domestic and imported special cosmetics, the Guidelines also clearly state that the acceptance time limit is 5 working days, the legal approval period is 20 working days, the technical evaluation time is 90 working days, and the approval time is 20 working days. It is worth noting that raw materials listed in the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China 2021, specific raw materials included in the used category, raw materials specified as banned components in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics, and raw materials with actual functions beyond the definition of cosmetics are not considered new cosmetic raw materials and cannot be managed as such. The Guidelines state that if the original product registration certificate does not reflect the PA value, according to Article 44 of the Provisions for Management of Cosmetic Registration and Notification Dossiers, the product should increase the SPF/PA value according to the changes in the label sample content, submit a change application, and provide the corresponding efficacy test report of the intended changed product. In addition, if the registration extension application cannot be submitted within the prescribed time limit due to force majeure or other reasons not caused by the cosmetic registrant or domestic responsible person, the registrant or domestic responsible person shall submit a written explanation and provide corresponding supporting materials to the provincial drug regulatory department where they are located within 10 working days after the relevant impact has been eliminated.

Skin care clinic Skin Pharm announced the company has received a minority investment from Prelude Growth Partners, the $15 million investment is set to support the company's nationwide expansion plans. Skin Pharm, a prominent skincare clinic and modern beauty brand announced that it has received a minority investment from Prelude Growth Partners. The investment, which amounts to fifteen million dollars, will be used to support the company's nationwide expansion plans for their clinic and ongoing development of new products. Skin Pharm is a modern beauty brand founded by nurse practitioner Maegan Griffin in 2017. Skin Pharm provides clinical skin care products and in-clinic treatments. The company is headquartered in is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and has multiple clinics across the United States in cities such as Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas, and Franklin, Tennessee. The highly skilled practitioners at Skin Pharm encourage skin health and boost self-assurance by offering personalized treatment plans, suggesting suitable products, and delivering subtle, natural-looking results that are never excessive. In addition, Skin Pharm introduced its line of skincare products in 2018, which currently includes nearly 20 items such as the Crystal Clear Clarifying Pads priced at $50, Youth Serum at $115, and Glow Factor at $150. Prelude Growth Partners is an equity firm that invests in high-potential, innovative consumer brands with a focus on the food and wellness, consumer products, and retail sectors. They offer financial support and additional value to help founders fully realize the potential of their brands. Besides Skin Pharm, Prelude Growth Partners has partnered with Brazilian body care brand Sol de Janeiro, premium skincare brand Summer Fridays, and skincare brand Naturium. “With this strategic partnership, we will be able to achieve our dream of expanding Skin Pharm to every major city and continue to stay at the forefront of an ever-changing industry — all while maintaining the same quality of care our patients and customers deserve,” says Maegan Griffin, Founder, and CEO of Skin Pharm. Neda Daneshzadeh, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Prelude Growth said: “Skin Pharm has created a uniquely differentiated, trusted brand with a quality of experience and loyalty which is unrivaled in the industry. We see long-term secular growth in this category driven by consumers seeking efficacy and results. We look forward to working closely together with Maegan and her team as they execute their strategic growth plan.”