L’Oréal Acquires Majority Stake in Medik8

L’Oréal has taken a significant step into the science-driven skincare arena by acquiring a majority stake in British brand Medik8 for an undisclosed amount. The deal, previously reported to be valued at approximately £800 million, positions L’Oréal to strengthen its luxury skincare division just as global demand for clinically backed skincare continues to climb.

Medik8, founded in 2009 by scientist Elliot Isaacs, reported strong financials last year. In 2023 it turned over £45.3 million and delivered pre‑tax profits of £15.6 million. Its flagship Crystal Retinal serum has maintained around 82 percent of its retinoid unit sales and helped the brand grow its presence in the US, Australia and European markets.

Despite a quiet mergers and acquisitions period in beauty, L’Oréal has been steadily expanding. Earlier deals included Aesop at $2.5 billion and stakes in Dr.G and Galderma. Medik8 slots into a dermocosmetics portfolio that generated €7 billion in revenue in 2024 at nearly 10 percent growth year over year.

“This is an exciting day for our brand,” said Simon Coble, CEO, Medik8. “We’ve shown Medik8 to be a formidable force….We now enter our next phase of growth, with L’Oréal’s support, enabling us to further strengthen our innovation capabilities and reach even more customers worldwide”.

Analysts see this as part of L’Oréal’s strategy to deepen its foothold in clinical skincare. Demand for ingredient‑transparent, performance skincare remains strong. As veteran analyst Celine Pannuti from JPMorgan noted, investors are prioritising clinically backed brands with unique intellectual property.

The transaction still awaits regulatory sign‑off and is expected to close in the coming months. Until then, the move gives L’Oréal access to Medik8’s in‑house R&D, omni‑channel sales and high‑margin product mix. It also opens new category doors , scalp care is on the roadmap.

For L’Oréal, this deal confirms commitment to dermocosmetics as a long‑term engine of growth. Medik8 gains global infrastructure and distribution, while maintaining its scientific ethos. The combination could accelerate entry into the North American, Middle Eastern and East Asian markets.

At a time when consumers demand truthful, effective skincare, strategic bets like this could redefine what beauty means - beyond aesthetics and into proof. The question now is how L’Oréal will scale Medik8 without losing the authenticity that made it valuable in the first place.