Harry’s plans to disrupt odor control market with Lumē Deodorant acquisition

14 Dec 2021 --- Men’s shaving and skincare company Harry’s, Inc. is to acquire Lumē Deodorant, LLC, a doctor-developed, direct-to-consumer brand that offers consumers a way to manage odor wherever they experience it on their bodies. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed and the transaction is slated to close by the end of this year.

Harry’s is making the move to buy the doctor-developed, direct-to-consumer brand which was originally created by Dr. Shannon Klingman, a board certified obstetrician gynecologist. She discovered that external odor all over the body has the same root cause and developed Lumē to myth-bust the origin of all-over body odor.

Odor under the belt
The move will stand out as the first acquisition made by Harry’s Labs, the division responsible for expanding the company’s market presence. Harry’s Labs aims to offer acquired brands infrastructure and industry expertise. Harry’s Labs’ previous launches include Flamingo, Cat Person and Headquarters.

Andy Katz-Mayfield, co-founder and co-CEO of Harry’s, says the acquisition will bring Lumē’s products to more consumers.

“Harry’s are proven experts in scaling omnichannel personal care brands, and they deeply understand and support our mission to disrupt the odor control market,” says Dr. Klingman.

Harry’s says it will use the move to expand the market presence of Lumē’s products.Mandelic acid deodorant
Dr. Klingman’s product line intends to demystify and destigmatize body odor, especially from intimate areas. Lumē’s products contain mandelic acid, an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) often used by the medical community for antibacterial applications. It is often used in face-peels. 

In deodorants, mandelic acid acts as an antibacterial agent that does not disturb the skin’s acid mantle. 

This means that it kills odor-generating bacteria without irritating the skin. Regular use of mandelic acid on the underarm can lower the overall pH of the skin, creating an environment where odor-causing bacteria can no longer thrive. 

“Many of my patients struggled with odor ‘below the belt’ and were told bacterial vaginosis was the likely cause. My medical training made me suspect that the causes of odor were actually the same all over the body, including external odor below the belt, for both women and men. Years of research confirmed my hypothesis and led me to develop the first-ever all-over body odor product that works by blocking the odor reaction anywhere it is applied on the body,” continues Dr. Klingman.

Skincare branding
The company’s house brand, Harry’s, was founded by Andy Katz-Mayfield and his colleague Jeff Raider in 2013. Initially, the company catered only to men’s shaving and skincare needs. Since then, the company has expanded, creating Flamingo, Cat Person, Headquarters, and Harry’s Labs. The group has over 1,000 employees in established headquarters. 

Recent acquisitions within the skincare industry also include Clariant’s acquisition of Beraca and Evonik’s acquisition of Botanica.

Edited by Olivia Nelson