July in review: L’Oréal lands Gucci Beauty, US FDA peptide decision, EU fragrance allergen deadline

Last month, in personal care industry news, L’Oréal announced plans to take over the 50-year exclusive global license agreement for Gucci Beauty, a year ahead of schedule. 

Asia’s beauty market advanced. Companies across the region ramped up AI investments, and on the finance side, a US investment firm filed for the first dedicated K-beauty ETF (exchange-traded fund). 

Meanwhile, the US FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee assessed whether seven injectable peptides should be used in compounded medicines. We spoke with the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and intelligence platform Cafeteria about the outcomes’ impacts on the industry. 

Lastly, the EU fragrance allergen labeling deadline hit. 

We look back at the biggest stories from July.

L’Oréal lands Gucci Beauty early as Coty cashes out for US$400M 

L’Oréal announced plans to take over the 50-year exclusive global license agreement for Gucci Beauty a year ahead of schedule. The new license will come into effect on July 1, 2027, following customary regulatory approvals. Coty said it was exiting the license for approximately US$400 million and will use the proceeds to cut debt and refocus on priority brands. The accelerated deal signaled intensifying competition in prestige fragrance and luxury houses, reclaiming control over their beauty operations.

Beauty retailers pressured to drop badger hair brushes after PETA exposé 

A PETA investigation of Chinese badger farms depicting the brutalization of badgers pushed some retailers supplying makeup and shaving brushes with badger hair to remove the products. The animal rights group pressed Mühle and Van Der Hagen to follow. We spoke to PETA and Mühle, who clashed over the investigation’s findings. Mühle argued that the beauty market would need to go through a further sustainability shift by convincing customers of the benefits of synthetic fibers. PETA said the next wave of cruelty-free cosmetics will be an avoidance of any practice in the supply chain that harms animals.PETA says cruelty-free cosmetics now mean clearing animal harm from entire supply chains (Image credit: PETA Asia). 

AI proliferates through Asia beauty market with robotics and personalization 

Various Asian beauty companies ramped up investment in AI by leveraging the tech in the development of ingredients, tools, robots, and formulation software. Puncture Robotics’ Hairo automated parts of the hair transplant process, while Sweetch’s partnership accelerated natural ingredient discovery. Cosmax and Shu Uemura used AI to deliver personalized cosmetics and makeup recommendations. Personal Care Insights explored the assorted approaches companies are taking to stay ahead of the beauty tech curve.

Wall Street chases K-beauty with first dedicated ETF filing 

K-beauty’s global rise caught Wall Street’s attention. US investment firm Guinness Atkinson filed for a dedicated K-beauty ETF, which would let US investors back the entire value chain rather than single companies. Foreign investors’ big stakes in South Korean cosmetics companies have risen amid record exports and growing US demand. Analysts said the fund could unlock fresh capital to further fuel the industry’s international expansion.

“Gen Next” treats beauty claims as guilty until proven innocent, report finds 

Young-consumer intelligence platform Cafeteria found that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are reshaping personal care, demanding clinical evidence, transparent claims, and authentic reviews. Increasingly reading their skin as a wellness metric tied to sleep, diet, and stress, these skeptical shoppers embrace beauty tech but are opposed to GLP-1 drugs. Marisol Estrella, cultural insights lead at Cafeteria, told Personal Care Insights how cosmetic brands can increase their credibility with the critically-minded demographic.

UK–India trade agreement slashes beauty tariffs but logistics stall price cuts 

The UK–India Free Trade Agreement entered into force, cutting tariffs of up to 22% on beauty and personal care products. The deal offers brands greater access to both markets, but we look into how currency headwinds, logistics disruptions, and phased tariff reductions may delay widespread price cuts. Guinness Atkinson files the first dedicated K-beauty ETF for US investors.

US FDA peptide decision could create marketing challenges for beauty industry 

The US FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee assessed whether seven injectable peptides should be used in compounded medicines. Peptides have been a staple of the beauty industry, used in topical skin care solutions for decades, but injectables have garnered public attention due to social media influencers boasting about their “beneficial wellness” effects. Personal Care Insights spoke to ASOP, the AAD, and Cafeteria about the potential industry impact if the peptides are approved. They all warned that a narrow approval could be misread as a green light for cosmetic marketing. 

Juice’s vaginal suppository launch sparks debate over intimate care’s beauty pivot 

Juice entered the market with scented vaginal suppositories, pitched as a desirable beauty step rather than a health necessity. The blurring of intimate care and cosmetics has drawn praise and criticism. FemTech and Women’s Health marketing consultant Vidya Tasa-Chadha told us why the framing reads as evidence-skirting and a trendy rebranding of female shame. 

Beauty suppliers’ earnings: High-performance actives and fragrances lead 

Beauty’s ingredient suppliers bet on premium innovation to ride out the macroeconomic gloom. Croda, Ashland, Symrise, and dsm-firmenich all posted quarterly gains on demand for actives and fragrances, reaffirming full-year outlooks despite geopolitical uncertainty. Cost-cutting programs helped companies protect profitability and cash flow. We dove into what the cosmetic players’ financial results signal for the personal care value chain. 

EU fragrance allergen rules take effect and more than triple disclosure list 

Cosmetics placed on the EU market must individually declare 56 additional fragrance allergens. Botanicals like lavender, rose, and patchouli have their own entries — a particular squeeze on natural formulas. Essential oils now hold their own Annex III entries, catching natural and “clean” positioned formulas. Canada’s parallel disclosure requirement for the same 56 substances also came into play. We broke down what the industry needs to know about the EU fragrance allergen labeling deadline.