Beyond The Headlines: Unilever posts personal care sales growth, E.L.F. launches financial literacy game

This week in industry news, Unilever revealed its Q1 results for 2025, reporting strong performances from Dove, Vaseline, and its well-being brands. E.L.F. launched a financial literacy game on Roblox to empower Gen Z with money management skills. Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the WWF celebrated Earth Day, commemorating their 15 years of partnership, highlighting progress in sustainable sourcing, clean energy, and environmental stewardship.

Financial news

Unilever reported 3% underlying sales growth in Q1 2025, supported by performances in Personal Care, which grew 5.1%. Dove achieved around 8% growth, driven by the success of its serum shower collection and whole-body deodorants. Skin Cleansing and Deodorants performed strongly in North America, while Skin Cleansing brands like Dove Men+Care and Lux also contributed to gains in Europe and Asia.

Kimberly-Clark reported net sales of US$4.8 billion in the first quarter, a 6% decrease compared to last year. Currency headwinds, divestitures, and business exits mainly drove the decline. Organic sales fell by 1.6%, and adjusted earnings per share dropped by 4% as the company faced higher supply chain costs.

Croda International reported an 8% increase in first-quarter sales to £442 million (US$588.87 million), supported by growth in its Consumer Care division. Beauty Care sales rose by 5%, and Fragrances and Flavours grew by 19%, compared to the previous year. Beauty Actives sales declined by 2%. Croda says demand from local customers remained strong, and its full-year outlook remains unchanged despite global economic uncertainty.

Eurofins reported €1.77 billion (US$ 2 billion) in the first quarter of 2025 revenue, up 6.9% compared to the previous year. Organic growth was driven by strong demand for consumer product and biopharma product-testing. The company completed 11 acquisitions during the quarter, including clinical diagnostics operations in Spain.

Lush is celebrating 30 years since inventing the bath bomb.Beauty launches

E.L.F. Beauty partnered with Chime to launch “Fortune Island: Earn Learn Flex,” a new financial literacy game on Roblox. Aimed at Gen Z players, the game teaches money management through real-world scenarios and storytelling. The launch builds on E.L.F.’s existing presence on the platform and reflects a growing trend of gamification — brands using gaming to connect with younger audiences.

Dove teamed up with Chamberlain Coffee to launch the new Plant Milk Cleansing Collection, which blends skin care with plant-based ingredients like oat milk and turmeric. The partnership will include pop-up events in Los Angeles, US, and college campuses. The collaboration also features a limited-edition drink.

Lush celebrated 30 years since “inventing” the bath bomb and is set to launch a new collection on World Bath Bomb Day. The lineup includes updated best-sellers, new scents, and a special 95 pence (US$ 1.19) offer for its original Butterball bath bomb. The company will also host hands-on workshops, promoting self-care rituals as an “antidote” to today’s fast-paced digital life.

The IV Healing Spa in Los Angeles, US, launched a doctor-formulated Rapamycin Facial Cream featuring a 0.4% concentration, the highest available on the market. The cream is designed to combat skin aging at the cellular level by targeting the mTOR pathway. Clinical studies support its benefits for improving skin tone, elasticity, and thickness. The formulation is medical-grade, non-comedogenic, and made for sensitive skin.

Celebrations and awards

P&G and WWF celebrated 15 years of collaboration on environmental initiatives. Their work has helped advance responsible sourcing, clean energy adoption, and sustainable forestry practices. P&G says it has already achieved some of its key goals, including sourcing most of its wood pulp from certified sources.E.L.F. launched a financial literacy game on Roblox to empower Gen Z with money management skills.

Takasago International Corporation has been named Unilever’s Partner of the Year 2025 as part of the company’s “Partner to Win” program. The award highlights Takasago’s contributions to supporting Unilever’s new business model and helping shape its future direction. 

Business news

Coty announced a new phase of its “All-in to Win” transformation program, targeting US$130 million in fixed cost savings over the next two years. The company announced plans to streamline regional operations and sharpen its innovation focus. Coty expects these changes to strengthen its market position, improve margins, and support long-term growth.

Nippon Surfactant Industries expanded its EFfCI GMP certification to its Nasu Factory, further strengthening quality control standards for cosmetic ingredient production. The certification is a quality standard to ensure good manufacturing practices of cosmetic raw materials. The improvements included structural upgrades and increased employee training.