French cosmetics giant L'Oréal announced on Thursday its plan to acquire a majority stake in India's Innovist, a fast-growing science-driven digital-first personal care company. The deal, which includes a call option to fully buy out minority shareholders, adds local brands such as hair care label Bare Anatomy and skin care line Chemist at Play to L'Oréal's portfolio. Financial terms were not disclosed. For overseas buyers and distributors, this signals L'Oréal's intensified push into India's booming beauty market and potential new sourcing or partnership opportunities with these digitally native brands.
Deal structure and brands
L'Oréal will acquire a majority stake in Innovist, with an option to purchase the remaining minority interests. The transaction brings under L'Oréal's umbrella Innovist's portfolio of direct-to-consumer brands, including Bare Anatomy (hair care) and Chemist at Play (skin care). The acquisition is expected to close within months, subject to regulatory approvals. Founders and minority shareholders will continue to operate the business in collaboration with L'Oréal India.
Strategic rationale for India
L'Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus stated, "This investment in an innovative Indian startup is a clear testament to our unwavering commitment to expanding L'Oréal's presence in India." Earlier this year, Hieronimus acknowledged that L'Oréal is "under-indexed" in India, where sales represent only about 1% of group revenue. Despite achieving high single-digit growth in the country last year, the company saw "little to no market share gains." The acquisition aims to accelerate growth in one of the world's fastest-growing beauty markets, driven by young, affluent, social-media-savvy consumers with rising disposable income.
Innovist's positioning and founder vision
L'Oréal describes Innovist as one of India's fastest-growing science-driven, digital-first personal care companies, built on clean formulations and transparent ingredients. Innovist CEO and founder Rohit Chawla said, "We founded Innovist with the conviction that Indian consumers deserve beauty products that are truly science-backed, with complete formulation transparency, and that such products can be manufactured in India to global standards." He added that the partnership with L'Oréal aligns with this vision and connects global scientific innovation resources to further develop next-generation beauty brands.
What buyers should watch
For overseas importers, distributors, and clinic buyers, this acquisition signals L'Oréal's commitment to scaling digital-native, science-backed brands in India. The deal may create new opportunities for sourcing Innovist's products or partnering with L'Oréal's expanded Indian operations. Distributors should monitor how L'Oréal integrates these brands into its global supply chain and whether the company will extend distribution of Bare Anatomy and Chemist at Play beyond India. The transaction also highlights growing M&A activity in India's premium personal care segment, which could influence product availability and pricing for international buyers.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 18, 2026