L'Oréal takes majority stake in Innovist, escalating MNC race for India's D2C beauty brands

L'Oréal will acquire a controlling stake in Innovist, owner of Bare Anatomy and Chemist at Play, with founders retaining minority and operating roles. The deal—size undisclosed, pending regulatory clearance—follows HUL-Minimalist (₹2,700 cr), Marico-Plix (₹380 cr) and ITC-Yoga Bar (₹225 cr), confirming global giants are buying into India's digital-first beauty stack.

— Filed Thu, 18 Jun, 2026, 15:13 IST · Source Mint · Companies · Updated

L'Oréal will acquire a majority stake in Indian D2C personal care firm Innovist (Bare Anatomy, Chemist at Play), with founders retaining minority and operational roles. Deal size undisclosed; closure pending regulatory approval. Signals MNC rush for India's digital-first beauty brands.

Why this matters

L'Oréal's India bet doubles down after signaling a pivot to India and SEA amid softening US beauty demand. The Innovist deal puts it head-to-head with HUL, Marico and ITC in the D2C beauty M&A race.

Retail-company signals steady at 3,115 over the last 90 days.

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