This week, I checked in on how the demand for high-performing fragrances is driving new technologies and product categories. Additionally, both L’Oréal and The Estée Lauder Companies made global investments, and Hourglass founder Carisa Janes introduced a new beauty line. 

In 2025, gauging social media impact goes far beyond tracking a straightforward follower count or number of likes. With the introduction of its new proprietary metric known as the Total Social Impact metric, the social media management platform hopes to offer a more holistic view of a brand’s social reach.

In October, Rakuten welcomed Sephora as the exclusive beauty partner to its invite-only Rakuten+ member tier. Perks like cash back offer a valuable tool to keep Sephora customers loyal at a time when platforms like Amazon and ChatGPT might be driving beauty shoppers elsewhere.

This week, I checked in on Ulta Beauty’s expansion into the Middle East, where it's making a play for the region’s fragrance connoisseurs. Additionally, Shay Mitchell’s newest beauty launch has earned criticism for targeting children, and Coty throws a wrench into the Gucci beauty license deal. 

With the opening of its new High Performance model, Life Time joins other fitness and wellness companies that aim to offer a more intangible benefit than what’s usually found at the gym: community.

Getting into Sephora is the gold standard for many beauty brands. But getting there — and staying there — is far from easy. Speaking at Day 2 of Glossy’s Beauty & Wellness Summit in Newport Beach, InnBeauty Project’s co-founder Alisa Metzger led a working group to highlight her skin-care brand’s...

This week, I’m on site at Glossy’s annual Beauty & Wellness Summit. On Day One, we heard from industry leaders like Carina Chaz of Dedcool and Hayley Williams of Good Dye Young. Additionally, Skims makes a big beauty hire, and Neutrogena’s parent company gets acquired. 

After successive quarters of slumping sales, The Estée Lauder Companies reported a 4% rise in net sales, with a 14% rise in fragrance sales offsetting struggles in makeup and hair care.

While Creed has earned all the hype and then some with its billion-dollar acquisition by Kering and hit fragrance Aventus, fragrance industry experts have questioned not only its sky-high valuation, but also its supposedly storied history.