L’Oréal acquires majority stake in Medik8 for skincare growth

FRANCE – L’Oréal has announced the purchase of a majority stake in the British skincare company Medik8, aiming to strengthen its presence in the fast-growing science-backed skincare market.

Though the exact purchase amount wasn’t shared, the move reflects L’Oréal’s ambition to lead in dermocosmetics, skincare products developed using dermatology expertise that sit between beauty and medicine.

European private equity firm Inflexion will remain a minority shareholder in Medik8, but L’Oréal will take the lead in driving the brand’s global expansion.

“We are delighted to welcome Medik8 to the L’Oréal family,” said Cyril Chapuy, President of L’Oréal Luxe. “As a premium skincare range, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, Medik8 perfectly complements our existing skincare portfolio.”

L’Oréal’s expanding dermocosmetics lineup

This acquisition adds another strong brand to L’Oréal’s expanding dermocosmetics lineup, which already includes well-known names such as La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, Vichy, and Skinceuticals.

The category is growing fast, with revenues hitting €7 billion in 2024, a 9.8% increase from the previous year.

La Roche-Posay and CeraVe mainly drove that success, and the total company revenue rose by 5.6% to €43.48 billion.

L’Oréal has been actively investing in this space. In 2024, it bought a 10% stake in Swiss pharma company Galderma to explore opportunities in the growing aesthetic treatments market.

In early 2025, the company also launched a €20 million program in collaboration with the World Health Organization, called “Act for Dermatology,” aimed at enhancing access to skin health education and research over a five-year period.

The Medik8 acquisition is viewed as a strategic move, particularly following a period of relative quiet in the beauty-related mergers and acquisitions sector.

 According to Celine Pannuti of JPMorgan Chase, “Dermacosmetics is a fast-growing skincare segment that investors should pay attention to.”

Consumers today want results from their skincare and are increasingly informed about ingredients and their connection to aesthetic treatments.

Significant step forward

For Medik8, which manufactures its products in-house and reported £15.6 million in profits on £45.3 million in revenue last year, this is a significant step forward.

Founder Elliot Isaacs shared, “Medik8 was born to prove that skincare can deliver results without compromise — rooted in science, obsessed with customer experience, and driven by sustainability.”

He will remain involved, serving on the board alongside CEO Simon Coble and the current management team.

L’Oréal brings to the table world-class labs, product innovation, and distribution power. This gives Medik8 the chance to expand quickly into new markets.

Simon Coble echoed that optimism, saying, “I am delighted to be joining forces with a company which shares our vision for the brand’s future growth and whose core values align with our deep commitment to science, innovation, and above all, results without compromise.”

L’Oréal said this acquisition enhances its luxury skincare offerings with a strong, science-based brand that has significant room for growth globally.

Although its luxury segment saw slower growth last year, rising just 2.7%, it still outperformed rivals like LVMH’s beauty division.

Finally, while Inflexion still owns a part of Medik8, L’Oréal now has the option to buy out all minority shares in the future, giving it full control when the time is right.