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Estee Lauder has signed an agreement to acquire Becca Cosmetics, a high-growth makeup brand offering complexion and color products that flatter a wide range of skin tones and enhance women’s features.
Now the beauty giant says it wants to speed up the Becca Cosmetics’ brands rollout in Asia and further abroad.
While the majority of the brand’s sales are in North America, it is currently engaged in a strategic global expansion with Sephora across Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Becca Cosmetics has a strong social media presence, with more than 1 million Instagram followers, and an engaged consumer base of all ages and backgrounds.
Launched in 2001, Becca Cosmetics has experienced exceptional growth for years, with a curated product line-up including primers, concealers, foundations, blushes and highlighters that use “the beauty of light” to enhance the complexion. Most of the brand’s foundations are available in up to 20 shades, with half designed for medium to deep tones and half designed for light to medium tones.
Since 2011, Becca has been led by president and CEO Robert DeBaker, and CFO/COO James MacPherson. It has been part of Luxury Brand Partners’ portfolio since 2012. The brand has a robust presence in specialty multi retailers Sephora and Ulta in North America, and is also sold in select department stores, as well as through BeccaCosmetics.com.
“Becca Cosmetics is a wonderful addition to our portfolio of prestige beauty brands,” said Fabrizio Freda, president and CEO of The Estee Lauder. “Its unique focus on complexion products that flatter a wide range of skin tones, combined with its sophisticated yet accessible consumer and digital engagement across channels has inspired a devoted fan base. We see terrific growth opportunities for Becca as it expands globally and continues to cultivate its online and digital expertise.”
“The Estee Lauder Companies is the ideal home for Becca,” said DeBaker. “The company has the scale and vision to help elevate Becca to its next phase of growth while encouraging us to continue to build our unique brand equity. We believe that beauty products should reflect a diverse range of skin tones and help all women create a naturally beautiful, yet individual look – and ELC is incredibly supportive of our mission.”
Estee Lauder is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, its brands sold in more than 150 countries and including Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, Tommy Hilfiger, Mac, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan New York, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Michael Kors, Tom Ford, Smashbox, Ermenegildo Zegna, Tory Burch, Glamglow and By Kilian.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in November.
