Maria Contino Talks Beauty

As BeautyMatter has reported, 2021 was a blockbuster year for beauty deals, with over 407 deals closed, representing a 52% increase from 2020. Based on the activity and evaluations being recorded in the marketplace, we have every reason to be just as optimistic about 2022. For example, in January, P&G acquired both skincare brand Tula and celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin’s haircare brand Ouai, while last month, makeup brand Il Makiage closed a $130 million funding round, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. Clean makeup brand Ilia was acquired in February, while Mad Rabbit, a clean and natural tattoo skincare company, and eco-friendly beauty and home care brand What Matters, both closed record fundraising rounds last month. Clean beauty is no longer a trend—it’s becoming table stakes, and we’re seeing more investors opt to align themselves with clean brands across all beauty and wellness categories.  

Brands with well-known founders with proven track records also continue to dominate M&A activity, and we see no signs of a slowdown. Investors not only love the innovation, but also the margins that beauty brands offer, and they continue to bet big on them, driving record-level evaluations on beauty brands across all categories.