France: L’Oréal, the global beauty leader, has announced the signing of an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Innovist, one of India’s leading digital-first personal care houses of brands. The move marks a significant step in L’Oréal’s expansion strategy in India and reinforces its long-term commitment to one of the world’s fastest-growing beauty markets.
The acquisition will bring together L’Oréal’s global beauty expertise and Innovist’s science-led, digital-first portfolio tailored for Indian consumers. Innovist’s brands will become part of L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division portfolio.
Founded in 2019 by Rohit Chawla, Sifat Khurana and Vimal Bhola, Innovist has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing personal care companies with a focus on science-backed formulations and digital-first growth. The company’s portfolio includes brands such as Bare Anatomy and Chemist at Play, spanning skincare and haircare categories.
Built around clean formulations, transparent ingredient practices, and supported by in-house research and manufacturing capabilities, Innovist has established a strong presence across direct-to-consumer platforms, e-commerce, quick commerce, and offline retail channels across India.
As part of the agreement, Innovist’s founding team will continue to lead the business as minority shareholders, ensuring continuity while working alongside L’Oréal India to accelerate growth.
Commenting on the development, Nicolas Hieronimus, Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal, said, “Our investment in this innovative Indian start-up is a clear testament to our unwavering commitment to expanding L’Oréal’s footprint in India. By bringing together the very best of L’Oréal’s global expertise with Innovist’s high-performing, science-led products and deep-rooted understanding of the Indian consumer, I believe we are poised to shape the future of beauty in this dynamic market.”
Highlighting the strategic importance of the market, Fabrice Megarbane, President Consumer Products Division, L’Oréal, said, “India is one of the most exciting and fast-evolving beauty markets in the world, and this partnership places us right at the heart of that momentum. For the Consumer Products Division, this is a key milestone, one that reflects both our ambition and our commitment to this extraordinary market.”
Adding to this, Jacques Lebel, Country Manager of L’Oréal India, said, “Innovist has built something truly special here in India, and by joining forces we look forward to bringing L’Oréal even closer to the new generation of digitally-savvy Indian beauty consumers.”
Speaking on the partnership, Rohit Chawla, CEO & Founder of Innovist, said, “We founded Innovist on the conviction that Indian consumers deserve beauty products built on real science with full transparency on formulation, and that these products could be made in India to global standards. This partnership with L’Oréal brings together a deep alignment in this vision and product philosophy, with the global scientific innovation resources to grow this ambition. Together, we see a significant opportunity to build the next generation of beauty brands.”
Sifat Khurana, CMO & Co-Founder, added, “We built Innovist for consumers like me, without compromises and shortcuts. That intention has today resulted in a partnership with the world’s largest beauty company, and the beginning of a much larger chapter for Indian beauty.”
Vimal Bhola, Chief R&D Scientist & Co-Founder, further said, “At Innovist, scientific rigour has been the culture since day one. We share this deep-rooted foundation with L’Oréal and a shared vision for the future of beauty powered by science.”
The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. L’Oréal will begin consolidating Innovist’s sales following completion of the transaction and has also secured rights to acquire the remaining minority stake over time.
