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L’Oréal Group has acquired haircare brand Color Wow for an undisclosed amount, subject to regulatory approvals. The move strengthens L’Oréal’s portfolio with a professional, high-performance label in a category expected to see heightened M&A activity through 2025.
“We are delighted to welcome Color Wow to the L’Oréal family,” said Omar Hajeri, president of the group’s professional products division, in a statement. “With its range of high-end, high-performance and affordable haircare products, this acquisition strengthens our presence in the haircare and styling categories. Convinced of its strong potential, our ambition is to make Color Wow a powerful brand on a global scale.”
The move bolsters L’Oréal’s professional products arm, which includes brands like Kérastase, L’Oréal Professionnel and Redken. According to the group’s fiscal 2024 earnings, the division posted a like-for-like increase of 5.3 per cent to €4.8 billion, supported by e-commerce momentum and selective salon distribution. The segment also got off to a strong start in the first quarter of the year, growing 1.6 per cent (€1.2 billion).
Color Wow’s rise and acquisition reflect broader shifts across beauty, where consumer demand for efficacy and ingredient transparency is reshaping hair and bodycare. With ingredients like amino acids, proteins and peptides addressing frizz, volume and thinning hair, Color Wow taps directly into the surge for dermacosmetic-grade and professional-approved products. Hero offerings like its Dream Coat spray have become cult favourites among stylists and influencers alike, with celebrity endorsements from Chris Appleton — stylist to Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez — and viral reach on TikTok and YouTube.
Under L’Oréal, the brand stands to benefit from expanded research and development (R&D) capabilities, global scale and deeper international distribution — tools that will help accelerate growth while preserving its core professional ethos.
“Joining L’Oréal is an incredible opportunity for the entire Color Wow team,” said Color Wow founder and CEO Gail Federici in a statement. “Being part of the world’s leading beauty company will allow us to continue building on Color Wow’s success, particularly by taking our innovations to new heights.”
Experts predict that deals like this will become increasingly common as M&A activity accelerates through 2025 and into 2026. Brands in haircare, skincare and bodycare that prioritise science-backed formulations, perform well in professional channels (such as salons and skincare clinics) and carry expert endorsements are in high demand for their results-driven appeal that signal sustained growth potential.
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