The French beauty giant is accelerating the expansion of its high-end fragrance portfolio in China.
During the ninth China International Import Expo on November 6, the company showcased five brands making their Chinese debut, three of which are premium fragrance labels: Creed, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga.
The other two were professional skincare brand Skinbetter Science and professional haircare brand COLOR WOW.
The collective debut of the three fragrance brands reflects the ongoing beauty business transaction between the company and luxury group Kering.
In October 2025, the two companies announced a deal valued at approximately 4 billion euros.
In March of this year, the company completed its acquisition of Kering Beaute, Kering's beauty division, bringing Creed under its umbrella while securing 50-year exclusive beauty licenses for Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga.
The partnership is set to extend further to Gucci-related business.
In July of this year, the company signed a 50-year exclusive licensing agreement with Kering for Gucci beauty.
Under the arrangement, the relevant business is expected to transfer from current operator Coty to the company on July 1, 2027, one year earlier than originally planned, subject to regulatory approval and other conditions.
At a media briefing that day, L'Oreal Co. (OTC: LRLCY) Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Hieronimus spoke about the premium fragrance brand lineup and revealed that Gucci-related products will be introduced next year.
Hieronimus noted that while fragrance remains a relatively small category in China's beauty market, it is growing rapidly, with consumers showing increasing interest in premium and professional perfumes.
For the company, which already owns brands such as Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, and Armani Beauty, the newly added brands will broaden its coverage of different consumer groups and fragrance needs.
Beyond expanding its international brand portfolio, another key focus of the company's presence at this year's CIIE is local technology investment and research collaboration in China.
During the expo, the company announced that its Meicifang investment arm has invested in Chinese innovative biomaterials company PAM2L, with the two parties set to jointly develop innovative bioactive ingredients and promote their application in the beauty sector.
Meanwhile, L'Oreal China partnered with Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital to establish a joint research laboratory on skin barriers, using its CeraVe brand as the vehicle for translating research results and advancing the connection between basic research, clinical validation, and product development.
On the product innovation front, Mexoryl 400, a new sunscreen ingredient jointly developed by the company and BASF, was approved for registration in China on October 29, becoming the first new sunscreen ingredient approved since the implementation of the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics.
Three La Roche-Posay sunscreen products using the ingredient also received simultaneous registration approval.
From premium fragrance brand expansion to local technology investment and joint research and development, the company is simultaneously broadening its brand portfolio and technological footprint in the Chinese market.
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