In Review, August 2026: Headline highlights from Boots, Harvey Nichols, Estée Lauder and more...

Sophie Smith

28 August 2026

This month brought a mixed picture for the beauty and retail sector. Talks surrounding a potential Boots takeover reportedly reached a standstill, while Frasers Group completed its acquisition of Harvey Nichols. Fragrance continued to underpin Estée Lauder’s performance, while wellness remained firmly in the spotlight. Retailers also continued to expand their beauty footprints, from Sephora’s plans for its next London store to Jo Malone London’s growing presence across Boots. Here’s our round-up of August's highlights...

Boots takeover talks stall after Weston family lowers offer

Boots’ proposed £7 billion sale to the Weston family was put in jeopardy after private equity owner Sycamore Partners reportedly rejected a reduced bid. The two sides had reached a standstill after months of negotiations, with a source close to the discussions putting the chances of salvaging the transaction at “50/50”. The full report outlined the latest position in the talks.

Harvey Nichols

Frasers Group confirms acquisition of Harvey Nichols

Frasers Group acquired Harvey Nichols from FTI Consulting, taking control of six UK stores, the online business, inventory, franchise agreements and more than 1,000 employees. The deal covers the newly refurbished Knightsbridge flagship and locations in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh.

P&G agrees $3.8 billion deal to acquire supplements brand Thorne

Procter & Gamble agreed to acquire science-driven wellness company Thorne for $3.8 billion in cash. The deal adds a practitioner-backed supplements business to P&G’s Health Care portfolio as younger consumers continue to spend on personalised wellness and performance. The deal expanded P&G’s exposure to premium wellness.

Estée Lauder annual sales rise as skincare and fragrance drive growth

The Estée Lauder Companies reported a 5% increase in net sales to $15 billion for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026. The performance was supported by new product launches, brand expansion and initiatives aimed at improving profitability and consumer acquisition. Fragrance showed stronger momentum and skincare continued to grow, while make-up remained broadly stable and hair care declined modestly.

Boots

‘September reset’ gains momentum as UK consumers prioritise wellness

September emerged as a second reset point for UK consumers, with 44% identifying it as the right time to restart healthy habits, according to Boots research. The study found that 48% of UK adults regret failing to invest in their wellbeing ahead of winter, while post-summer motivation is driving healthier changes and preparation for colder months.

Wild entered children’s personal care with refillable WildChild range

Refillable personal care brand Wild expanded into children’s bath products with WildChild, supported by a limited-edition Peppa Pig collaboration. The UK and EU range includes Hair & Body Wash and Bubble Bath refills designed to fit reusable cases, extending Wild’s refill model into family bathroom routines. The move took Wild into a new consumer segment.

Sephora to open fifth London store this winter

Sephora UK announced plans to open a 4,500 sq ft store at Brent Cross shopping centre in North London this winter. The opening date is due to be confirmed in November. The new store will become Sephora UK’s fifth London store as the retailer continues to build its presence in the capital, adding another location to its UK expansion.

Jo Malone London

Jo Malone London arrives at Boots as demand fuels major retail expansion

Boots launched a new partnership with Jo Malone London, making the British fragrance brand available in 39 stores across the UK and on Boots.com from 4 August. The rollout gives Jo Malone London a presence in more Boots locations than through any other UK retailer. The new distribution agreement broadens the fragrance brand’s reach across the UK.

Rituals enters colour cosmetics with new skincare-led make-up range

Rituals launched a make-up and lip care collection that brought skincare ingredients into colour cosmetics. The new range combines new products with redesigned and reformulated lines, including liquid blushes, skin tints, lip glazes and mascaras. The Glow Balm was also reformulated and redesigned.

Kleenex unveils ‘biggest innovation in 30 years’ with new beauty tissue range

Kleenex announced two skin-specific tissue products in what it described as its biggest product innovation in 30 years. The Kleenex Beauty Tissues range is scheduled to launch on 1 September 2026, with variants for oily and combination skin and for dry and normal skin. The products are intended for beauty routines as well as everyday use.

thim beauty

thim beauty secured its first major UK department store listing

Korean beauty brand thim beauty launched its full skincare range at Harrods Pharmacy, securing its first major UK department store listing. The collection is available at Harrods’ Knightsbridge flagship, giving the brand a physical presence in one of the UK’s most significant luxury retail locations and representing a new stage in thim beauty’s UK expansion.

Selkie secured four Dragons in a £40,000 investment deal

Refillable haircare brand Selkie secured £40,000 from four Dragons after founder Cicely Coops appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Coops had sought the investment in exchange for 12.5% of the company, which made shampoo and conditioner in powder-to-liquid form to reduce water transportation and single-use plastic packaging. The deal provided backing for Selkie’s next phase of growth.

Coty appointed a new CFO as sales beat forecasts but losses doubled

Coty reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.27 billion, ahead of market expectations, but its net loss more than doubled as lower volumes, tariffs and excess inventory affected profitability. The company also appointed Soraya Benchikh as Chief Financial Officer from 1 September, following wider changes to its senior team and operating structure under the Coty.Curated strategy.

Beiersdorf nivea

Beiersdorf lowers full-year outlook as Nivea enters 18-month turnaround

Beiersdorf lowered its full-year sales and margin guidance as it began an 18-month turnaround plan for Nivea. The German skincare group expects low-single-digit organic sales declines across both its Consumer Business Segment and the wider group in 2026, compared with its previous forecast of flat to slightly positive growth.

Oriflame appoints former L’Oréal executive as CEO

Swedish beauty and wellbeing company Oriflame appointed former L’Oréal executive Kenneth Benaim Campbell as Chief Executive. He succeeded Anna Malmhake after her three-year tenure and brought more than 30 years of international leadership experience, including 27 years at L’Oréal and senior roles across Europe, Asia and Latin America. The appointment places an experienced international operator at the centre of Oriflame’s transformation strategy.

LVMH Beauty appoints former Balenciaga executive as COO

LVMH Beauty appointed Alexandre Oulès, formerly Chief Operating Officer of Balenciaga, as its new Chief Operating Officer. He started the role during August and reports to Véronique Courtois, President and Chief Executive of the LVMH's beauty division and Parfums Christian Dior.

Allies of Skin

Allies of Skin founder Nicolas Travis to exit

Nicolas Travis began the process of stepping down as founder and Chief Executive of Allies of Skin, the Singapore-based luxury skincare brand he established in 2016. He gave six months’ notice and is due to leave on 10 February 2027, while former Makeup by Mario executive Alicia Valencia joins as interim president.

Peter Ruis steps down as John Lewis managing director as successor revealed

Peter Ruis announced he is stepping down as Managing Director of John Lewis, with Partnership board member Will Kernan set to succeed him in mid-September. Ruis, who plans to pursue new projects, will remain with the employee-owned business until 6 September. The John Lewis Partnership describes the change as an orderly succession plan.

Bodycare secures investment to accelerate UK store rollout and AI-led retail transformation

Value beauty retailer Bodycare completed an investment round led by early-stage venture capital firm Arāya Ventures. The funding supports a national store rollout and an AI-led operating model, with entrepreneur Dilesh Mehta also participating alongside brand builders, retail leaders, operators and technology specialists.

Townhouse

Townhouse signs 40-salon franchise deal to enter Italian market

Townhouse signed a 40-salon franchise agreement with PRCNX Italia, marking the premium nail salon brand’s entry into Italy. The first Townhouse salon is expected to open in Milan in the coming months, with a phased rollout planned across other leading Italian cities.

Moroccanoil names tennis champion Aryna Sabalenka as Global Brand Ambassador

Moroccanoil appointed professional tennis champion Aryna Sabalenka as its new Global Brand Ambassador, deepening the haircare brand’s connection with tennis. Sabalenka will headline global campaigns and collaborate with Moroccanoil on exclusive content connecting athletic performance with personal style. The partnership will also include immersive experiences and appearances at major tennis events.

Estée Lauder launches London-based haircare hub, led by former John Lewis Commercial Director

The Estée Lauder Companies appointed Kathleen Mitchell to lead a newly created London-based Hair Care Hub – West, as the beauty giant looks to sharpen its regional focus and reignite growth in the category. The new global hub will cover the UK and Ireland, Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and India. It will serve as a regional centre for the group’s haircare portfolio, bringing leadership and commercial focus closer to individual markets.

Diptyque

Diptyque unveils expanded Harrods counter as London retail push continues

Diptyque unveiled an expanded counter at Harrods in Knightsbridge, bringing its fragrance, candle, bath and home collections together within a redesigned 27-square-metre space. The French fragrance house has added nine square metres to its previous Harrods presence. Diptyque said the renovation reflects its developing retail identity, designed to encourage discovery across the brand’s product categories.

Kiehl's to open new flagship on Carnaby Street

Skincare brand Kiehl's is opening a new flagship on London's Carnaby Street in September, adding to its current estate of 32 retail locations across the capital. James Rickards, Managing Director of L'Oréal Luxe for the UK & Ireland, reported the news on LinkedIn, calling Carnaby Street London's "hottest and most fashionable shopping destination".

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