L’Oréal snaps up cult hair brand Color Wow

L’Oréal has acquired Color Wow, the buzzy prestige brand that’s been making serious waves both in salons and on social media. The deal marks a major expansion of L’Oréal’s professional portfolio, adding one of the fastest-growing brands in the category to its arsenal.

Founded in 2013 by beauty industry veteran Gail Federici, Color Wow has carved out a powerful niche by solving hair problems with stylist-approved solutions. Its bestsellers, such as the humidity-blocking ‘Dream Coat’ and volumising ‘XL Bombshell’, have earned cult status with over 130 beauty awards and a fiercely loyal following.

Color Wow is an omnichannel powerhouse, distributed in salons, e-commerce platforms and third-party retailers. That makes it a strategic asset for L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division, especially at a time when prestige haircare is booming and consumers are demanding high-performance products that deliver salon results at home.

Omar Hajeri, President of L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division, said: "As a premium haircare brand, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, this acquisition will give us an increased foothold in haircare and in the styling category. Our ambition is to make Color Wow a powerful brand worldwide."

With this acquisition, L’Oréal isn’t just buying a brand, it’s buying cultural relevance and a ticket to continued dominance in this booming segment of beauty. Color Wow, now with the world’s largest beauty machine behind it, is about to go even bigger.

Federici added: "Joining L’Oréal is an incredible opportunity. Becoming part of the world’s number one beauty company will set the stage for Color Wow’s continued success and help drive our innovation to new heights."

The deal, subject to regulatory approval, follows a string of acquisitions by L’Oréal. In February, L'Oréal Group reported a 5.6% rise in sales to €43.4 billion (£36.2 billion) for the year ending 31 December 2024, with growth across all divisions led by dermatological beauty passing the €7 billion mark for the first time.