Beauty industry H1 results show mixed corporate guidance

Recent first-half earnings reports from major beauty and fragrance companies reveal diverse financial trajectories for the industry. Leading players such as L’Oréal, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Puig have maintained their full-year guidance, while Unilever has upgraded its 2026 outlook following strong performance in its personal care and beauty divisions. Unilever now expects underlying sales growth in the second half of the year to fall within the 4 per cent to 6 per cent range.

Other notable shifts include Beiersdorf lowering its guidance and Henkel increasing its top-line forecast for organic sales growth. In Asia, Kao raised its full-year projections for both net sales and operating profit. In the United States, E. l. f. Beauty is reportedly on track to become a $2 billion company. Key industry themes include the growth of K-beauty in the Americas, momentum in the hair care category, and the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East.