L’Oréal buys Japanese luxury derm brand

The dermocosmetic skincare category soared in 2020.

 L’Oréal’s La Roche-Posay is now the number one dermocosmetic brand in the world and the multinational’s CeraVe, acquired in 2017, is enjoying a major revival among younger consumers spring boarded by TikTok.

L’Oréal has also been beefing up its strength in the cosmeceutical sector with SkinCeuticals, the number one globally recognised skincare brand for antioxidants.

To spearhead further growth in Asia, L’Oréal has acquired Takami Co, the Japanese dermatologist-developed luxury skincare brand.

Founded in 1999 by Dr Hiroshi Takami as a prestige brand with an emphasis on peeling, Takami’s Skin Peel Pre-Serum is known as the “Little Blue Bottle” to its legions of fans in Japan and across Asia.

The brand achieved revenues of 50 million euros (AUD$78.76 million) in 2019 and sales are growing fast in China, where Takami is mainly sold online or through selected distribution.

L’Oréal already had a long-term licensing relationship with Dr Takami, which has been renewed in the new deal. The agreement also includes a collaboration contract with the brand’s two dermatological clinics in the ritzy Tokyo suburb of Omotesando.

The Takami brand is a natural fit for L’Oréal’s Luxe division, alongside 26 globally recognised names such as Lancôme, Giorgio Armani and YSL Beauty.

According to Jerome Bruhat, president of L’Oréal Japan, Takami enjoys a strong reputation in skincare expertise, a unique visual identity and a core of loyal customers in Japan. “These are the pillars of the brand’s success that we will grow further in the future.”