ARTICLES
Explore our latest insights on the beauty, luxury, and lifestyle industries. At Carrara Advisory, we combine decades of hands-on experience with deep market understanding to provide actionable perspectives on strategy, innovation, and growth. Here, we share our thinking on the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of your business.
The Retailer Taking the European Landscape by Storm: Action!
Action has transformed from a single Dutch discount store in 1993 into Europe’s fastest-growing non-food retailer, now spanning over 3,000 stores and €13.8 billion in revenue by 2024. Its unique mix of low prices, operational excellence, and a “treasure hunt” shopping experience has fueled both rapid expansion and rising store productivity - a rare feat in value retail
Private Equity is Shaping the Next Generation of CDMOs - 1Q Health Case
The beauty and wellness industries are converging, driving rapid growth, and pushing traditional CMOs further evolve into full-service CDMOs offering end-to-end solutions from formulation to brand support. Private equity is now shaping this space by building next-generation platforms that combine speed, scientific credibility, and integrated services to meet the rising demand.
Douglas Unleashed: Revenue, Risk, and the Road to a Balanced Future
Douglas has grown into a pan-European omnichannel beauty platform, with revenue increasingly driven by Southern Europe and CEE, while mature markets face margin pressure. Its biggest operational challenge remains elevated inventory, tying up cash and amplifying risk, making efficiency the key lever for unlocking free cash flow.
From Vanity Table to Kitchen: Beauty Brands Expanding Inside-Out
Beauty brands are expanding from traditional topical products into ingestible supplements that enhance skin, hair, and overall wellness from the inside out. While these products complement rather than replace skincare routines, adoption faces challenges and brands look for strategic opportunities.
Nutricosmetics and Supplements: Regional Focus, B&M Retail Exclusivity
The global nutricosmetics and supplements market is highly fragmented, with most brands confined to local markets and specific retail channels, particularly drugstores and pharmacies, due to regulatory, cultural, and retail barriers.
H1 2025 Beauty Tested, Not Broken
H1 2025 shows the industry is not collapsing but maturing: sales growth has slowed while profitability rises, driven by disciplined cost control, portfolio focus, and investment in resilient categories (e.g. derma, wellness).
Intercos: The Unseen Force Powering the World’s Biggest Beauty Brands
Intercos doesn’t sell to consumers, yet it shapes what millions apply daily. With strategic acquisitions, a “glocal” footprint, and a laser focus on R&D, Intercos has gone from Milan startup to global force powering most of the world’s top 30 beauty brands and hitting €1B+ revenues despite major disruptions.
Indie Beauty’s Breaking Point: Lessons from Ami Colé and Youthforia
In the indie beauty space, purpose and product are no longer enough. Survival now depends on the unglamorous pillars of business: strong operations, diversified channels, repeatable revenue, and scale-ready capital. Brands that chase virality without building infrastructure or trust are lighting fuses they may not be able to control.
Behind the Brand: Why CDMOs and Incubators Are Not Interchangeable
Understanding the difference between a CDMO and a beauty incubator is essential for anyone building or scaling a brand. While CDMOs focus on execution and manufacturing, incubators bring strategy, creativity, and market insight to turn ideas into lasting businesses.
Stylist Roots, Celebrity Influence: The New Wave of Haircare Brands
Celebrity and hairstylist-founded haircare brands have skyrocketed in influence, evolving from niche salon lines to powerful lifestyle icons championing authenticity, inclusivity, and sustainability. This transformation is reshaping the beauty market.
Medik8: From Pangea Laboratories to a Skincare Powerhouse – The Story of Growth and Transformation
While all eyes are on the Rhode x e.l.f. deal, L’Oréal’s rumored €1B acquisition of Medik8 raises eyebrows - impressive growth, yes, but at a valuation at 7.8x revenues and 23.2x EBITDA looks quite stretched… unless we miss something!
Roblox and Shopify: A New Era of E-Commerce for Beauty Brands
Roblox’s integration with Shopify is revolutionizing beauty brand commerce by enabling immersive, interactive virtual experiences that drive direct physical product sales - especially for makeup brands targeting Gen Z - while skincare and fragrance are still finding their footing in this digital frontier.
Growth Slows, Costs Rise: The Beauty Industry’s Next Great Challenge
The beauty industry demonstrated resilience in 2024 but faces slower growth in 2025, with success relying on agility, technology investment, and navigating economic and regulatory challenges.
Bridal Fashion: Where Emotion Meets Billion-Dollar Business
The wedding dress market, a $60 billion industry driven by emotion, craftsmanship, and evolving consumer trends, is witnessing a dynamic shift as luxury designers, mid-tier brands, mass-market retailers, and disruptive newcomers compete for dominance.
Location Matters: How Corporate and Personal Taxes Shape LLC’s Financials
Choosing the right LLC jurisdiction is instrumental for optimizing the Net Personal Income / Revenue Ratio, minimize tax burdens and maximize personal income. Switzerland emerges as the most favourable option.
The Resilient Beauty Industry: Key Takeaways from CY 2024
The beauty industry demonstrated resilience amidst challenges, with agile companies leading growth, while major players maintained steady performance despite headwinds.
The Middle East: A $60 Billion Opportunity for Beauty Brands
The Middle East, a region rich in history and culture, is a rapidly growing market for the beauty industry, valued at over $46 billion and driven by rising disposable incomes, urbanization, and a young, tech-savvy population. Brands looking to succeed must navigate cultural nuances, regulatory requirements, and diverse distribution channels, while leveraging digital platforms to connect with consumers.
Beauty Incubators: Nurturing Innovation in the Global Beauty Industry
Beauty incubators play a crucial role in nurturing innovation within the global beauty industry by providing emerging brands with mentorship, resources, and funding to overcome challenges and achieve commercial success. They shape the future of beauty through category diversification, technological integration, and strategic partnerships.
How Much It Really Costs to Launch a Beauty Brand
Launching a successful beauty brand to $5M in revenue within two years requires an investment of $3M to $8M, depending on the category (skincare, makeup, or fragrance) and key factors like brand positioning, formulation complexity, marketing strategy, and distribution model.
Nature’s Best-Kept Secret: How Adaptogens Are Transforming Beauty
Adaptogens are natural ingredients gaining popularity in the beauty industry for their ability to help the skin combat stress, inflammation, and environmental aggressors. These powerful botanicals are being incorporated into beauty products worldwide, offering holistic solutions for achieving healthier, more resilient results.