L’Oréal says India growth accelerates in H1 as haircare, skincare demand surges

French beauty major L’Oréal on Wednesday said its India business continued to accelerate in the first half of 2026, with strong growth in haircare and skincare and a planned majority stake buy in personal care player Innovist set to deepen its footprint in the country.

L’Oréal’s SAPMENA-SSA region posted adjusted like-for-like growth of 13.8% in the first half, with the company saying growth in India continued to accelerate, driven by haircare and skincare, even as consumption in Gulf countries was hit by the Middle East conflict, except in Saudi Arabia.

“Performance was outstanding in Vietnam and very strong in the Australia-New Zealand cluster, while growth continued to accelerate in India, driven by haircare and skincare. Consumption in the Gulf Countries has been impacted since the start of the Middle East conflict with the exception of Saudi Arabia which proved resilient,” said L’Oréal in its earnings statement.

L’Oréal’s SAPMENA–SSA is a major operational and financial reporting zone grouping South Asia Pacific, Middle East, North Africa (SAPMENA) and Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the company, haircare remained particularly dynamic across both professional and mass-market segments, aided by the success of key brands and new product launches, while skincare benefited from the rising popularity of dermatological beauty products.

Moreover, e-commerce remained a major growth driver across the region, especially in India, Southeast Asia and Gulf countries, the company said.

“Across the region, e-commerce remained a key growth driver, notably in India, South-East Asia and GCC,” it said.

L’Oréal also highlighted its plans to strengthen its presence in India through local brands.

During the period, it signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Innovist, a leading Indian personal care company. The acquisition is expected to bolster L’Oréal’s expansion in the fast-growing Indian beauty market by adding a portfolio of local brands catering to local consumer needs.

“This move will further strengthen L’Oréal’s expansion in the fast-growing Indian beauty market by adding a portfolio of local brands addressing local consumer needs to its current roster,” it said.

This transaction is expected to be completed in the next few months after regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Besides, in the Consumer Products Division, L’Oréal said strong performances in India, Brazil and Vietnam helped drive growth in emerging markets.

Globally, L’Oréal reported sales of 23.78 billion euros in the first half of 2026, up 6.8% on a like-for-like basis.