Beauty Independent Dealmaker Summit 2025
Hahnbeck Partner Adele Hollywood spoke on the panel at the two-day Beauty Independent Dealmaker Summit in London, joining leaders in fundraising, capital strategy, and M&A alongside some of the most inspiring founders and executives in the beauty industry.
Widely recognized as the premier beauty-focused M&A event, the Summit brought together investors, strategic buyers, and brand leaders to discuss the current state of the market and the outlook for dealmaking in the years ahead.
The overarching takeaway was clear: investor appetite for exceptional beauty brands remains strong, but the bar for investment has never been higher. Strategics are navigating what one panel described as the “six Ds”—Distressed, Distracted, Disinterested, Divesting, Digesting, and Done—a reflection of the significant portfolio restructuring underway across major strategic acquirers and private equity firms. This dynamic is expected to continue well into 2026, reshaping how and where capital is deployed across the sector.
A Standout Story: Medik8
One of Hahnbeck’s favourite sessions featured Medik8 founder Elliot Isaacs, who shared the brand’s remarkable, decades-long journey—from its early days in professional skincare to its explosive growth during the COVID-era e-commerce boom. Isaacs spoke candidly about the timing and rationale behind taking private equity investment from Inflexion, as well as the process of hiring a CEO and building a leadership team to scale beyond the founder.
His reflections provided valuable insight into how founders can prepare—both operationally and emotionally—for external investment and eventual exit. Medik8’s £1 billion sale to L’Oréal earlier this year was one of the most significant beauty transactions of 2025—an extraordinary outcome for a science-led British skincare brand that has remained true to its professional roots while embracing innovation and global expansion.
Spotlight on Haircare
Adele also joined the Haircare Panel alongside Akash Mehta (Fable & Mane), Anabel Kingsley (Philip Kingsley), and Carlota Thevenot (Les Secrets de Loly) to explore whether haircare’s recent boom represents sustained category growth—and where the future of the segment is headed.
A survey of leading beauty retailers presented during the Summit highlighted continued enthusiasm for the haircare category, particularly for science-backed, results-driven, and wellness-linked brands. This aligns with a broader industry trend toward the convergence of beauty and wellness, as well as the rise of premium scalp care as one of the sector’s most dynamic growth sub-segments.
Despite intensifying competition, both retailers and investors continue to view haircare as one of the most promising categories in beauty, especially for brands that can differentiate through innovation, authenticity, and performance.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Dealmaker Summit reinforced that while capital remains highly selective, it is still available for brands with strong fundamentals—distinct positioning, loyal communities, and scalable operations.
For founders, the message is clear: focus on defensible differentiation, build sustainable channels, and nurture a loyal customer base. Brands that do these things well will continue to attract investor interest and thrive in an increasingly competitive beauty landscape.
About Hahnbeck
Hahnbeck is a leading global investment banking firm focused on the consumer products sector and adjacent industries. With specific expertise in DTC & retail and a deep network of strategic and private equity buyers in beauty, personal care and other CPG categories, Hahnbeck is the ideal advisory firm to help founders to maximise the value of their companies. If you would like to talk further, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@hahnbeck.com or Adele Hollywood at ah@hahnbeck.com for a confidential discussion.