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Shiseido just added to its beauty empire by acquiring two U.S. brands, Laura Mercier and skincare line RéVive. Shiseido Americas announced today that it is acquiring Gurwitch Products, LLC, which owns Laura Mercier and RéVive.
Last year, Gurwitch pulled in $175 million in annual net sales and Women’s Wear Daily is estimating that Shiseido’s purchase price for the acquisition is $260 million.
As a company, Shiseido isn't just its namesake brand; the Japan-based firm also owns plenty of makeup lines you've seen in the aisles of Sephora, including Nars, BareMinerals, Ipsa, and Clé de Peau Beauté. It also boasts fragrance businesses like Narciso Rodriguez and Issey Miyake, and affordable and mid-priced beauty and skincare brands marketed in Asia.
But Shiseido has its own loyal followers, as does Laura Mercier, loved for its tinted moisturizer, among other products.
RéVive and Laura Mercier will complement the business's existing prestige beauty brands, according to Shiseido Americas president and chief executive officer Marc Rey in a press release:
Both brands have unique viewpoints, fast-growing and loyal customer bases, and the same focus on innovation that defines all of Shiseido’s brands. Laura Mercier’s classic French elegance and artistry perfectly complements the unique styles and offerings of NARS, BareMinerals, Shiseido and Clé de Peau Beauté to create a formidable portfolio of prestige makeup. And RéVive, with its proven restorative formulas and use of Nobel prize-winning technologies, is a terrific fit with Shiseido’s skincare heritage.
Shiseido seems to have big plans for Laura Mercier in particular, which made headlines in April thanks to its rumored $500,000 deal with blogger/influencer Aimee Song. Rey told WWD that Laura Mercier will stay on board with the brand, and the plan is to boost the brand's presence globally, saying "we do believe it has potential on all the continents."
Shiseido clearly agrees — now we all get to see what's next for Laura Mercier and those beloved face tints.