Brand Description

  Seattle, WA www.paulaschoice.com Sales: $220 million (estimated) Key personnel Paula Begoun, founder and chief executive officer; Erika Kussmann, chief marketing officer Major products Skin care products including cleansers, toners, exfoliants, moisturizers, sunscreen, anti-aging and acne products New products Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm, Reusable Cotton Rounds, Pro-Level Smooth + Renew kit Comments: Paula made her choice and she’s going with Unilever. Last month, Unilever agreed to acquire the digital-led skin care brand Paula’s Choice from TA Associates. A purchase price was not disclosed, but sources put the deal at $2 billion. Paula’s Choice was founded in 1995 by Paula Begoun, author of “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me” and “The Complete Beauty Bible.” “We are thrilled that Paula’s Choice will join our Unilever Prestige family,” said Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever EVP and CEO Prestige. “Paula’s Choice is a true pioneer in the digital space for beauty and has created a mission-based brand rooted in truth and transparency. We can’t wait to introduce the brand and its iconic products to an even bigger audience.” Begoun said she is excited that Unilever and Paula’s Choice are joining forces, and thanked the Unilever team for believing in the Paula’s Choice mission and values. “With Unilever we can build on our work and vision spanning 26 years of creating brilliant products, and by giving people the self-confidence that comes from knowing they are taking the best care of their skin possible,” she said. Paula’s Choice CMO, Erika Kussmann, said Paula’s Choice is the largest direct-to-consumer skin care brand in the world. In an interview with Happi earlier this year, Kussman said after years of growing DTC, a recent agreement with Sephora provides new opportuntiies in traditional retail. “Our focus has been building our DTC channel, and we are now at the perfect point where we have growing awareness with so much potential ahead as we tap into the combined DTC plus retail dynamic,” she said. The entry into Sephora also gives the high-profile beauty retailer its first clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment, a highly-concentrated vitamin B3 serum that effectively tightens and minimizes the look of sagging pores and rough bumps caused by age or sun damage. Further, shoppers can select the best-selling 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.More than two bottles of the 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant sell every minute around the world, according to Paula’s Choice. The Unilever deal is expected to close in the third quarter. For Unilever, the move adds another DTC business to its prestige portfolio, which already includes Tatcha, Murad, Dermalogica, Kate Somerville and Ren.