L’Oréal Paris may be at the top of its game, but it’s entering 2026 in growth mode nonetheless.
The brand, which ranks number-one in beauty globally and is owned by the industry’s largest conglomerate — L’Oréal — was the top share gainer in U.S. mass hair care in 2025, according to NielsenIQ data provided by the brand, as well as a top-two makeup share gainer in the U.S. during the same period, according to Circana.
This year, it’s looking to continue the momentum.
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“Twenty twenty-five was one of our most successful years of the last five, if not 10 years,” said Laura Branik, president of L’Oréal Paris USA. “And that’s both in the consumer feedback we’ve gotten, as well as the sales data.”
She credits this acceleration to the brand’s twofold focus on innovative launches that “solve consumer pain points in a unique way,” as well as doubling down on longtime heroes like the Telescopic Mascara, which “continues to be strong and gain a new following.” The brand’s Infallible 3-second Setting Mist, Branik said, is also a global top-seller.
The brand is kicking off 2026 with no less than 20 launches across hair, skin care and makeup. Among them: an “age-defying” Serum Le Duo facial serum featuring two formulas in one bottle; a Revitalift eye bag eraser, which aims to instantly reduce the look of eye bags and can be applied directly to the skin or over makeup; new at-home hair dyes, and three hair care additions to its EverPure line.
In makeup, L’Oréal Paris is rolling out skin care-infused lip tints; blurring lip liners and lipsticks; an Extensionist mascara, and Lumi Bronze Soleil cream bronzer sticks, among other products. Prices range from $10.99 for the Colour Riche Blurred Matte Lipsticks to $15.99 for the Extensionist mascara.
Retail distribution across the newness varies: the Lip Contours will be exclusive to Ulta Beauty when they roll out Jan. 19, while Serum Le Duo is already available exclusively at Walmart. The Extensionist mascara, meanwhile, launched on TikTok Shop first before then rolling out to Ulta, Target and Amazon.
“We’re historically extremely strong in mascara and foundation, so those remain a priority for us, but at the same time, we have much growth leeway in lip, for example, so we’re very excited about the Lip Contours, which are easy to use and come in wearable shades, as well as the lip tints,” Branik said.
As far as retail channels go, diversification and embracing social commerce have been key.
“TikTok Shop offers a very fun, modern shopping experience in itself but it also serves as a strategic vehicle to accelerate awareness in the broader market,” said Branik of the growing platform, where L’Oréal Paris USA has sold more than 664,000 products to date.
Even beyond TikTok Shop, though, L’Oréal Paris has seen meaningful growth across social platforms. Data from CreatorIQ shows that in 2025 the brand rose from being the 10th-largest beauty brand by social media engagement and reach, to the number-one brand, growing 57 percent in earned media value and beating out firms like Huda Beauty and Rare Beauty, which ranked second and third by EMV totals for the year, respectively.
The brand’s fastest-growing customer and its most loyal customer, Branik said, is the “Millennial-and-up” group, which L’Oréal Paris makes a conscious effort to represent via its influencer outreach and through its “Women of Worth” mentorship and grant program, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.
“We see there is a need to speak to the 40-plus consumer in a very straightforward way, with very straightforward products that give her a routine that works but is pragmatic — we want to be that brand for her,” said Branik.
L’Oréal Paris’ hair care business is “quite young” by comparison, with Gen Z gravitating to products like the Elvive line, which taps skin care ingredients including glycolic acid and is fronted by 18-year-old “Barbie” star Ariana Greenblatt.
Priorities for 2026 include continuing to boost the strength of the L’Oréal Paris makeup business, which is the brand’s biggest category, as well as accelerating in hair and skin care.
“We have some products in skin care that are very successful, like the Midnight Cream and Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer, so we’re thinking about how we can build on those and expand our footprint in skin care,” said Branik, adding that L’Oréal Paris just added a fragrance-free version of the Midnight Cream, per consumer request. “Listening to consumers and seeing how we can innovate on existing products and add to our portfolio what is missing is very important.”