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The growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is affecting beauty and skincare consumption, L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said on Thursday, as the company explores products for consumers experiencing skin changes following rapid weight loss.
“The rise in their use was having an impact on beauty consumption and skin care consumption in particular,” Hieronimus said during an investor call held after the company declared its result for quater ended on September 30.
He described GLP-1 use as “a very important phenomenon for us”.
“We have products in SkinCeuticals that are made to work alongside GLP-1 drugs and address their side effects, such as skin sagging and other related issues. It is very integrated,” Hieronimus added.
L’Oréal is testing products on GLP-1 users in separate studies, Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, the company’s chief innovation and prospective officer, told Reuters earlier this week.
“We are now testing products on GLP-1 users in separate studies, as this group of consumers is becoming increasingly important and represents a significant number of people worldwide,” she said.
Beauty companies target skin changes after weight loss
L’Oréal is among the beauty companies exploring treatments for consumers concerned about facial sagging and loss of facial volume following rapid weight loss. Swiss skincare company Galderma and Brazilian cosmetics group Natura are also studying products for this market, Reuters reported.
The changes are commonly described as “Ozempic face”, a term associated with the use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, and Zepbound, made by Eli Lilly.
GLP-1 medicines mimic a hormone involved in appetite regulation and help people lose weight. Rapid weight loss can result in loose skin and reduced facial volume. However, experts cited by Reuters in its report said these changes are associated with rapid weight loss, and not a direct effect of the drugs on the skin. ALSO READ: SIM-binding rules: WhatsApp, Telegram to require active SIM from Jan 2027
L’Oréal reports sales growth
On Thursday, L’Oréal reported sales of €11.56 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 7.7 per cent on a reported basis. Like-for-like sales grew 7.2 per cent during the quarter.
For the first nine months of 2026, sales rose 7.7 per cent to €35.34 billion, while like-for-like growth stood at 6.9 per cent, the company said in its sales results for the period ended September 30.
The company said it reported growth across all four divisions during the first nine months. Dermatological Beauty recorded like-for-like growth of 11.6 per cent, followed by Professional Products at 12.4 per cent, L’Oréal Luxe at 5.7 per cent and Consumer Products at 4.2 per cent.
L’Oréal said skincare continued to accelerate, while fragrances and haircare drove growth.
