With an eye on the growing Prestige makeup category and a focus on the millennial population, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (ELC) has announced an agreement to acquire girly, cult brand Too Faced for a purchase price of approximately $1.45 billion—the company’s largest brand acquisition ever. The deal is expected to close in December 2016 and, according to ELC, is expected to strengthen Lauder’s leadership position in the fast-growing prestige makeup category globally, increase ELC’s consumer reach in the specialty-multi channel, and win with millennials.
 
Too Faced is the latest in a series of brand acquisitions for Lauder, including Le Labo (2014), Rodin Olio Lusso (2014), Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle (2015), GLAMGLOW (2015), By Kilian (2016), BECCA Cosmetics (October 2016).
 
Launched in 1998 by cosmetics visionaries Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson, and currently led by Johnson, Blandino and CEO Eric Hohl, Too Faced offers a bold line of cosmetic products for the eyes, face and lips. Beloved for its high-quality, innovative formulas, irreverent product names and distinctive packaging, Too Faced creates an emotional, authentic connection with consumers and has developed a strong following and built a vibrant community among millennials who are passionate about social media, fashion and pop culture. Too Faced has over 7.3 million Instagram followers and is among the top eight makeup brands in the specialty-multi channel in the United States.
 
Lauder says Too Faced has experienced impressive growth over the past several years, and is expected to reach more than $260 million in net sales in 2016. This represents growth of more than 70% for the year and 60% compounded annually over the past three years. Too Faced has been part of leading global growth equity firm General Atlantic’s portfolio since 2015.
 
“Too Faced is one of the most dynamic makeup brands in the world,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Estée Lauder Companies. “It has tremendous growth momentum in specialty-multi and online – important, strategic and fast-growing channels. With Too Faced, we see terrific opportunity for additional value creation through expansion in new and existing markets both in the U.S. and internationally, as well as in travel retail globally. Jeremy, Jerrod, Eric and the entire Too Faced team have built an amazing and innovative brand. We look forward to working with them to continue to build on the brand’s winning spirit.”
 
“We are delighted to be joining forces with The Estée Lauder Companies as we continue to drive Too Faced’s dynamic growth,” said Jeremy Johnson and Jerrod Blandino, Co-Founders of Too Faced. “We started our careers behind the counters of the Estée Lauder brand, so this is truly a ‘homecoming’ for us. The Estée Lauder Companies appreciates our unique vision – to provide innovative, cruelty-free makeup products that give women the confidence to ‘have fun, play and dream big’ – and is committed to ensuring that we retain and build on the core pillars of our brand that are so important to us and our fans. This commitment, combined with ELC’s incredible world-class resources, will help us assure the ongoing growth and success of Too Faced for many years to come.”
 
Too Faced’s diverse range of color cosmetics includes cult favorites across all makeup subcategories. The iconic Better Than Sex Mascara, which launched in 2013, quickly became the number one selling mascara with all of the brand’s primary retail partners in multiple markets, and has sold over 2.5 million units globally. Born This Way, the brand’s coveted undetectable foundation that launched in July 2015, has also become one of the bestselling foundations within its channels of distribution. Too Faced is also known for its unique and beautifully packaged eye shadow palettes and collections, which strategically combine bestsellers with new creations; for example, the brand’s Christmas Collection has become a hero franchise that is significantly reinvented every year, driving its phenomenal success.