Unilever continues to add to its prestige holdings. Now, on the heels of acquiring the Kate Somerville brand, the multinational has announced an agreement to acquire Dermalogica, a highly regarded professional skin care brand sold in professional salons and spas worldwide.
 
Dermalogica was launched in 1986 in Los Angeles by Jane and Raymond Wurwand, following the earlier creation of The International Dermal Institute in 1983, the first of its kind to provide training to licensed skin therapists. The brand is currently sold in over 80 countries, and offers both a range of in-home products, as well as a specialist offering for professional skin therapists. The brand is sold in locations where there is a licensed skin care professional who can provide advice on how to address skin problems such as hyperpigmentation, acne, aging, and sensitive skin – among other skin conditions that Dermalogica is designed to tackle.
 
Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, says: “We are delighted to be adding Dermalogica to the Unilever Prestige personal care portfolio. Dermalogica enjoys an outstanding reputation and incredible awareness among skin care professionals and consumers alike, and has a clear positioning as a superior skin health brand that perfectly complements the rest of our Prestige offering. Importantly, it is a company founded on strong values and a common belief, shared by Unilever, in the role of business as a force for good in society. Dermalogica has great distribution and presence globally; and I am pleased that Jane and Raymond have retained an interest in the company and will continue to work with us to grow the brand.”
 
The brand, which had a turnover of $240 million in 2014, will be incorporated into Unilever’s Prestige division, which is exclusively dedicated to select distribution and premium personal care brands.