L'Oréal Q3 Sales Rise 7.2% as Dermatological Beauty Grows 11.6%

L'Oréal posted like-for-like sales growth of 7.2% to €11.6 billion in the three months to 30 September, with adjusted LFL growth accelerating to 7.7% — led by a dermatological beauty division that grew 11.6% on the quarter's divisions scoreboard for the first nine months.

CEO Nicolas Hieronimus called it an "exceptional" third quarter and confirmed the return of the skin care category, which had underperformed in 2025. "L'Oréal delivered an exceptional third quarter as adjusted LFL growth accelerated to 7.7%," he said in the results statement.

What drove the numbers?

Every division grew, with "remarkable" performances from professional products and dermatological beauty, plus a "strong recovery" at L'Oréal Luxe. All regions advanced except Latin America, where Europe and the SAPMENA–SSA region (South Asia Pacific, Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa) contributed most to growth.

In Latin America, Brazil grew in double digits, Hieronimus told investors. Mexico managed only mid-single-digit growth on a softening market, make-up inventory issues and commercial problems with one of the company's biggest customers.

"The global beauty market, once again, proved its resilience in a challenging context, and we continued to significantly outpace it," Hieronimus said. E-commerce grew well ahead of the market, with what he called "spectacular results across all regions, notably emerging markets."

How did each division perform?

• Dermatological beauty: +11.6% adjusted LFL. Its three "billionaire" brands — La Roche-Posay, CeraVe and SkinCeuticals — all grew double digits. Launches such as La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Double-Dose and Anthelios UV Air, plus CeraVe's sun care range, fueled momentum.
• Professional products: +12.3% adjusted LFL. Hair care premiumisation did the work, with double-digit growth at Kérastase on launches including Gloss Absolu, Genesis and Chronologiste. Redken Acidic Grow Full and L'Oréal Professionnel Keratin Alpha Sleek added speed. Hair colour faced a tougher market but still outpaced it.
• Consumer products: +4.2% adjusted LFL. L'Oréal Paris and NYX Professional Makeup stood out, though all the division's global brands grew. Rollouts included Mixa into new markets and Korean brand Dr.G into global markets including China and Southeast Asia — and into the US via TikTok Shop in October.
• L'Oréal Luxe: +5.8% adjusted LFL. Fragrance led, with "stellar" launches Prada Paradigme and Emporio Armani Stronger with You, and double-digit growth for YSL's Libre and MYSLF. Valentino Vendetta and Giorgio Armani I Will had a "promising start." YSL make-up grew strong double digits on Lovenude Lip Blusher, All Hours Foundation and the new Make Me Blush.

Skin care momentum crossed divisions. L'Oréal Paris launched Glass Skin and Revitalift PDRN Filler; Garnier Dry Touch expanded across Europe and Latin America; and Luxe's ultra-premium segment strengthened, with "phenomenal" growth at Helena Rubinstein and its Re-Plasty franchise.

What about GLP-1 drugs?

On the investor call, Hieronimus flagged weight-loss drugs as a growing consumption driver. "The rise of the use of GLP-1 is having an impact on beauty consumption and skin care consumption, in particular," he said.

The company is responding with products designed for GLP-1 users. "We have products in SkinCeuticals, but also in Kiehl's, that have been designed to work alongside and complement GLP-1, and its side effects on skin sagging or other things like that," he said.

The move signals how quickly the derm-beauty pipeline is adapting to a pharmacological trend that sits outside cosmetics entirely.

What comes next?

Two other threads ran through the call. First, Creed — acquired earlier this year — is growing double digits and now carries a new launch, Iris Debonair. "It fills the gap in our premium end fragrances," Hieronimus said. "That is also contributing to our overall fragrance performance, both in male and female."

Second, AI. "All this underpins my conviction that we are better positioned than ever to win in the long run leveraging artificial intelligence to augment the strengths of the L'Oréal model," Hieronimus said.

He closed with a forecast: based on nine-month performance, L'Oréal will deliver another year of growth in sales and profit while strengthening its global leadership — with dermatological beauty, at 11.6% and home to three billion-dollar brands, positioned as the division to watch.