Founded in 2017 by Shanghai-based Joy Group, JudyDoll targets younger consumers with its colour-driven product offerings and focus on product quality. The brand also offers Halal-certified products, allowing it to cater to markets with diverse cultural requirements.

InvestHK said it has been providing information and support for JudyDoll’s Hong Kong launch and will continue to assist the brand as it expands, including plans to enter additional core retail districts in the city.

JudyDoll is regarded as an early mover among mainland cosmetics brands expanding overseas, with a presence that already spans Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East and North America.

Clair Chau, Senior Sales and Marketing Manager of JudyDoll Hong Kong, said, “Hong Kong is where global trends meet. The city’s vibrant makeup culture is deeply connected to its fashionable spirit. We hope to showcase the brand’s vitality, attitude and aesthetics to a wider range of consumers in Hong Kong’s growing and trusted retail market.”

With its Hong Kong store serving as a pilot, the brand is shifting from an online-only model to an omnichannel retail approach as it builds a broader international footprint.

Angelica Leung, Deputy Head of Consumer and Hospitality of InvestHK, said, “We welcome JudyDoll opening its first physical store in Hong Kong. We look forward to the fresh makeup experience and culture brought by JudyDoll’s physical store, alongside its creative online interactions, adding new vibrancy to this city as an international trend hub. We hope the brand will leverage Hong Kong as a go-global platform and further expand into new overseas markets.”

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“The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. confirms that it is in discussions regarding a potential business combination with Puig, in which the two companies would potentially merge their businesses. No final decision has been made, and no agreement has been reached. Unless and until an agreement is signed between the companies, there can be no assurances regarding the deal or its terms,” the company stated.

Estée Lauder Companies is a US-based multinational cosmetics company founded in 1946 by Estée Lauder and Joseph Lauder. Headquartered in New York City, the company is one of the world’s largest prestige beauty groups, with a portfolio spanning skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care.

Its brand portfolio includes names such as MAC Cosmetics, La Mer, Clinique, and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. The company operates in more than 150 countries and territories and has a strong presence across travel retail, department stores, specialty retailers, and e-commerce.

Meanwhile, Puig is a family-owned Spanish company founded in 1914 by Antonio Puig and headquartered in Barcelona. The company specialises in fragrances, fashion, and skincare, and has built a strong reputation in the premium and luxury segments.

Puig’s portfolio includes brands such as Carolina Herrera, Paco Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Charlotte Tilbury Beauty. The company combines owned brands with long-term licensing agreements and distributes its products globally, with a particularly strong footprint in Europe and the Americas.

This news comes in the heels of new of Prada, the Italian luxury fashion giant under Prada Holding S.p.A., acquiring its rival Versace from Capri Holdings in a deal that has swirled the fashion industry for a couple of years.

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Located in Shinsaibashi at 3-6-13 Minami-Kyuhouji-machi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Kao Wow will feature a rotating lineup of brands including KATE, Curél, suisai, Bioré, and MegRhythm.

Starting January 19, 2026, global makeup brand KATE will be the first to take over the space, offering an immersive experience modelled on its flagship store in Shibuya, Tokyo. Visitors can try a variety of products, including KATE’s LIP MONSTER series, more than 100 shades of eye colours, and other new releases through hands-on activities.

From March 30 to June 30, 2026, the space will rotate to feature skincare brand Bioré, healthcare brand MegRhythm, and skincare brand Curél.

No products will be sold on-site, but visitors who share their experiences on social media can receive a special sticker gift. Admission is free, and multilingual support will be available to assist international visitors.

Developed as part of Kao’s global strategy, Kao Wow aims to give visitors a more accessible way to engage with the company’s brands and understand their appeal.

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Unveiled at midnight across Mariah and Sephora’s Instagram accounts, the cinematic ‘It’s Time!’ video directed by Joseph Kahn marks the official turn of the season for millions of fans worldwide. 

It also lit up Sephora’s Times Square billboard, heralding a sparkling collaboration between the best-selling female artist of all time and one of beauty’s most beloved brands.

Set inside a glittering Sephora-branded glam room, the video follows a mischievous elf, played by Billy Eichner, who attempts to steal Mariah’s beauty favourites before she triumphantly reclaims the moment—declaring ‘It’s Time!’ and soaring off in a dazzling sleigh through a Sephora-inspired winter wonderland.

“The holidays are a time to celebrate and spread joy, I’m so excited to kick off the season with Sephora,” said Mariah Carey. 

“It’s all about creating those magical moments that make you feel glamorous from the inside out,” she added. 

Zena Arnold, chief marketing officer at Sephora, added, “Our holiday campaign this year celebrates the notion of ‘glimmers’–those small moments of joy that a gift of beauty brings–and there is no one that better embodies that sentiment than Mariah Carey during the holiday season.”

“Mariah’s ‘It’s Time’ video is a cultural phenomenon that reaches consumers in a joyful, creative, and highly shareable way, and this partnership enables us to amplify the festive spirit and be at the centre of celebration and fun,” Arnold added.

The collaboration coincides with Sephora’s annual “Give Something Beautiful” campaign and the start of its anticipated Sephora Savings Event, running through November 10, offering exclusive deals and limited-edition holiday sets. 

Beauty lovers can also shop a curated edit of Mariah’s personal favourites on Sephora’s website. 

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Instead of discarding over 8.7 million baht worth of unused products, L’Oréal repurposed them into vibrant art kits designed with Thai artist Juli Baker and Summer. 

“What truly sets this project apart is its potential to democratise healing. By cleverly converting expired cosmetics into vibrant art therapy resources, we are opening doors for people with mental health issues to explore their inner feelings, manage their anxiety, and embark on a journey of emotional well-being,” said Onanong Pratakphiriya, corporate affairs and engagement director of L’Oréal Groupe in Thailand.

Each kit—filled with foundations, lipsticks, and eyeshadows past their prime—has become a palette of expression for patients at Srithanya Hospital, Thailand’s leading mental health facility.

“The use of colour and creativity stimulates the brain. This collaboration with L’Oréal has expanded the scope of therapeutic activities available to our patients,” said Pongsatorn Rapeepatchai, deputy director of Srithanya Hospital.

Varoth Chotpitayasunondh, Public Health Ministry of Thailand spokesperson, added, “Beauty Inside Out demonstrates how collaboration between corporates, non-profits, and public institutions can help bridge this gap by introducing innovative forms of support.”

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Tonic Worldwide has come on board as the digital partner for the brand with a mission of growing the business through optimising consumer journeys across various e-tailer platforms.

Speaking on the new win, Chetan Asher, co-founder and CEO of Tonic Worldwide, said, “We are excited to partner with L’Oréal Paris in its vision to reach relevant audiences for this category. Being a very specialised category, it needs a deep understanding of the consumer need gaps to nudge them with the right communication within various stages of their online journey.”

He also added that Tonic’s specialist arm GIPSI and ecommerce expertise will play an important role in realising this vision.

On the new collaboration, Divya Reddy Shah, general manager of L’Oréal Paris, said, “We are delighted to welcome Tonic to the L’Oréal Paris family. With science, and innovation at the core, we at L’Oréal Paris, strive to create a difference in the Indian beauty market with our differentiated products which are backed by science.”

Shah added, “We are ecstatic to join hands with Tonic to drive our digital strategies and executions and accelerate the beauty revolution in India!”

With the partnership, L’Oréal’s account will be handled out of the agency’s Mumbai office.

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The film, titled, ‘Our Mission: A Journey of Beauty’, presents Shiseido’s aspiration to create truly happy and fulfilling days for people around the world for the next 150 years through the power of beauty, which they have cherished since their founding.

In addition, the film also presents future possibilities for beauty delivered by bold innovation, which the company has pursued since their founding, and leveraging their expertise in science.

“Going forward, we will continue to pursue innovation toward addressing social issues such as environmental problems and realising diversity and inclusion and will strive to bring about a sustainable world where people can enjoy happiness through the power of beauty,” the company said.

The campaign for Shiseido’s 150th anniversary started off on June 1, with it conveying to the world SHISEIDO’s enduring focus on life as the essence of beauty and its ongoing pursuit of uncovering the mechanisms that connect beauty and life.

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No matter how much times change, people continue to seek beauty. Based on this conviction, SHISEIDO has been pursuing the essence of beauty for 150 years, driven by its mission to create products that add a healthy vibrance to your life.

Ryota Yukisada, chief brand officer of SHISEIDO, said, “In today’s era of uncertainty and hesitation, what kind of beauty are we seeking? Our conclusion? Life. If people around the world, regardless of age, gender, and region, continue the conversation about how beauty and life are related, we believe it will inspire changes for a better world.”

The campaign conveyed the enduring spirit of SHISEIDO, which has been handed down in an unbroken line for 150 years, and its hope for the future, embodied in the phrase “From life comes beauty.” Additionally, SHISEIDO launched three limited-edition products to mark its 150th anniversary, the fruits of its unique Life Science research conducted in its ongoing pursuit of the relationship between beauty and life.

The three limited-edition products individually symbolize ‘Heritage,’ ‘Living Innovation,’ and ‘Future’ to signify the company’s past, present, and future. Their designs use an arabesque motif featured on wrapping paper created in the Taisho era of Japan by Sue Yabe, a member of the design department at that time. Using 3D software, that original design was turned into a three-dimensional form, then photographed from a variety of angles and used to decorate the containers and outer cartons. The designs express the dynamism of life that opens up a new future while harnessing the assets of the past bearing 150 years of history.

A special website was also created consisting of three content themes: ‘STORIES’ in which seven people active in various fields talked about beauty; ‘INNOVATION,’ which introduced the spirit of scientific inquiry into life as the essence of beauty; and ‘HISTORY,’ which presented SHISEIDO’s 150-year history. The website conveyed how the brand has continued since its foundation to pursue the link between beauty and life.

In addition, advertisements were rolled out featuring professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe, singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada, and actress Ursula Corbero, and campaign messages were posted on social media from celebrities with connections to SHISEIDO.

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The ‘VS’ series is a collection of six animated films based on the real-life experiences of six Olympic athletes including gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Liu Xiang, and badminton players Ayaka Takahashi, as well as surfer Mahina Maeda, and Hinotori Nippon. They each explore what it means to take destiny into their own hands, overcoming societal pressures like trolls, image obsession, and rules and limitations.

The series is then promoted by the brand through a virtual city, ‘SK-II CITY’, which is inspired by the streets of Tokyo, Japan. It seeks to transport visitors to Shibuya Crossing, and let them sightsee Mount Fuji and Tokyo Tower.

The ‘VS’ series spans a broad range of genres including sci-fi, fantasy, action, and sports. Each episode has its own universe and style, featuring the work of various award-winning animation studios and singer-songwriters.

Visitors can enter the SK-II Studio where they can get an exclusive backstage tour of the ‘VS’ series, and find animation sketches, film trivia, and behind-the-scenes footage from the six athletes.

Sandeep Seth, the CEO of SK-II Global, said that in these times where international travel is still restricted, they want to be able to provide their consumers a gamified experience that they can gain inspiration and shop in a safe yet entertaining and meaningful way.

“We are thrilled to launch the SK-II CITY, as we premiere our next SK-II Studio blockbuster ‘VS’ series. The SK-II CITY is inspired by our Japanese heritage as well as our brand purpose #CHANGEDESTINY,” added Seth.

To find out more about the ‘VS’ Series and learn about SK-II STUDIO and #ChangeDestiny, consumers may visit the virtual SK-II CITY at https://city.sk-ii.com/.

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MAKEHEAL’s brand of cosmetics combines scientific expertise and artistic sensibilities to create ‘transformative’ beauty products for young women. The brand was brought to the Lion City by company Alliance Cosmetics Singapore. 

Other than the flagship range, the company will be introducing to Singaporeans its sub-brands – eye makeup professional ‘EYECROWN’, trendy makeup specialist ‘T:SOME’, and skin cleansing expert ‘PEELOSOFT’. 

Kingdom Digital has been appointed for nine months, and has already started its work with the official launch happening last 15 April. For the inaugural entry of the MAKEHEAL brand, Alliance Cosmetics has chosen social media channels as the main communication platform. 

According to Daniel Chin, MD at Alliance Cosmetics Group International, MAKEHEAL’s target audience is between the age of 16 to 34 years old.

“This group of consumers spend most of their time online and they are active social media users. Also, they tend to discover new brands and products via social platforms. Hence, it made sense for us to start with a strong social presence to engage with the consumers,” said Chin.

With the appointment of the agency, which saw it competing with two other creative firms, Chin shared that the decision to work with Kingdom Digital was spurred by the established experiences it had with beauty brands and the solid reputation that preceded the agency.

Besides MAKEHEAL, Kingdom Digital is also the agency partner for another Alliance Cosmetics-managed brand SILKYGIRL; and in September last year, it has also nabbed the account of another South Korea-origin cosmetics brand The History of Whoo.

For its remit, the agency will be responsible for social strategy and ideations, content planning and development, community management, as well as monthly reporting for MAKEHEAL’s Facebook and Instagram.

Account leads from Kingdom Digital Elaine Ewe and Yvonne Lee, jointly commented, “To set the brand apart from its competitors, we devised the unique proposition that MAKEHEAL is made with beauty consumers in mind. We will be highlighting its professional and intuitively designed products that are easy to use, which empowers women to own their vibe and celebrate their individuality. This will be reflected in the brand’s content and creative direction across social platforms,” 

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