Shiseido to acquire Gallinée, the microbiome skincare brand

By

Sarah Ahssen

Published
Sep 28, 2022

Shiseido is strengthening its position in the European skincare market. After the launch last April in France of Ulé, a natural cosmetics brand created in-house, the Japanese beauty giant has just acquired Gallinée. A brand that uses active probiotics, which are living micro-organisms that have a beneficial effect on the body, in order to soothe, balance and strengthen the skin.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed, but it was conducted via Shiseido Europe.

Based in London and founded in 2016 by French pharmacist Marie Drago, the Gallinée company had already been spotted by Unilever. Indeed, in January 2018, via its investment programme in young companies, the Anglo-Dutch cosmetics giant had become the main investor in Gallinée. 

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With its skincare products containing a patented complex of prebiotics, probiotics and lactic acid, Gallinée offers products that boost the "good" bacteria of the skin. The brand, which currently offers seventeen products for the face and body, hair and even oral hygiene, is mainly present in France and England.

Drago will join Shiseido's Europe, Middle East and Africa teams as creative director of Gallinée, and will report to Franck Marilly, President and CEO of Shiseido EMEA and Global Fragrance.

For its 2022 fiscal year, Shiseido expects to achieve sales of 1,070 billion yen (7.2 billion euros), but this would mean a 6% year-on-year increase. Gallinée, for its part, does not communicate on the amount of its sales.