THE WHAT? The Estée Lauder Companies has agreed to acquire the remaining stake in Indian luxury beauty brand Forest Essentials, strengthening its long-standing partnership with the Ayurveda-based skincare company.
THE DETAILS The acquisition, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Estée Lauder first invested in Forest Essentials in 2008 and increased its stake to 49% in 2020. Founded in 2000 by Mira Kulkarni, Forest Essentials specializes in modern luxury Ayurveda skincare and operates nearly 200 standalone stores across India.
Following the transaction, the brand will remain headquartered in New Delhi and continue operating its vertically integrated model in India, including Ayurvedic R&D, local botanical sourcing and in-house manufacturing. Forest Essentials is forecast to deliver low double-digit net sales growth, and Estée Lauder expects the acquisition to strengthen its position in India’s prestige beauty market, which is set to become the company’s largest emerging market.
THE WHY? The acquisition reflects Estée Lauder’s strategy to expand in high-growth prestige beauty markets and scale culturally rooted brands with strong local heritage and global potential.
Source: businesswire
