The popularity of GLP-1 class obesity drugs is spreading even to the beauty industry. L'Oréal, the world's largest cosmetics company, has set out to capture new demand by promoting products that target skin that sags after rapid weight loss.
Nicolas Hieronimus, chief executive officer (CEO) of L'Oréal, said at an earnings briefing for investors on the 22nd (local time) that the spread of GLP-1 class obesity drugs is "affecting beauty consumption, especially skincare consumption," and that it is "a very important phenomenon for us," the BBC reported.
GLP-1 is a drug made to mimic an appetite-suppressing hormone. Drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, which were developed to treat diabetes, have seen rapid growth in use in recent years as their effect in sharply reducing weight has been confirmed.
Some users experience the side effect of skin sagging on the face and other areas as they lose weight in a short time. The drugs do not directly cause this. CEO Hieronimus explained that the company's brands SkinCeuticals and Kiehl's have products "designed to be used with GLP-1 to address side effects such as skin sagging."
L'Oréal is also expanding its business into the medical aesthetics field. In December last year, L'Oréal raised its stake in the dermatology company Galderma to 20%. According to Reuters, the two companies have each been running clinical trials on obesity drug users who are worried about sagging skin.
Galderma has Sculptra, an injectable that stimulates collagen production, and the dermal filler Restylane, among others. Last year, the company published a report on the spread of obesity drugs and changes in facial appearance.
In a survey Galderma conducted directly among more than 1,000 obesity drug users aged 25-65 in the United States, Brazil, Europe and the Middle East, most respondents said changes appeared in their faces after taking the drugs. 48% said their faces had changed noticeably. The most common time at which they first noticed the changes was 3-6 months after starting, at 45%, and 28% said it was within 1-2 months.
L'Oréal, which owns brands such as Maybelline and La Roche-Posay, disclosed the same day that third-quarter (July-September) sales rose 7.7%, beating market forecasts. CEO Hieronimus said the beauty market continues to hold firm even though the global economic environment is not easy.