USA | Unilever has agreed to sell prestige skincare label Kate Somerville to Rare Beauty Brands, the Boston-based owner of Patchology and Dr Dana.
The sale, which includes the West Hollywood clinic on Melrose Place, is expected to complete this quarter, pending regulatory approvals.
Unilever purchased Kate Somerville in 2015 to strengthen its Prestige beauty division but the brand has struggled to maintain growth momentum. After an 18-month turnaround effort, Unilever decided the business would benefit from new ownership and a more focused approach.
“Over the past 18 months, the team has worked diligently to accelerate Kate Somerville’s turnaround. As the brand enters a new chapter, we believe that its continued growth and success will be best supported by new ownership better aligned to its evolving needs," commented Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson, CEO of Unilever Prestige.
"We are confident that under Chris Hobson’s leadership and the Rare Beauty Brands team, Kate Somerville has a bright future ahead.”
The move aligns with Unilever’s wider strategy to simplify its portfolio and concentrate investment on faster-growing, higher-margin categories.
For Rare Beauty Brands, the deal brings a well-known name with a strong clinical heritage and a loyal customer base. The company plans to harness the brand’s treatment expertise and established credibility to accelerate growth in both retail and direct-to-consumer channels.
Chris Hobson, President and CEO of Rare Beauty Brands, commented: “The acquisition of Kate Somerville is a significant milestone for Rare Beauty Brands. We have long admired the brand's innovative spirit and its commitment to results-driven skincare, which aligns perfectly with our mission to create products that delight, communities that empower, and brands that inspire. We believe that Rare Beauty Brands is the ideal home for the Kate Somerville brand, and we are excited to welcome its dedicated team into our family. Together, we see a bright future ahead, with new opportunities to grow and reach even more consumers who share our passion for highly-efficacious, luxurious skincare.”
The acquisition signals Rare Beauty Brands’ ambition to build a portfolio of prestige skincare labels capable of competing globally. Initial focus areas are likely to include tightening the product range, refreshing packaging, enhancing clinic-to-counter storytelling, and strengthening retail partnerships.
In a competitive clinical skincare market, maintaining brand equity and price positioning will be critical. With its boutique scale, agile structure, and deep operational focus, Rare Beauty Brands appears well positioned to reinvigorate Kate Somerville’s next chapter and reassert its place in the evolving luxury skincare landscape.
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