Brands
L’Oréal brings dermatologist darling La Roche-Posay to India
MUMBAI L’Oréal India is betting big on Indian skin. The beauty giant has launched La Roche-Posay, the world’s number one dermatologist-recommended skincare brand, marking a major push into the country’s booming dermocosmetics market.
The French brand arrives with four heavy hitters: Mela B3 Serum, armed with Melasyl, a patented molecule that took 18 years to develop and claims to visibly reduce stubborn dark spots and melasma across all skin tones; Anthelios, offering broad-spectrum sun protection in a lightweight formula; Cicaplast, which repairs irritated skin; and Effaclar, targeting acne-prone complexions.
India’s tryst with hyperpigmentation—driven by fierce UV exposure and hormonal changes—makes it prime territory for La Roche-Posay’s science. The Mela B3 Serum has been clinically proven to reduce up to 90 per cent of persistent dark spots, a claim that matters in a market where pigmentation concerns dominate dermatology clinics.
“La Roche-Posay represents a gold standard in dermatological skincare where efficacy meets tolerance,” said Mumba-based Skinfinitii Aesthetic & Laser Clinic cosmetic dermatologist and medical director Jaishree Sharad. The introduction of Melasyl marks a milestone in addressing pigmentation concerns prevalent in Indian skin, she added.
Each product contains La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, naturally rich in selenium and known for its antioxidant properties. The brand, founded in 1975, has built its reputation on close collaboration with dermatologists—globally partnering with over 250,000 healthcare professionals.
L’Oréal India L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty director Rami Itani called the launch an important milestone. “We are proud to bring the most advanced dermatological knowledge and innovation to India, empowering dermatologists and consumers to achieve healthier skin and better lives,” he said.
The products are available exclusively through dermatologist clinics, Nykaa, Apollo 24X7 and pharmacy stores. It’s L’Oréal’s second dermatological brand in India after CeraVe, which entered in 2023.
For La Roche-Posay, which has spent five decades at the forefront of skincare science, India represents fresh hunting ground. With its focus on pigmentation and its dermatologist-first distribution strategy, the brand is positioning itself not as another beauty label but as a medical-grade solution. In a country obsessed with fair skin and plagued by pigmentation, that positioning might just work.
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
