The French Beauty Dynasty: How LVMH, Sephora, and TikTok Rule the Glow Game

As mentioned in an earlier post, French beauty is having a very online moment. From minimalist skincare routines to that perfectly undone je ne sais quoi featured on TikTok. While brands like Typology are leading the charge, let’s not forget the real power behind the curtain: Sephora.

Though many think of Sephora as an American outlet, it was actually founded in France and is owned by LVMH, the luxury juggernaut behind Louis Vuitton, Dior, and many other luxury brands. With Sephora’s global influence, it has become one of the most important gatekeepers in beauty. 

Take DamDam Tokyo, for example, a clean skincare brand made in Japan with a French connection. They reportedly raised $3 million and landed a Sephora deal. With that kind of backing, even small brands can glow with a halo effect — a French one.

Behind the scenes, Sephora’s advertising engine is massive. In the U.S., they work with Publicis Groupe, a Paris-based ad firm that manages hundreds of millions in media.

Love, Luxury, and a Little TikTok

And here’s where it all gets très interesting. Xavier Niel, the French telecom billionaire who recently joined the board of TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, also happens to be romantically linked to Delphine Arnault, the daughter of Bernard Arnault, the head of LVMH. So yes, the richest man in the world (at least at one point) is one degree of separation from TikTok trends, Sephora campaigns, and possibly your favorite lip stain.

Now, toss in a recent ad contract corruption case in Singapore — where some Sephora Asia staff were implicated (on an individual level, not corporate) — and you start to see how full of intrigue the world of beauty marketing can be. The clean beauty industry may look, well, clean…but is a network of influence, advertising dollars, and the occasional scandal.

So is it a monopoly? Not technically. But with the right connections and the right digital shelf space, it’s clear who’s holding the keys to the beauty kingdom — and oui, they’re probably holding them in Paris

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