Beauty Brand Launch in France: Merit Beauty's Strategic Market Entry Case Study

Alexandre Lanchon
27 oct.
4 min de lecture

The Challenge: Launching a Digital Beauty Brand in France

Merit Beauty had absolutely crushed it in the American digital space. Their DNA was crystal clear: "Effective & Aesthetic Makeup" – that rare sweet spot between real performance and beautiful minimalism.

But here's the thing about entering French retail – it's basically the haute couture exam of the beauty world. Make one wrong move and your credibility's toast. Go too broad with distribution? You've diluted what makes you special. Not selective enough? You miss the whole point.

Merit's question was deceptively simple:

How do we keep our cult digital brand identity intact while building an elite physical presence in France?

What we needed to do: Turn that question into something concrete and actionable. Something that would set Merit up for real, long-term success in what's honestly Europe's trickiest beauty market.

Our Approach: From Market Intelligence to Executable Blueprint

Phase 1: 360° Market Intelligence – Understanding the French Beauty Landscape

Look, you can't build a solid strategy on gut feelings and crossed fingers. We needed data – lots of it.

Market Sizing & Consumer Validation

We dug into CIRCANA panel data (the real deal when it comes to consumer insights) and cross-referenced it with what's actually trending in the "clean," "minimalist," and "luxe-accessible" segments.
What we found was pretty encouraging – there's a genuine appetite in France for what Merit does. We're talking about high-value consumers actively looking for brands with this exact positioning.
The big takeaway? The French market wasn't just ready for Merit – it was practically waiting for them.

French Prestige Beauty Market Shows Strong Makeup Growth (2021-2024E):

Chart of prestige Beauty market in France in 2021-2024

Chart of key retail players in FR prestige makeup market

Competitive Landscape Deconstruction

Here's where things got interesting. We broke down 10 key competitors – how they price, what their brand story is, where they're selling.
And honestly? We found a massive gap. Most brands were either too clinical (all science, zero soul) or too trend-chasing (all hype, questionable substance). Merit could own the space right in between.
That strategic white space we found? It's exactly where Merit's DNA lives naturally.

Competitive landscape analysis of Make Up Brands in France:

Chart of key independent actors on France make up market

Source: Beauty Expert Consulting analysis

US Brand Benchmark Analysis

We looked at five American beauty brands that've launched in France over the past decade. Some nailed it, some... didn't.
The pattern we saw again and again: The winners built serious brand heat and exclusivity first, then scaled up. The ones who went wide immediately? They pretty much all regretted it.

Confidential Expert Network

Data's great, but it doesn't tell you everything. That's why we tapped our network of French beauty insiders – we're talking department store buyers, beauty journalists, brand managers. The kind of people who'll give you the real story off the record.
What they told us: Buyers were genuinely excited about Merit's profile. But they had specific questions about pricing structure and how the brand would show up in-store. Good to know upfront.

💡 Did you know? 63% of beauty launches fail in France because they had the wrong retail strategy from the the start.

Source: FEBEA, Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté

Phase 2: Strategic Distribution Architecture – The Curated Footprint

For a brand that was born online like Merit, going into physical retail isn't just about getting your products on shelves. It's about protecting who you are.

We developed three fully-costed launch scenarios and recommended the best fit for Merit:

Infography of different scenarios analyzed for the launch of Merit in France

Phase 3: Financial Modeling – Building Board-Level Confidence

Here's where we got into the numbers. We built out a complete 36-month business plan with full P&L modeling:

How much revenue you can realistically expect (by channel, by door)
What it's actually gonna cost to get in (listing fees, merchandising, the whole launch investment)
Marketing and PR budget – where every euro goes
Logistics and keeping products in stock
When you'll break even and what your ROI looks like

Why this mattered: Merit's leadership needed more than "we think this'll work." They needed numbers they could take to the board. And that's exactly what this gave them.

The smart part? We didn't just show one forecast. We modeled different scenarios with sensitivity analysis – here's your upside if things go great, here's your downside if they don't. That kind of clarity makes decisions way easier.

Phase 4: Execution Partner Curation

Getting the strategy right is one thing. Actually executing it? That's where the right partners come in.

We put together a shortlist of top-tier French & European agencies across three areas:

Digital Marketing – Agencies that actually know premium beauty and can deliver on paid social (not just talk about it)
PR & Influence – Teams with real relationships in beauty media and genuine influencer networks
Creative & Content – Partners whose aesthetic sensibility matches Merit's minimalist vibe

For each one, we included a detailed brief and what to look for when making the final call. Made Merit's selection process way more straightforward.

"The team at Beauty Expert Consulting were true partners in our launch. They have a deep beauty industry knowledge and an impressive network of experts around them. They challenged our thinking and provided the spot-on support needed to successfully enter the French market."

— CEO, Merit Beauty

The Three Non-Negotiables for Beauty Brand Success in France

1. Local Market Knowledge

You need to understand way more than just the big trends. What are the specific dynamics at each potential retail partner? What do their buyers actually care about? Who's your real competition on their shelves?

2. Curated Footprint Strategy

Don't trade long-term brand equity for short-term volume. Strategic selectivity isn't playing small – it's playing smart.

3. Aligned Execution Partners

Work with agencies and partners who genuinely get your brand DNA. Not just what you sell, but who you are. That alignment matters more than most people realize.