Unilever has signed an agreement to acquire Murad. This follows the recent acquisitions of Dermalogica, Kate Somerville, and REN, which jointly position Unilever as a key player in the personal care prestige segment.

Murad was founded in 1989 in Los Angeles. Howard Murad MD, a dermatologist, pharmacist, and UCLA professor, developed a unique recipe of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and hydrators to address skin care concerns, from acne to anti-aging. Murad has a significant presence in the US through professional salons and spas and specialist retailers, and through direct sales. It also has a regional hub for Europe located in the UK, and the brand can be found in over 42 countries, in department stores, pharmacies, spas, and salons. 

Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Murad to our portfolio of Prestige personal care brands. As an expert ‘Doctor brand’, Murad offers products in a differentiated clinical and holistic well-being segment. It has a loyal following that gives it excellent potential for expansion, and wonderfully complements the brands recently acquired. We look forward to working with Dr. Murad and his team to continue to grow the brand.”

Dr Howard Murad added: “We’ve always looked for opportunities to reach more people with our message of Inclusive Health and to touch more lives with our targeted, high-performance products.  With Unilever, we can broaden our reach and significantly grow our brand while remaining faithful to the founding principles of Murad. There is a very bright path ahead and I am excited to work with Unilever to share our products with the world—together we can inspire every person that the Murad brand touches to live life beautifully.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.