The Hut Group buys growth brand Eyeko

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 3, 2018

Fast expanding online beauty and wellbeing specialist The Hut Group (THG) has announced the acquisition of eye cosmetics brand Eyeko. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Eyeko was founded almost 20 years ago by Max and Nina Leykind and has evolved into a strong player in the eye make-up sector with its product line-up including mascaras, liquid liners and brow gels.

The acquisition represents a further strategic investment in THG’s international beauty offering and follows an acquisition spree that has made THG Europe’s largest retailer of premium beauty products. It sells brands such as MAC, Bobbi Brown, Estée Lauder and Lancôme through its lookfantastic.com website. It also has a raft of its own labels, including Espa, Mio Skincare, Mama Mio, Grow Gorgeous, Illamasqua and Glossybox.

Nina Leykind said on Thursday that THG’s “digital and marketing expertise” should have a positive impact on the Eyeko brand as it grows.

Meanwhile THG’s founder and CEO Matthew Moulding said Eyeko is “a great addition to THG’s portfolio of brands, with a strong positioning within the cosmetics market.”

He hailed its “high-quality, innovative products” and the brand’s strength in both the UK and US markets, adding: “We look forward to maximising Eyeko’s unique offering across the globe through our world-class e-commerce platform, THG Ingenuity, and our global marketing infrastructure.”

Eyeko has built up a cult following of beauty editors and made a major impact in the past through its use of Alexa Chung as a creative consultant. Its products are stocked in multiple countries including Australia and Europe countries, as well as Britain and the US. It is sold through retailers including Selfridges, Space NK, Ulta and Sephora. The brand is also available direct to consumers through eyeko.com and THG’s website.