Summary
Cool brunette is over: that is what Garnier's new campaign proclaims, and celebrities appear to have taken the lead by already adopting this autumnal shade presented as THE color of the 2026 season. The effect is immediate with the general public, who are rushing to tutorials and shade charts, proof that a historic brand can still set the pace of a national hair trend. Early October marks a turning point for Garnier, which regains a position as opinion leader it has not held with such intensity for a long time.
Details
But the beauty season is not limited to hair color. CeraVe, for its part, is choosing a more conceptual territory: the brand directly questions the growing complexity of skincare and champions a return to the essentials, balancing safety, efficacy and simplicity, a message that resonates strongly on shelves dedicated to dry skin. L'Oréal, the sector's towering giant, is meanwhile strengthening its industrial roots by announcing new production investments on French soil, confirming that the group intends not only to dominate shelves but also to secure its domestic manufacturing in the face of tensions in the global cosmetics market. Sephora, meanwhile, is playing a different card by highlighting its own makeup line, Sephora Collection, among its new releases, a sign that the retailer now wants to exist as a brand in its own right rather than merely as a showcase for others. In professional hair care, Kérastase held its very first summit dedicated to haircare in Paris, an event that confirms its high-end positioning and its influence over the country's hair salons. In a completely different field, digital health is also undergoing its own brand revolution: Livi becomes Kry in France, a rebranding that revives interest in teleconsultation and repositions the Scandinavian player in a French market in full transformation. Pharmaceutical dermocosmetics is not left behind either, with La Roche-Posay still cited as an unavoidable reference alongside Bioderma and Avène in the comparisons circulating this week. The French Healthcare network, for its part, is capitalizing on the momentum of medical tourism and export events to strengthen its institutional visibility. Finally, in pharmacies, Nutergia and Arkopharma are both benefiting from renewed interest in food supplements and vitamin-enriched back-to-season formulas, a seasonal reflex that never fails at this time of year.
- 1Cool brunette is over: that is what Garnier's new campaign proclaims, and celebrities appear to have taken the lead by already adopting this autumnal shade presented as THE color of the 2026 season.
- 2The effect is immediate with the general public, who are rushing to tutorials and shade charts, proof that a historic brand can still set the pace of a national hair trend.
- 3Early October marks a turning point for Garnier, which regains a position as opinion leader it has not held with such intensity for a long time.
- 4But the beauty season is not limited to hair color.
- 5In professional hair care, Kérastase held its very first summit dedicated to haircare in Paris, an event that confirms its high-end positioning and its influence over the country's hair salons.
Conclusion
This overview paints a back-to-school season moving at several speeds: on one side, mass-market brands such as Garnier or Sephora are betting on virality and image to capture immediate attention; on the other, more established players such as L'Oréal, La Roche-Posay or Kérastase are consolidating their credibility through industrial investment and professional expertise. In between, connected health and food supplements remind us that the boundary between beauty and well-being continues to blur in France. One thing is certain: this week confirms that the French market remains one of the most contested in Europe, where every public statement, whether about hair, dermatology or digital health, can reshuffle the deck within a few days.