2012: A Look Back at the Year in Beauty

JANUARY:1: Stefan F. Heidenreich joins Beiersdorf as chief executive officer.1: Former president and ceo of Sephora Jacques Levy dies.3: Vincent Boinay is appointed international retail director of L’Oréal’s Luxe division. 4: Louis Vuitton confirms fragrance debut with perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud.5: Equity firm Weston Presidio invests $170 million in indie cosmetics brand Too Faced.5: Australian premium hair-care brand Fudge is acquired by PZ Cussons plc.13: Balenciaga signs actress Kristen Stewart to be the face of its new scent, Florabotanica.18: Dessange International broadens its reach in the U.S. with the acquisition of the Fantastic Sams hair salon franchise. 19: Drybar inks a $16 million deal with Castanea Partners to expand globally. 19: SkinMedica Inc. buys mineral makeup brand Colorescience.21: Natura Bissé founder Ricardo Fisas dies in Barcelona of injuries suffered in a traffic accident.23: U.K.-based Designer Parfums acquires the Ghost fragrance brand.26: Jeff Nugent, former Neutrogena president and Revlon ceo, launches Elayda Professional Skin Care.

27: WWD reports second-quarter profits in Procter & Gamble Co.’s beauty division fell 8 percent to $802 million.30: Tria Beauty, worth an estimated $32.5 million, announces its plan to go public and raise $86.3 million. The IPO was ultimately called off.