Yellow Wood Beauty Acquires Accessories Maker

Yellow Wood Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm focused on investing in consumer brands and companies, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Paris Presents, Inc., a rgrowing provider of branded cosmetic and bath accessories, from EagleTree Capital and its co-investors.  As part of the transaction, Paris Presents will be merged with Yellow Wood’s current portfolio company Freeman Beauty.
 
Founded in 1947 and based in Gurnee, IL, Paris Presents creates and distributes beauty products and personal care accessories to mass merchants, drug stores, specialty beauty stores, and online retailers.  Its comprehensive portfolio includes brands that are eco-conscious, digitally savvy, provide strong beauty education and deliver superior performance to a loyal consumer following, according to Yellow Wood.  Its cosmetics accessories brands are Real Techniques, EcoTools cosmetics and bath accessories, and Body Benefits by Body Image. Paris Presents’ portfolio of products can be found at major retailers throughout the US and in over 60 additional markets globally. 
 
“This transformational acquisition creates an industry leading beauty platform focused in two of the fastest growing segments in the personal care and beauty segments.  Paris Presents’ superior quality branded beauty accessory products dovetail well with Freeman Beauty’s industry leading face masks as both companies share the same Millennial, Gen Z, and multicultural consumers,” said Dana Schmaltz, founding partner of Yellow Wood Partners.  “The combined organization will enhance the strong partnerships that both Paris Presents and Freeman have with their retail and ecommerce partners leading to future growth.  The Yellow Wood team is very much looking forward to working with Patrick O’Brien and Bill George and the entire combined management of these businesses to continue to grow this platform organically as well as by adding additional brands to the platform.”
 
According to Patrick O’Brien, CEO of Paris Presents, partnering with Yellow Wood provides the company “with access to additional resources and an increased level of industry and operating expertise to build on our success and accelerate our business priorities as an innovative market leader.”
 
Closing of the transaction is expected in September 2018.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.