Carol Hamilton to Retire From L’Oréal USA

Carol Hamilton, a key architect of the growth of L’Oréal USA, will retire from the company on May 1.

During the course of her 40-year career there, Hamilton has played a role in almost every area of the business. She joined the consumer products division as a marketing director for L’Oréal Paris in 1984, becoming U.S. brand president in 2000 and then global brand president of what is now the world’s largest beauty brand.

In 2008, Hamilton took the helm of L’Oréal Luxe, doubling the business and achieving record profitability during her eight-year tenure. As U.S. president of acquisitions, a role she assumed in 2018, she oversaw the acquisition and integration of key brands such as Kiehl’s, Urban Decay and It Cosmetics. Most recently, she spearheaded the development and opening of L’Oréal’s 120,000-square-foot West Coast headquarters, located on a 25 acre campus in Los Angeles.

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“I’m full of reflection and gratitude and perspective on what a 40-year career has looked like in beauty and specifically at L’Oréal,” Hamilton said. “Over the last four decades, beauty has transformed itself into such a powerful and respected industry. It’s so gratifying to see how important the industry has become to consumers and the business world.”

When Hamilton joined L’Oréal Paris, the brand’s sales were about $150 million (“About the size of a big Indie brand,” said Hamilton) and it was a force in hair color, but not the other categories. Today, it’s the world’s largest beauty brand with leadership positions in hair care and color, makeup and skin care. Hamilton said that being part of the team that made it the global number one was one of the proudest moments of her career.

“Carol Hamilton’s leadership at L’Oréal has been nothing short of transformative. Her strategic vision propelled unprecedented growth for many brands in the portfolio, achieving market leadership across multiple categories,” said David Greenberg, chief executive officer of L’Oréal USA and president of the North America Zone. “Beyond her sharp business acumen, Carol’s commitment to mentorship and talent development leaves an enduring legacy of leadership. We celebrate her remarkable contributions and wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.” 

Hamilton is also known for championing the development of women, inside and outside of the company. In 2013, she created the Women in Power course in gender equality at L’Oréal with the Harvard Women’s Leadership Board, where she was also chairman of the board from 2018 to 2022. She also developed the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth philanthropic program, raising funds for ovarian cancer research and for UNICEF.

While Hamilton is retiring from L’Oréal, she’s not leaving the beauty industry. “I’m just moving to my next chapter,” she said. “I love building brands and I love building up founders, so I will continue in the industry, just from a different vantage point.”

She described the landscape today as being at a “tipping point,” and anticipates seismic shifts to continue in both category and channel preferences. “I’m particulary intrigued with the intersection of wellness and beauty, and how so many of the indie brands that started with the pandemic are going to change the beauty landscape in the next 10 years,” Hamilton said. “That merging of beauty and wellness is such an important trend, but how it’s going to play out is still a question mark.”

While the future landscape is impossible to predict, what’s certain is Hamilton’s continued love of the game. “It was a difficult decision for me to leave, because I love the company. I have sadness that this chapter is over,” she said, “but I’m looking forward with excitement and anticipation.”