Inflexion Takes Minority Stake in Manucurist, Eyes US Push

Inflexion, the European private equity firm that backed Medik8 before its 2025 sale to L'Oréal, has taken a minority stake in Paris-based nail care brand Manucurist. The deal, disclosed without a figure, targets US expansion and retail rollout for a brand whose hero product Green Flash already sells in more than 40 countries.

Inflexion's Enterprise Fund will fund team, systems and new product development, with the stated ambition of building Manucurist into a "global leader in 'clean' nail care products." Digital and marketplace channels sit alongside US retail in the growth plan.

Why does the Medik8 precedent matter?

Inflexion supported Medik8, the British vitamin A-focused skin care brand, as it scaled internationally and expanded across channels. That path ended with a sale to L'Oréal in 2025. For Manucurist, the template signals a holding period built around channel breadth and geographic reach before any exit question arises.

For buyers and formulators, the deal means more capital behind clean nail product development. Green Flash, launched in 2019, remains the reference SKU; expect NPD spend to widen the range around it.

What is Manucurist's track record?

The company dates to 1996, when it began inside a professional nail and beauty salon in Paris. Gaëlle Lebrat Personnaz, Co-CEO and founder, took over the family business in 2016 after several years in fashion at Louis Vuitton, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent. Green Flash followed in 2019 and now reaches more than 40 countries.

Personnaz said: "After ten years of innovation and expansion, I am proud and delighted to partner with Inflexion, who shares our vision and has a proven record of helping founder-led brands grow internationally."

She added: "We look forward to working together on the next stage of our journey."

What does Inflexion expect to change?

Tom Pemberton, Partner, Head of Enterprise Fund and Consumer, at Inflexion, framed the investment in operational terms. He said: "Manucurist is exactly the kind of business we like to back."

Pemberton continued: "A brilliant founder-led brand that has disrupted the market through product innovation and outstanding brand execution."

He also stated: "We are extremely excited to support the team to accelerate its international growth story, particularly in the US, and to help build it into the global leader in clean nail care."

What should the trade watch next?

The stake remains minority; Personnaz stays Co-CEO. No financial terms, revenue figures or valuation appeared in the announcement. The concrete indicators to track are US retail listings, marketplace growth and the first post-deal product launches beyond Green Flash. If the Medik8 playbook holds, a larger transaction could follow within several years.