VMV Cosmetic Group
VMV Cosmetic Group is a family-controlled Spanish holding company that develops, manufactures, and distributes a portfolio of 15 professional beauty brands — led by Salerm Cosmetics and Arkhé Cosmetics — to 500,000+ hairdressing salons in 50+ countries, with vertical integration through in-house R&D and manufacturing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLliçà de Vall, Spain
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What VMV Cosmetic Group does
VMV Cosmetic Group is a privately held Spanish holding company headquartered in Lliçà de Vall (Barcelona) that controls a portfolio of 15 professional beauty brands operating across 50+ countries. The group's core activity is the development, manufacture, and distribution of professional hair care, colouring, and styling products sold primarily through B2B relationships with hairdressing salons and beauty professionals, complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce via brand websites. Its flagship brand, Salerm Cosmetics, includes the iconic Salerm 21 line — a leave-in treatment based on natural silk proteins and encapsulated provitamin B5 — which the company reports has sold 35+ million units across 500,000+ salons in 54+ countries since launch in 1996.
The business model is anchored by vertical integration: in-house formulation and manufacturing are executed at Lamarvi Laboratorios Cosméticos within an 68,000 m2 industrial complex that also houses R&D+i laboratories, warehouses, and a dedicated museum for the founder. Go-to-market combines 65+ own international delegations supplying professional salons, brand e-commerce sites (salerm.com, arkhecosmetics.com, etc.), and distributor partnerships in secondary markets. The portfolio spans differentiated tiers — Salerm Cosmetics (mass professional), Arkhé Cosmetics (premium "conscious beauty"), Lendan, Crioxidil, Alea, and adjacent categories such as wigs (MARVI), hair extensions (First Hair), and salon equipment — supported by the VMV Education platform and the Víctor Martínez Vicario Foundation.
The company is family-controlled following its founding by Víctor Martínez Vicario, with continued leadership involvement from his wife Ana Ribes (Vice-President). Recent strategic activity centers on premium product innovation (COLOR PURE, SHAPES, HORIZON, Salerm 21 Thermal Protector), coordinated LATAM expansion (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico), and physical Experience Hubs in Barcelona (Casa Arkhé, La Galería), positioning the group for further international scaling within the professional channel.
VMV Cosmetic Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VMV Cosmetic Group
- Legal name
- VMV GROUP DE SERVICIOS Y GESTION S.L.
- Website
- https://vmvcosmeticgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- VMV Cosmetic Group is a family-controlled Spanish holding company that develops, manufactures, and distributes a portfolio of 15 professional beauty brands — led by Salerm Cosmetics and Arkhé Cosmetics — to 500,000+ hairdressing salons in 50+ countries, with vertical integration through in-house R&D and manufacturing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VMV Cosmetic Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Hair Care & Cosmetics
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Men’s Grooming (Shaving, Beard Care, Aftershave) (CRADANAF)
Keywords
Where VMV Cosmetic Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lliçà de Vall
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
VMV Cosmetic Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Professional Beauty Products B2B: Sale of professional hair care, colouring, and beauty products to hairdressing salons and beauty professionals worldwide. Primary revenue stream through brands like Salerm, Arkhé, Lendan, and others distributed to 500,000+ beauty salons globally.
- Consumer Beauty Products DTC: Direct-to-consumer sales of beauty products through brand e-commerce platforms and retail channels. Products include hair care treatments, styling products, and professional-grade beauty solutions for end consumers.
- Salon Equipment & Wigs: Sale of salon equipment, wigs (MARVI brand), hair extensions (First Hair), and specialized hair solutions through brands like Beauty Studio Center and La Galería.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
VMV Cosmetic Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VMV Cosmetic Group is a Spanish family-owned cosmetics holding company that manufactures and distributes a portfolio of 15 professional beauty brands across more than 65 countries. Its core activity is the production of professional-grade hair care, hair color, and styling products sold primarily through a network of more than 500,000 professional beauty salons, with secondary direct-to-consumer sales through brand e-commerce sites and specialty retailers. The group operates 68,000 m² of facilities including manufacturing plants, R&D+i laboratories, and education centers, and complements its product business with the VMV Education scholarship program and brand experience hubs such as Casa Arkhé and La Galería.
Product overview
VMV Cosmetic Group is a Spanish holding company that manages a portfolio of 15 professional cosmetics and hairdressing brands. The group operates across the full beauty value chain — from product development and manufacturing (through Lamarvi Laboratorios Cosméticos) to professional distribution, education, and retail salon concepts. Its brands span hair care, colouring, styling, hair extensions, wigs, and beauty studio services. Key brands include Salerm Cosmetics (with its iconic Salerm 21 line celebrating 30 years), Arkhé Cosmetics (premium conscious beauty with Casa Arkhé as an Experience Hub), Lendan Cosmetics, CrioXidil, Alea Cosmetics, First Hair, Marvi, Beauty Studio Center, La Galería, Salon Selección, Vico, and Aerosol Ibérica. The group also operates dedicated education programmes (VMV Education with the Víctor Martínez Vicario Scholarship), innovation initiatives, a sustainability programme, and the Víctor Martínez Vicario Foundation for social responsibility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Salerm 21
Quantifiable outcome
- 35+ million units sold globally for Salerm 21 since 1996
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use VMV Cosmetic Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
VMV Cosmetic Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
VMV Cosmetic Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.
- Sonia CarrascoflagshipArkhé Cosmetics serves as official hairdresser for Spanish designer Sonia Carrasco's collections at Paris Fashion Week. This strategic partnership strengthens Arkhé's presence in international fashion, with the brand providing backstage hair services for shows that are part of the official Paris Fashion Week calendar.
- Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Facebook, Instagram)minorCo-responsibility partnership for advertising and marketing. VMV Cosmetic Group and Meta share responsibility for processing user data for advertising purposes on Facebook and Instagram platforms.
- TikTok Technology LimitedminorCo-responsibility partnership for advertising on TikTok platform. Data shared with TikTok for showing relevant and personalized ads to users.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
VMV Cosmetic Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Coty Professional Beauty: Coty's professional division (Wella Professional heritage assets, Kadus, Nioxin) targets the same salon channel with overlapping product categories. Comparable B2B model and salon relationships.
- Kao Corporation (Goldwell): Kao's Goldwell and KMS brands compete in professional salons with colouring and styling ranges analogous to Salerm and Arkhé. Comparable distribution through salons but backed by a much larger Japanese FMCG parent.
- Wella Company: Professional hair care company (Wella, Clairol Professional, OPI) serving salons worldwide. Direct competitor in colouring and care, with comparable B2B salon distribution model and global footprint.
- L'Oréal Kérastase: L'Oréal's premium salon brand offering care, colouring and styling products. Direct overlap with Arkhé's premium positioning and Salerm 21's treatment franchise.
- L'Oréal Professionnel: Professional hair care division of L'Oréal, offering L'Oréal Professionnel, Kérastase and Redken ranges distributed through the same salon channel VMV targets. Directly comparable product categories, but vastly larger scale and marketing budget.
Direct peers
- Davines Group: Italian, family-controlled professional hair care group with a similar multi-brand portfolio (Davines, Comfort Zone) sold through salons globally. Closely comparable in private/family ownership, premium positioning and B2B salon distribution model.
- Revlon Professional: Professional division of Revlon selling colour and care lines into salons globally. Direct peer in colouring and care categories served through B2B salon networks.
- John Paul Mitchell Systems: US privately-held professional hair care company selling Paul Mitchell and Awapuhi Wild Ginger into salons. Comparable in being private, professional-only, multi-brand and salon-distributed.
- Maria Nila: Swedish vegan professional hair care brand sold through salons and DTC channels. Comparable in category (professional hair care), premium positioning and salon-led distribution.
Others
- Schwarzkopf Professional (Henkel): Henkel's professional hair care unit, competing in the same salon channel with comparable colouring, care and styling ranges. Overlaps directly with Salerm, Arkhé and Lendan portfolios but at significantly larger global scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VMV Cosmetic Group social profiles
Digital presenceVMV Cosmetic Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VMV Cosmetic Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
VMV Cosmetic Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries14 records
VMV Cosmetic Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VMV Cosmetic Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VMV Cosmetic Group
What does VMV Cosmetic Group do?
VMV Cosmetic Group is a Spanish family-owned cosmetics holding company that manufactures and distributes a portfolio of 15 professional beauty brands across more than 65 countries. Its core activity is the production of professional-grade hair care, hair color, and styling products sold primarily through a network of more than 500,000 professional beauty salons, with secondary direct-to-consumer sales through brand e-commerce sites and specialty retailers. The group operates 68,000 m² of facilities including manufacturing plants, R&D+i laboratories, and education centers, and complements its product business with the VMV Education scholarship program and brand experience hubs such as Casa Arkhé and La Galería.
Is VMV Cosmetic Group a public or private company?
VMV Cosmetic Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was VMV Cosmetic Group founded?
VMV Cosmetic Group was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is VMV Cosmetic Group based?
VMV Cosmetic Group is headquartered in Lliçà de Vall, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does VMV Cosmetic Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Beauty Products B2B is the primary driver. The others are consumer Beauty Products DTC and salon Equipment & Wigs.
Who are VMV Cosmetic Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Coty Professional Beauty, Kao Corporation (Goldwell), Wella Company, L'Oréal Kérastase and L'Oréal Professionnel. Direct peers are Davines Group, Revlon Professional, John Paul Mitchell Systems and Maria Nila. Schwarzkopf Professional (Henkel) is listed as an others.
Does VMV Cosmetic Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for VMV Cosmetic Group.
What industry is VMV Cosmetic Group in?
VMV Cosmetic Group's product category is Professional Hair Care & Cosmetics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADANAE, Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments), with a secondary code of CRADANAF, Men’s Grooming (Shaving, Beard Care, Aftershave). Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 2844.