French cosmetics brand Horace has hit the high seas. Without waiting for confirmation of the introduction of a 25% tax on European products entering the US, the French SME specializing in men's skincare and fragrances sent a batch of goods across the Atlantic by boat in early March. Despite the three months required to ship them, Marc Terlet, the brand's president and co-founder, is hopeful that some of his products will escape the rising import costs in the world's leading cosmetics market.

The executive is already downplaying the commercial impact of such a measure. "According to my initial calculations, the impact of these increases on sales prices will only reach $1 per product. The American consumer won't be too aware of this," estimated the brand chief. Horace intends to maintain its offensive on the US market, which began with the launch of its online sales site in 2023, and has increased tenfold since March 3 with a presence on Amazon. However, Terlet hopes that the "unpredictability" of US legislation will "only last four years," in other words, the time of Donald Trump's second term in office.

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