Unilever Ventures is to make its first foray into the microbiome beauty sector. The company was named as lead investor in a Series A funding round for skin care brand Gallinée.

“I am delighted to welcome Unilever Ventures as an investor,” said Gallinée Founder Marie Drago. “It is such a great honor for a young company, and their expertise will be invaluable for us. It will allow us to keep innovating in the microbiome field though new studies and products, expand our online business and extend to new territories, especially the US.”

“We have been impressed by Gallinée’s level of innovation and consistency. It is rare to find such young brands with the right mix of science and consumer focus. I look forward to working with Marie and her team to build upon the company’s momentum and many growth opportunities” said Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville, Director with Unilever Ventures.

Gallinée will pile the investment into its e-commerce business as well as finance R&D to extend the range and expand its global footprint.