Beauty Inc’s Wellness Power Brands – WWD
The power of wellness has taken the beauty industry to a place that is much more than skin deep. It’s a holistic approach to all things that affect the skin, sleep and emotional and mental health.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy spans 10 sectors, making personal care, beauty and antiaging a $1.1 billion market.
McKinsey & Co. reported in a 2021 survey of roughly 7,500 consumers in six countries, 79 percent said they believe wellness is important, and 42 percent consider it a top priority. In fact, consumers in every market McKinsey researched reported a substantial increase in the prioritization of wellness over the past two to three years.
To that end, a slew of brands targeting inner and outer beauty have launched in the past couple of years, and the flow shows no signs of slowing.
But which ones truly stand out? To find out, Beauty Inc spoke to key retailers like Goop, Standard Dose and Thirteen Lune, analysts and industry insiders to discover the breakthrough brands in wellness. The result is this list, the 50 power players in the categories of CBD, supplements and powders, feminine care and sexual health, brands that encompass skin, body, hair, ingestibles (the all-arounds) and home accessories and tools.
Some are better known than others, but all are paving the way to the future of self care.
CBD
Brown Girl Jane
Founders: Malaika Jones, Tai Beauchamp and Nia Jones
Launched: 2020
This plant-based beauty and wellness collection includes skin care, tinctures and intimate care that harness the power of broad-spectrum CBD. By building community and emphasizing inclusivity, quality, accessibility and transparency, the brand’s mission is to remove stigma around CBD in Black and brown communities. Brown Girl Jane is expected to do $2 million in sales this year.
Charlotte’s Web
Founders: Josh, Joel, Jesse, Jon, Jordan, Jared and J. Austin Stanley
Launched: 2013
Charlotte’s Web CBD products are created by the seven Stanley brothers and range from tinctures to capsules, gummies, topicals and products for pets. The B Corp-certified brand advocates for using the whole plant, meaning it contains remnants of rare cannabinoids like CBN, CBG and CBC. Industry sources report 2020 net sales of about $95 million.
Foria
Founders: Mathew Gerson and Jon Brandon
Launched: 2013
Foria is best known for combining cannabinoids and plant-based formulas within categories of sexual wellness, menstrual pain and pelvic discomfort like endometriosis and PCOS. In September 2020, the brand partnered with Hudson Hemp to reduce prices across the majority of the line to make its products more accessible. Foria’s sales have grown at a CAGR of 89 percent since 2016, and the brand’s direct-to-consumer sales have increased 230 percent in the past two years.
Frigg
Founder: Kimberly Dillon
Launched: 2020
This topical skin and hair and ingestible cannabis company focuses on relieving stress and tapping into adaptogens and an array of botanicals. Founder Kimberly Dillon, a cannabis industry vet, partners with minority-owned and female-founded hemp farms. Frigg’s revenue is up 200 percent in the first quarter of 2021 versus fourth-quarter 2020.
Gossamer
Founders: David Weiner and Verena von Pfetten
Launched: 2018
Gossamer is a biannual magazine focused on travel, design, beauty, wellness, art, culture and food through a cannabis lens. The company, which grew 127 percent in 2020 and is projecting a 250 percent increase in 2021, also includes two CBD tinctures, one with CBN for sleep and one with THC-V for focus. Five percent of all product sales are donated to organizations dedicated to undoing the harm caused by the war on drugs.
Lord Jones
Founders: Robert Rosenheck and Cindy Capobianco
Launched: 2017
Lord Jones crafts hemp-derived, CBD-infused products, including confections, skin care and supplements. The brand gained notoriety and a cult following among celebrities when stylists began applying its Whole CBD Body Lotion to their clients’ feet before walking the red carpet. Three years post-launch, Lord Jones launched its second CBD skin care brand, Happy Dance, with actress Kristen Bell. Cronos bought Lord Jones in 2019 for $300 million, an estimated 75 to 150 times more than 2018 revenue.
Lure
Founders: Summer Rice, Kara Kelly and Monica Reese
Launched: 2020
Lure was launched as a plant-based, full-spectrum CBD alternative to help women destress via better sleep, recovery and sex. Since its launch, Lure has experienced more than 95 percent sales growth, nearly 200 percent customer return rate and increased conversions by 30 percent.
Mineral
Founder: Mills Miller
Launched: 2017
Since conception, Mineral has been working with the whole plant, allowing cannabinoids and terpenes to have a maximum effect on the body. The brand’s revenue grew by 180 percent last year and is expected to grow more than 200 percent this year. In April, Miller launched a new wellness company called Mycro, a cacao-infused, adaptogenic mushroom honey to help with mood, inflammation, anxiety and stress.
Therabody
Founder: Dr. Jason Wersland
Launched: 2008
Therabody began with the Theragun, a percussive therapy device. But when Wersland noticed the positive impact CBD had on his treatments, he decided to create his own collection to be used alone or in tandem with the device. The USDA-certified Organic CBD products known as TheraOne, which launched in 2020, are made with a patent-pending technology for maximum absorption. In 2020, Therabody grew its profits more than 30 times since 2017 and tripled its overall revenue.
Xula
Founders: Karina Primelles and Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey
Launched: 2020
This Latina- and Black-owned CBD brand out of Mexico City is a direct response to the absence of Latine queer and BIPOC people in the cannabis space. The product range is made with full-spectrum hemp extracts and plants from the Latin American bioregion and focuses on anxiety, menopause, menstrual cramps, sleep and hormonal health. Xula has posted year-over-year growth of 350 percent.
SUPPLEMENTS + POWDERS
8Greens
Founder: Dawn Russell
Launched: 2016
After being diagnosed with stage three cancer at 25 with an immune system left too compromised to receive radiation or chemotherapy, Russell went back to the basics of green nutrition and has since made a full recovery. This was the impetus for starting 8Greens. Russell’s first product was a green effervescent tablet made from eight greens: spinach, kale, aloe vera, wheatgrass, blue, green algae, barley grass, chlorella and spirulina. Since its launch, revenue has increased by 7,000 percent.
Arrae
Founders: Siffat Haider and Nish Samantray
Launched: 2020
After struggling with her own digestive issues for a number of years, Haider turned to natural remedies as a last resort and created Arrae, a collection of supplements that treat stress and gut health because of how closely the two are linked. In business for a little over a year, the brand has done $2 million in sales.
Care/of
Founders: Craig Elbert and Akash Shah
Launched: 2016
Care/of began as an in-depth, interactive quiz — to date, more than 6 million people have taken the questionnaire — to help deliver customers with personalized daily vitamin sachets. In March, Care/of partnered with Target to create an accessible collection of multivitamins and supplements based on insights from the original Care/of subscription.
Four Sigmatic
Founders: Tero Isokauppila
Launched: 2012
Four Sigmatic is best known for using functional mushrooms infused with coffee, plant-based protein and chocolate, aiming to fight stress without changing daily rituals. The brand is now a “high-growth company,” according to Isokauppila, due to the shifting attitudes around wellness and, more specifically, mushrooms.
Hum Nutrition
Founders: Walter Faulstroh and Chris Coleridge
Launched: 2012
Hum Nutrition merges beauty and wellness and includes a range of 34 stock keeping units addressing beauty concerns in skin, hair, body and mood. The $50 million company, according to industry sources, also utilizes an online quiz that pairs consumers with personalized product recommendations and a registered dietitian for free wellness coaching.
Love Wellness
Founder: Lauren Bosworth
Launched: 2016
Love Wellness is driven by body positivity, clean ingredients and expert formulations ranging from multivitamins to fiber supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes and more. The brand, which has experienced 122 percent growth in 2021 versus 2020, is on a mission to empower women with education to remove the stigma that often comes with women’s health.
Nutrafol
Founders: Giorgos Tsetis, Dr. Sophia Kogan and Roland Peralta
Launched: 2016
Nutrafol was created after its three founders weren’t satisfied with the current hair thinning options on the market. They decided to take a holistic approach, targeting the underlying causes of thinning strands such as stress, hormones, environment and nutrition. Industry sources estimate that Nutrafol will generate $150 million to $175 million in sales in 2021.
Olly
Founder: Eric Ryan
Launched: 2015
Olly is best known for its range of supplements, including gummies, soft gels, capsules and powders, and making nutrition easy to understand. Most recently, the brand partnered with mental health nonprofit The Jed Foundation to accelerate programming and deploy resources for high school students, teachers and families, focusing on emotional preparation for life post-high school. Industry sources estimate Olly’s retail sales exceed $320 million.
Peak and Valley
Founder: Nadine Joseph
Launched: 2019
Nadine Joseph, a neuroscientist who studies stress, launched her holistic wellness brand as an antidote to her own stress, fatigue and skin issues. The brand is comprised of four skus, and blends mushrooms and herbal supplements used in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. In its two years, Peak and Valley has done $2 million in sales.
Rae Wellness
Founder: Angie Tebbe
Launched: 2019
Rae Wellness’ vision is to be accessible and attainable for all when it comes to supplements, including products that support sexual wellness and hormonal health. The brand donates 5 percent of all revenue to Girls Inc. This month, the company launched its new hemp-derived CBD products focused on women’s health and plans to see triple-digit growth in 2021 versus 2020.
Ritual
Founder: Kat Schneider
Launched: 2016
Ritual began by developing and reimagining the daily multivitamin for women. Revenue is said to be around $100 million and sales nearly doubled in 2020. Recently it launched additional multivitamins and protein powders, working with a slew of doctors, chemists and dietitians to formulate without unnecessary ingredients and with nutrients in their most potent forms.
Sakara
Founder: Danielle DuBoise and Whitney Tingle
Launched: 2012
Sakara is both an organic, nutritionally designed meal program delivering ready-to-eat to clients’ doorsteps and a wellness brand made up of more than 30 skus of snacks and supplements. The founders also have released a cookbook and recently launched a namesake podcast featuring industry tastemakers like Jessica Alba, Arianna Huffington and Dr. Mark Hyman. In 2020, Sakara Life delivered more than 2 million organic meals and is expected to approach $150 million in profitable revenue this year.
Seed
Founders: Ara Katz and Raja Dhir
Launched: 2017
Known for demystifying the microbiome, Seed is rooted in probiotics and collaborates with leading academic researchers to develop clinically studied broad-spectrum and targeted consumer probiotics for outcomes across gastrointestinal, dermatological, oral, pediatric and nutritional health. In April 2021, Seed raised a $40 million Series A financing at an estimated valuation of $200 million, and over the past two years, revenue has increased 20 times.
The Beauty Chef
Founder: Carla Oates
Launched: 2009
The Beauty Chef believes beauty begins in the gut. Each sku (12 in total including ingestibles and topicals) is blended with organic and natural, nutrient-dense whole food ingredients with prebiotics and probiotics. According to industry sources, The Beauty Chef has done $15 million in sales and has grown 30 percent over the last four years.
Vital Proteins
Founder: Kurt Seidensticker
Launched: 2013
Vital Proteins supports the hair, skin, nails, bones, joints and gut health through an assortment of collagen-infused protein powders, supplements, drinks, gummies and bars. In December, Jennifer Aniston was tapped as the billion-dollar company’s chief creative officer, providing insight into new product innovations and brand strategy, while sharing her personal experience using Vital Proteins.
FEMININE CARE + SEXUAL HEALTH
Dame Products
Founders: Alexandra Fine and Janet Lieberman-Lu
Launched: 2014
Dame Products crafts tools for sexual wellbeing and to destigmatize the category, with the message that sexual wellness isn’t a taboo topic, but a powerful facet of health. The brand, whose sales, according to industry sources, ranged from $8 million to $11 million in 2020, innovates beyond its product line, regularly educating its customers through programming, activism and workshops.
Deodoc
Founders: Hasti Asadi and Dr. Hedieh Asadi
Launched: 2013
Created by sisters Hasti Asadi and Dr. Hedieh Asadi, Deodoc is an intimate hygiene collection. The line was formulated alongside gynecologist Dr. Gunvor Ekman-Ordeberg to bring better solutions, break taboos and dispel myths about intimate care. According to industry sources, as of 2021, Deodoc has done $4 million in sales, doubling year-on-year.
Fur
Founders: Laura Schubert and Lillian Tung
Launched: 2016
Despite its name, Fur takes into consideration whether its customers shave, laser, wax or none of the above, delivering nourishment to the skin and hair. The $10 million brand, according to industry sources, includes facial-grade body products created for the intimate area that can be used from head to toe.
Kindra
Founder: Catherine Balsam-Schwaber
Launched: 2019
Kindra aims to support women through menopause while encouraging them to open up about what tends to be considered a taboo topic. The brand, which has grown more than 430 percent, was created in partnership with Proctor & Gamble Ventures and the venture engine M13 and includes supplements and intimate care to solve for natural hormone shifts in the body.
Maude
Founder: Éva Goicochea
Launched: 2018
Inclusivity and design are at the heart of Maude, a sex essentials and intimacy collection. The brand, which is projected to reach sales in the high seven figures for 2021, includes products like vibrators, lube, massage candles and bath and body items. In 2020, Dakota Johnson joined as an investor and co-creative director.
Rael
Founder: Yanghee Paik, Aness An and Binna Won
Launched: 2017
Rael delivers holistic period support ranging in products from cotton tampons to cramp relief, underwear and acne treatments. The brand, which according to industry sources, has done $40 million in revenue, takes a Korean beauty approach with its innovation and ingredients and works with companies to stock communal bathrooms with the products women need at a discounted price.
Smile Makers
Founder: Peder Wikström and Mattias Hulting
Launched: 2013
Smile Makers’ mission is to normalize the perception of female sexuality and bring vibrators into mainstream retail — the brand is sold in Goop, Urban Outfitters, Cult Beauty and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others. From educational programs developed by sexologists to interactive virtual workshops, Smile Makers, which has been growing at a rate of 70 percent for the past three years, aims to increase dialogue about female pleasure.
The Honey Pot
Founder: Beatrice Dixon
Launched: 2014
This plant-derived feminine care company spans the ongoing needs of the vagina. Powered by herbs, products include vaginal cleansers, organic menstrual tampons and pads, organic incontinence pads, mommy-to-be products, soothing vulva creams, suppositories, panty sprays and organic lubricants. In the last year, The Honey Pot Co. has grown 400 percent in revenue.
THE ALL-AROUNDS
Act+Acre
Founder: Helen Reavey
Launched: 2019
Act+Acre, whose revenue has grown 333 percent year-over-year, prioritizes scalp and hair health with its collection of hair care, hair growth supplements and accessories like scalp gua sha and a functional fragrance to enhance wellbeing. Founder Helen Reavey, a longtime editorial hairstylist, recently became a certified trichologist to further understand the biology and science behind hair growth and scalp conditions and bridge the gap between hairstylist and dermatologist.
Dr. Nigma
Founder: Dr. Nigma Talib
Launched: 2016
Created by Los Angeles-based naturopathic doctor Dr. Nigma Talib, the namesake brand is an extension of her practice consisting of active skin care products and supplements to treat both skin and gut health. Industry sources estimate that Nigma’s revenue is between $2 million to $4 million.
Gallinée
Founder: Marie Drago
Launched: 2016
After extensively researching the microbiome, Gallinée founder Dr. Marie Drago, a French pharmacist with 15 years of experience working with skin care brands, realized applying her knowledge of probiotics, prebiotics and lactic acid would help support the skin’s good bacteria. The brand’s collection includes skin, body, hair and oral care, and supplements. Industry sources estimate that Gallinée will do $2.5 million in sales in 2021.
Golde
Founders: Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Issey Kobori
Launched: 2017
The Black- and POC-owned brand, whose sales are up seven times in 2021 versus 2020, includes both superfood powders and skin care blended with ingredients like mushrooms, matcha and papaya. Golde most recently launched at Target, staying true to its ethos of making wellness and self care more accessible.
Goop
Founder: Gwyneth Paltrow
Launched: 2008, website; 2016, products
Besides being a destination for all things wellness, Goop’s eponymous collection of skin care, supplements (the supplements hit more than $100,000 in sales on launch day), sexual wellness (its debut vibrator sold out in 24 hours), body care and fragrance, its largest growth driver and the category is expected to make up more than half of all sales from their own products. Sales have grown 281 percent since 2017 and are projected to grow by 24 percent by the end of 2021.
In Fiore
Founder: Julie Elliott
Launched: 1999
Crafted with organic or wildcrafted essential oils, herbs and floral waters from all over the world, In Fiore most recently launched its range of tinctures in partnership with a molecular biologist and phytochemist. The brand is on track to increase sales by 30 percent this year and 50 percent next year.
Lyma
Founder: Lucy Goff
Launched: 2018
Created as a multivitamin to target skin, hair, sleep and anxiety, Lyma, which — according to sources — has done $100 million in sales, includes a $269 ($190 for a 30-day refill) supplement known for its transparent dosing and peer-reviewed ingredients. The brand has evolved to include an at-home laser, a technology that utilizes infrared bio-stimulation to restore biological cell function and help reverse skin aging.
Megababe
Founder: Katie Sturino
Launched: 2017
Founded by style influencer and body acceptance advocate Katie Sturino, Megababe tackles skin care and body issues that aren’t often acknowledge. With products like Thigh Rescue for thigh chafe and Bust Dust for boob sweat, Megababe’s mission is to allow people to feel more confident in their skin. Since launch, Megababe’s revenue has increased three times year-over-year.
Moon Juice
Founder: Amanda Chantal Bacon
Launched: 2011
From functional snacks to adaptogenic supplements and skin care, Moon Juice is the brainchild of Amanda Chantal Bacon, who created the company after alleviating her autoimmune condition. The brand, which has experienced more than 100 percent growth in direct-to-consumer sales in 2020, takes a holistic approach, tackling issues like stress, sleep, gut health and immunity.
Murad
Founder: Dr. Howard Murad
Launched: 1989
Murad has taken a holistic approach to skin care since conception, with both topical and ingestible products. The brand’s ethos revolves around conquering the global health epidemic of stress and Dr. Murad’s manifesto of “Skin care is health care.” Purchased in 2015 for an undisclosed price by Unilever, sales are said to be in the hundreds of million-dollar range.
Nature of Things
Founders: JP Collett and Jamie Leilani Pelayo
Launched: 2019
Nature of Things is a skin care, powder supplement and body care line rooted in the idea that taking care of oneself is a daily practice. The brand, which is packaged in reusable, recyclable and compostable hemp board vessels, uses organic botanicals and CBD whenever possible, to help relieve pain and inflammation and alleviate stress. Industry sources estimate sales have exceeded $2 million since launch.
The Nue Co
Founder: Jules Miller
Launched: 2017
Jules Miller created The Nue Co to support and treat the gut. The brand has evolved into supplements for immunity and stress, functional fragrances and skin care made with clinically proven ingredients, as well as practices from Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. In the past 24 months, the brand has experienced 500 percent growth in sales.
HOME ACCESSORIES + TOOLS
Higher Dose
Founders: Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps
Launched: 2016
Created to boost dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins, Higher Dose creates at-home spa modalities combined with advanced technology. Higher Dose, which sources said has done $20 million in sales, also consists of a flagship location with two more on the way, offering lymphatic drainage and infrared sauna services. The brand is known for its Infrared Sauna Blanket and an array of devices that mimic the benefits of detoxifying the body in a spa setting.
Lanshin
Founder: Sandra Lanshin Chiu
Launched: 2018
Chinese herbalist and acupuncturist Sandra Lanshin Chiu treats pain, infertility, digestive disorders and more at her Brooklyn studio, Treatment by Lanshin, which opened in 2006. In 2018, Chiu revealed her collection of handmade gua sha tools, which have more than doubled in sales since last year. Her popular instructional videos have received more than 10 million streams on YouTube and 4 million on Instagram.
Resorè
Founder: Nathan Jackson, Evah Jackson and Sarah DeBoer
Launched: 2020
Resorè has reimagined the everyday face and body towel. The Australia-based brand uses a textile technology that is said to not harbor bacteria and better cleanse irritated and sensitive skin types. Recently, Résore, whose sales online have increased more than 300 percent, signed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as a brand ambassador and Melanie Grant as its skin care expert.
Slip
Founders: Fiona and Justin Stewart
Launched: 2004, Australia; 2015, U.S.
Slip began as a single silk pillowcase positioned as a more gentle solution to cotton to help with skin and hair health. The brand now includes silk accessories like scrunchies, sleep masks and face coverings to further its mission. According to the brand, Slip is on track to have a record-breaking year of sales.
Vitruvi
Founder: Sarah Panton
Launched: 2015
Vitruvi is a solution to scenting the home, naturally. Made with essential oils and offering both blends and single scents, the brand is known for its matte ceramic diffuser (it have since added two additional models). According to Vitruvi, from 2019 to 2020, the company saw a 123 percent growth in sales, year-over-year.
