Drunk Elephant

Drunk Elephant
Company type
Subsidiary
IndustrySkincare / Cosmetics
Founded2012
FounderTiffany Masterson
HeadquartersHouston, Texas, United States
Area served
International
Key people
Tiffany Masterson (Founder, Chief Creative Officer & President)
ProductsSkincare, haircare, body care
Revenue$120 million (2019)
OwnerShiseido (acquired 2019)

Drunk Elephant is a Houston-based skincare brand that was acquired by Shiseido in 2019 for $845 million.[1][2][3] The brand was originally founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson[4] as part of the clean beauty movement, and had its public launch in August 2013.

After its launch, Drunk Elephant became one of the fastest-growing brands ever at Sephora,[5] fueled in part by its popularity among younger consumers, including pre-teens, many of whom found the brand on TikTok short videos of "skincare smoothies".

Drunk Elephant is the fourth most popular skincare brand in the US. [4]

History

Drunk Elephant was founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson, a Houston-based mother of four.[6] The company was established with initial investments from her brother-in-law and brother, the latter of whom became company president.[7] After a year of engaging with consumers and refining the products, the brand officially launched in August 2013.[6]

In 2014, Drunk Elephant attended the Cosmoprof trade show, where it was noticed by Sephora.[6] The brand launched with the retailer in January 2015, becoming a top-selling and fast-growing skincare brand for the company.[8][9] In March 2017, Drunk Elephant secured a minority investment from the private equity firm VMG Partners and Leandra Medine to fund international expansion and scale operations.[10] By 2018, the company's net sales reached nearly $100 million.[7]

In October 2019, the Japanese cosmetics group Shiseido acquired Drunk Elephant for $845 million.[1][2][3][7] At the time, Drunk Elephant's global net sales for 2019 were $120 million.[11] The valuation was estimated at over eight times the brand's 2018 net sales.[12] Masterson remained with the company as Chief Creative Officer and President.[7] Under Shiseido, the brand expanded its product lines into hair and body care in 2020 and launched in mainland China in 2024.[13]

The brand has since faced challenges. In the first quarter of 2025, Shiseido reported a 65% year-over-year sales decline for Drunk Elephant, attributed to an "identity crisis" which alienated its core customer base.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Du, Lisa (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Inks $845 Million Deal for Skincare Firm Drunk Elephant". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  2. ^ a b Alcántara, Ann-Marie (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Acquires Clean Beauty Brand Drunk Elephant for $845 Million". AdWeek. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  3. ^ a b Wetherille, Kelly (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Acquires Drunk Elephant for $845 Million". WWD. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  4. ^ a b Yaptangco, Ariana (2024-01-10). "Inside the Tween Obsession With Drunk Elephant Skin Care". Glamour. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  5. ^ Strugatz, Rachel (2016-10-17). "Drunk Elephant: Beauty's Next Acquisition?". WWD. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  6. ^ a b c Hutcheson, Susannah. "How I became a skincare maven: Tiffany Masterson". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  7. ^ a b c d Sorvino, Chlow (2019-10-08). "Hot Skin-Care Brand Drunk Elephant Sells For $845 Million, Minting Founder A Fortune". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  8. ^ Corday, Karen (2023-03-03). "Drunk Elephant Founder Tiffany Masterson's Journey To Becoming A Beauty Mogul". Glam. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  9. ^ "Drunk Elephant's Plan to Become the Next Billion-Dollar Beauty Brand". The Business of Fashion. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  10. ^ Strugatz, Rachel (2017-03-06). "Drunk Elephant Gets Investment From VMG Partners, Man Repeller's Leandra Medine". WWD. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  11. ^ Ltd, Shiseido Co. "Messages from Brand Heads | ANNUAL REPORT 2019 | Shiseido group website". corp.shiseido.com. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  12. ^ Collins, Allison (2019-10-09). "What the Drunk Elephant Deal Means for Beauty M&A". WWD. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  13. ^ Matusow, Jamie (2021-02-03). "Drunk Elephant—Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging". Beauty Packaging. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  14. ^ Ludmir, Clara. "What Went Wrong With Drunk Elephant". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-11-18.

See also


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