Drunk Elephant
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Skincare / Cosmetics |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Tiffany Masterson |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States |
Area served | International |
Key people | Tiffany Masterson (Founder, Chief Creative Officer & President) |
| Products | Skincare, haircare, body care |
| Revenue | $120 million (2019) |
| Owner | Shiseido (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
[edit]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]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Du, Lisa (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Inks $845 Million Deal for Skincare Firm Drunk Elephant". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- 1 2 Alcántara, Ann-Marie (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Acquires Clean Beauty Brand Drunk Elephant for $845 Million". AdWeek. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- 1 2 Wetherille, Kelly (2019-10-08). "Shiseido Acquires Drunk Elephant for $845 Million". WWD. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- 1 2 Yaptangco, Ariana (2024-01-10). "Inside the Tween Obsession With Drunk Elephant Skin Care". Glamour. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ↑ Strugatz, Rachel (2016-10-17). "Drunk Elephant: Beauty's Next Acquisition?". WWD. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- 1 2 3 Hutcheson, Susannah. "How I became a skincare maven: Tiffany Masterson". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- 1 2 3 4 Sorvino, Chlow (2019-10-08). "Hot Skin-Care Brand Drunk Elephant Sells For $845 Million, Minting Founder A Fortune". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Corday, Karen (2023-03-03). "Drunk Elephant Founder Tiffany Masterson's Journey To Becoming A Beauty Mogul". Glam. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ "Drunk Elephant's Plan to Become the Next Billion-Dollar Beauty Brand". The Business of Fashion. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Strugatz, Rachel (2017-03-06). "Drunk Elephant Gets Investment From VMG Partners, Man Repeller's Leandra Medine". WWD. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Ltd, Shiseido Co. "Messages from Brand Heads | ANNUAL REPORT 2019 | Shiseido group website". corp.shiseido.com. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Collins, Allison (2019-10-09). "What the Drunk Elephant Deal Means for Beauty M&A". WWD. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Matusow, Jamie (2021-02-03). "Drunk Elephant—Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging". Beauty Packaging. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ↑ Ludmir, Clara. "What Went Wrong With Drunk Elephant". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-11-18.