What Topicals does

Topicals is a Delaware-incorporated, Santa Monica-based skincare brand (legal entity Topicals RX, Inc.) founded in 2020 by Olamide Olowe alongside a co-founder, both with medical backgrounds, that develops and sells a curated portfolio of clinically-tested, dermatologist-reviewed skincare products targeting chronic skin conditions — hyperpigmentation, dark spots, eczema, keratosis pilaris, acne, ingrown hairs, and dry skin — with a shade-inclusive formulation philosophy that builds products from Fitzpatrick 6 down to 1 (deepest skin tones first), inverting the industry norm. The product line is organized into routines: Faded (Under Eye Masks, Dark Spot Patches, Brightening + Clearing Serum, Cleansing Bar, Starter Kit, Complete Bundle), High Roller (ingrown tonic), Slather (exfoliating body bar and serum), Like Butter (eczema-prone moisturizer with 1% colloidal oatmeal), Slick Salve (lip balms with proprietary Cling Technology), Clearly (acne mask and mist), and Sealed (skin texture primer), plus accessories and apparel. Proprietary technical components include Cling Technology for lip-care delivery, an encapsulated retinol delivery system enabling lower-concentration weekly use, and a No-Slip patch technology combining tranexamic acid, niacinamide, kojic acid, Vitamin C, and Boerhavia Diffusa root extract.

Topicals operates a dual-channel business model: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront on Shopify (mytopicals.com) supported by a Subscribe & Save auto-replenishment program (10% off, free shipping, 2-8 week cadences), Topicals Rewards loyalty points, and 4-interest-free-installment payment options; alongside an exclusive wholesale partnership with Sephora across all 772 U.S. stores and Sephora's international markets in the U.K., Canada, Nigeria, and (since November 2025) France. Hero SKUs are priced between $22 and $36 at unit level with bundle SKUs up to $80. The go-to-market is community-led and social-first, anchored on founder-led TikTok content, celebrity and cultural investors (Angel Reese, Rema, Gabrielle Union, Kelly Rowland, Asika), and earned media in Vogue, Business of Fashion, and Essence. In 2024, founder Olamide Olowe and president Sochi Mbadugha acquired Bread Beauty Supply (hair care) through their holding company CODB (Cost Of Doing Business), launching a multi-brand portfolio at Sephora with exploration of Ulta Beauty as a second retail channel. Cumulative disclosed capital raised exceeds $22.6 million across a 2020 seed (Lerer Hippeau and Mucker Capital led ~$2.6M), Rough Draft Ventures participation, a $10M November 2022 Series A led by CAVU Consumer Partners, two SEC Form D exempt offerings in 2023 and 2024 (~$12M and ~$10M respectively), and a January 2026 round from celebrity/athlete investors.

Name

Topicals

Legal name

Topicals RX, Inc.

Website

https://mytopicals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Topicals is a Santa Monica-based, venture-backed skincare brand founded in 2020 that develops clinically-tested, shade-inclusive products targeting chronic skin conditions — hyperpigmentation, eczema, KP, and ingrown hairs — selling direct-to-consumer via mytopicals.com and exclusively through 772 Sephora stores across five countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Skincare

NAICS

Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Dermocosmetics & Medical-Grade Skincare (CRABAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG), Treatment Skincare (Serums, Actives, Acne & Anti-aging) (CRABAAAB)

Keywords

• Chronic skincare solutions
• Dark spot treatment
• Brightening serum
• Ingrown hair treatment
• Shade inclusive skincare

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer product sales: One-time purchases of skincare SKUs (serums, cleansers, masks, lip balms, body products) via the company's Shopify storefront at mytopicals.com.
2. Subscribe & Save auto-replenishment: Recurring subscription program offering 10% off and free shipping on auto-replenishment of eligible SKUs at intervals of 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 weeks.
3. Wholesale retail (Sephora): Sales through Sephora's 772-store U.S. retail footprint and Sephora international markets including U.K., Canada, Nigeria, and France.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Topicals develops and sells science-backed, shade-inclusive skincare products formulated from the deepest Fitzpatrick skin tones down, targeting chronic skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, dark spots, eczema, keratosis pilaris, acne, ingrown hairs, and razor bumps. Its product portfolio is organized into themed lines (Faded, High Roller, Slather, Like Butter, Slick Salve, Clearly, Sealed), sold direct-to-consumer via mytopicals.com and exclusively at retail through 772 Sephora stores globally.

Product overview

Topicals is a single brand offering a curated portfolio of skincare products focused on chronic skin conditions, hyperpigmentation, acne, dry/eczema-prone skin, body texture, and lip care, sold primarily through Sephora (772 stores) and its DTC site mytopicals.com. The product line is organized into themed routines/brands: Faded (brightening line including Under Eye Masks, Dark Spot Patches, Brightening + Clearing Serum, Cleansing Bar, Starter Kit, and Complete Dark Spot Bundle), High Roller (ingrown hair tonic), Slather (exfoliating body bar and serum), Like Butter (eczema-prone moisturizer), Clearly (acne mask and mist), Slick Salve (lip balm trio), and Sealed (skin texture primer), plus accessory items like the Body Buffer, Travel Soap Tin, Drying Dish, Main Squeeze Tube Key, Faded Brightening Bar + Dish Set, and brand apparel such as the Stop Staring at My Zits Tee. The company has expanded into adjacent categories through the 2024 acquisition of Bread Beauty Supply (hair care) via its holding company CODB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bread Beauty Supply: Hair care brand acquired in 2024 by Topicals founder Olamide Olowe and president Sochi Mbadugha through their holding company CODB.
• CODB (Cost Of Doing Business)

Products and services

• Faded Under Eye Masks Brightening under-eye patches for dark circles using cooling hydrogel technology with caffeine, kojic acid, arbutin, and niacinamide; available in Original, Cognac, and Icy colorways; for consumers seeking shade-safe under-eye brightening.
• Faded Dark Spot Patches Post-breakout brightening patches using No-Slip Patch Technology with tranexamic acid, niacinamide, kojic acid, L-Absorbic (Vitamin C), and Boerhavia Diffusa root extract to fade hyperpigmentation and post-breakout marks; for consumers with persistent dark spots.
• High Roller Ingrown Tonic Anti-ingrown hair exfoliating serum combining AHAs and BHAs (salicylic acid, glycolic acid) with niacinamide and zinc PCA to eliminate ingrown hairs, soothe razor bumps, and calm post-shave irritation; for body-care consumers with textured skin.
• Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum (unscented) All-in-one 100% odorless brightening serum clinically proven to visibly even skin tone and reduce dark spots, post-breakout marks, and scars; formulated with tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, kojic acid, and melatonin; for chronic discoloration across skin tones.
• Slick Salve Trio Builder Customizable hydrating lip-balm trio powered by Topicals' proprietary Cling Technology with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, rice bran wax, and glycerin; available in Açaí, Mint, Papaya, and Pomegranate shades; for consumers seeking tinted lip care.
• Faded Brightening Cleansing Bar (2 Pack) Face and body cleansing bar that cleanses, moisturizes, and visibly brightens, formulated with shea butter, niacinamide, vitamin C, kojic acid, papaya fruit extract, lactic acid, and azelaic acid.
• Slather Exfoliating & Smoothing Bar (2 Pack) Retinol-infused exfoliating body bar with an Encapsulated Retinol Delivery System plus lactic acid, urea, and squalane to target keratosis pilaris, dry skin, and rough texture.
• Like Butter Moisturizer Daily moisturizer supercharged with 1% colloidal oatmeal to target extreme dryness and eczema-prone skin, with madecassoside (Centella Asiatica), turmeric, Chinese rhubarb root, and camellia sinensis (green tea) extract; steroid free.
• Faded Starter Kit Brightening trio bundle pairing the Faded Brightening Cleansing Bar, Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum, and Faded Under Eye Masks for an entry-level face-and-body discoloration routine.
• Faded Complete Dark Spot Bundle All-in-one bundle for dark spots and uneven tone combining two Faded Brightening Cleansing Bars, the Faded Brightening + Clearing Serum, 20 Faded Dark Spot Patches, and 6 pairs of Faded Eye Masks.
• Exfoliating Body Duo Body-care duo combining the Slather Exfoliating & Smoothing Bar with the Slather Exfoliating Serum, using physical and chemical exfoliants (retinol, lactic acid, glycolic acid, jojoba microbeads) for textured skin and keratosis pilaris.
• Bread Beauty Supply Acquired hair-care brand sold at Sephora (and being expanded toward Ulta), owned through Topicals' holding company CODB.

Quantifiable outcome

• Faded Dark Spot Patches: 96% agreed gentle enough for daily use; 97% agreed dark spots were less visible; 86% agreed it reduced appearance of hyperpigmentation (2-week clinical study of 30 participants)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major cultural investor and creative partner, strategic portfolio brand, flagship / core distribution partner and advisory relationship.

• Rema (Nigerian music artist)major cultural investor and creative partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026Rema invested in the early-January 2026 funding round and additionally joined Topicals as a creative partner to advise on marketing the brand to young consumers, particularly men.
• Bread Beauty Supplystrategic portfolio brandStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Topicals founder/CEO Olamide Olowe and president Sochi Mbadugha acquired Bread Beauty Supply through their holding company CODB in 2024 to expand Bread's U.S. retail presence starting with Sephora and potentially Ulta Beauty.
• Sephoraflagship / core distribution partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive physical retail partner across 772 Sephora stores. Topicals is listed on Sephora's store locator and identified as one of Sephora's fastest-growing skincare brands in 2024. Bread Beauty Supply (acquired via CODB) is also shelved at Sephora.
• Stanford University (specialist advisors)advisory relationshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTopicals assembled an expert team including specialists from Stanford University to support formulation for chronic skin conditions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• The Ordinary (DECIEM): Affordable active-ingredient skincare brand owned by Estée Lauder. Comparable to Topicals on multi-active, science-led positioning in serums and treatments (e.g., hyperpigmentation actives like tranexamic, azelaic, kojic acid).
• CeraVe: Mass dermatologist-developed skincare brand owned by L'Oréal with deep Sephora and drugstore distribution. Comparable to Topicals on chronic-condition positioning (eczema, KP, dry skin) and active-ingredient credibility, but at vastly greater scale.
• Drunk Elephant: Premium clean-clinical skincare brand with strong Sephora presence. Comparable to Topicals on Sephora-exclusive distribution, active-ingredient credibility, and digitally native Gen-Z acquisition approach.
• Glossier: Iconic digitally native beauty brand that scaled via DTC and selective retail. Comparable to Topicals as a peer on the DTC playbook referenced in Business of Fashion's 2024 DTC winners list and on community-led Gen-Z brand building.
• SheaMoisture: Established mass beauty brand historically built for Black and textured-hair/skin consumers, now owned by Unilever. Comparable to Topicals as a much larger incumbent competing for the same shade-inclusive consumer across broader categories.

Direct peers

• Epara: Luxury skincare brand formulated for women of color, sold through Sephora and other premium retailers. Comparable to Topicals in inclusive-beauty positioning, Sephora presence, and shade-first formulation philosophy.
• Hyper Skin: DTC skincare brand built specifically for melanin-rich skin and hyperpigmentation. Closely comparable to Topicals on target customer, hero use case (dark spots / discoloration), and Sephora-led distribution playbook.
• Buttah Skin: DTC skincare brand founded by a Black woman and focused on melanin-rich skin. Closely comparable to Topicals on target consumer, founder-led cultural credibility, and Sephora-distributed indie positioning.
• Krave Beauty: Science-backed, dermatologist-informed indie skincare brand with strong DTC and Sephora distribution. Comparable to Topicals on education-led brand building, active-ingredient positioning, and Sephora-channel growth.
• Bolden: Skincare brand specifically formulated for skin of color with brightening and tone-evening focus. Directly comparable to Topicals on hero use case (hyperpigmentation) and inclusive-beauty target consumer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mytopicals
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mytopicals
• Instagraminstagram.com/topicals
• TikToktiktok.com/@topicals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Topicals