Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant is a US-based clean beauty skincare brand (founded 2012, acquired by Shiseido in 2019 for $845M) that develops biocompatible, fragrance-free skincare, hair care, and body care products sold through DTC e-commerce with subscriptions and refills, anchored by Sephora retail distribution across seven countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Drunk Elephant does
Drunk Elephant is a US-based clean beauty skincare company founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shiseido Company, Limited since October 2019. The company develops biocompatible skincare, hair care, and body care products formulated at skin-friendly pH levels and free from essential oils, silicones, and fragrance, built around proprietary ingredient systems including a triple-ceramide blend (in Lala Retro and Bora Barrier), a nine-signal-peptide complex (in Protini Polypeptide products), a 1.0% retinol formulation with triple-peptide blend (A-Passioni), and a 10% AHA + 1% BHA resurfacing system at pH 3.5 (T.L.C. Framboos). Its flagship portfolio includes C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum ($79), B-Hydra Hydration Serum ($54), Protini Polypeptide Cream ($24-$99), T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90-$134), A-Passioni Retinol Cream ($76), Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer ($22-$66), and Virgin Marula Face Oil ($42-$72).
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (drunkelephant.com) serving the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Japan, and Taiwan with a Subscribe to Save auto-replenishment subscription (10% discount, 1-4 month cycles) and a refill program for core moisturizers. Retail distribution is anchored by Sephora, with additional physical retail presence. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales, recurring subscription deliveries, and refillable packaging replacement sales. Pricing sits in the mid-to-premium band ($22-$134), with a 20% community discount program (verified via SheerID) for students, teachers, first responders, medical professionals, and military personnel, and Afterpay installment payments available. Marketing is driven by organic social media virality — particularly on TikTok among Gen Alpha consumers ('Sephora Kids' phenomenon) — influencer partnerships, and content assets including The Drunk Mag and the Smoothie Glossary educational system. The company employs 101-250 staff and is led by founder Tiffany Masterson (Founding Partner & Chief Creative Officer).
Drunk Elephant firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drunk Elephant
- Legal name
- Drunk Elephant Skincare
- Website
- https://drunkelephant.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Drunk Elephant is a US-based clean beauty skincare brand (founded 2012, acquired by Shiseido in 2019 for $845M) that develops biocompatible, fragrance-free skincare, hair care, and body care products sold through DTC e-commerce with subscriptions and refills, anchored by Sephora retail distribution across seven countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drunk Elephant industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Skincare
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Treatment Skincare (Serums, Actives, Acne & Anti-aging) (CRABAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Eye & Lip Skincare (CRABAAAC), Body Skincare (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRABAAAD)
Keywords
Where Drunk Elephant is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Drunk Elephant business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Revenue generated through direct sales on drunkelephant.com, the company's owned e-commerce platform. Customers purchase individual products, bundles, and kits at published retail prices with free shipping thresholds ($75-$120 depending on promotions).
- Subscription/Auto-Replenishment (Subscribe to Save): Recurring revenue model offering automatic product delivery on monthly or multi-month cycles (2, 3, or 4 months). Subscribers receive 10% discount and free ground shipping. Managed through customer account dashboard.
- Refill Program: Sustainable product line featuring refillable containers (Protini, Lala Retro, Bora Barrier) where customers purchase replacement pods/refills at reduced prices, encouraging repeat purchases and customer retention.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for individual products |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscribe to Save subscription pricing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Community discount program (20% off) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Drunk Elephant product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drunk Elephant formulates, manufactures and sells biocompatible skincare, hair care and body care products for individual consumers. Its hero categories include vitamin C day serums (C-Firma), hyaluronic acid hydrating serums (B-Hydra), peptide moisturizers (Protini, Lala Retro, Bora Barrier), AHA/BHA resurfacing serums (T.L.C. Framboos), 1.0% retinol treatments (A-Passioni), and facial oils (Virgin Marula). Products are sold via the brand's DTC e-commerce platform and through retail partner Sephora, with auto-replenishment subscriptions and refillable packaging supporting recurring revenue.
Product overview
Drunk Elephant is a clean beauty skincare brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of biocompatible skincare products organized into three main categories: Skincare (moisturizers, serums, masks/treatments, cleansers, eye/lip products, sun protection, and travel sizes), Hair Care (shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and styling products), and Body Care (cleansers, lotions, exfoliants/scrubs, and deodorants). The core product lineup includes best-selling moisturizers (Protini Polypeptide Cream, Lala Retro, Bora Barrier), serums (C-Firma Vitamin C, B-Hydra, T.L.C. Framboos, Protini Resurfacing Serum), treatments (A-Passioni Retinol), and oils (Virgin Marula). Products can be purchased individually or through the Subscribe to Save auto-replenishment service, and the brand offers refillable packaging options for several key moisturizers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- C-Firma Fresh Vitamin-C Day Serum A vitamin C day serum containing 15% l-ascorbic acid and ferulic acid that brightens uneven skin tone and firms skin; sold to adult consumers seeking daily antioxidant skincare.
- B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid A daily vitamin B + hyaluronic acid serum that hydrates and illuminates thirsty skin; formulated for adult consumers and a popular entry-point SKU.
- Protini Polypeptide Firming Refillable Moisturizer A peptide-packed gel-cream moisturizer with nine signal peptides and pygmy waterlily that improves the appearance of skin's tone, texture, and firmness; designed for adult consumers seeking refillable, anti-aging daily hydration.
- T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum A high-tech AHA/BHA gel serum with 10% AHA blend (glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric acids) plus 1% salicylic acid that resurfaces skin, refining the look of pores, blemishes, and fine lines for adult consumers.
- A-Passioni Retinol Cream A 1% retinol treatment cream formulated with xanthophylls and a triple-peptide blend that diminishes the look of fine lines, deep wrinkles, and sun damage; targeted at adult consumers with mature skincare concerns.
- Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil A premium face oil cold-pressed from marula nuts delivering antioxidant-rich moisture and barrier-boosting fatty acids; sold to adult consumers as part of a facial oil routine.
- Lala Retro Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer An airy whipped cream with a triple-ceramide blend (AP, EOP, NP) and five African oils providing daily moisture maintenance and barrier support; aimed at adult consumers with sensitive or dry skin, sold in refillable jars.
- Bora Barrier Rich Repair Refillable Moisturizer An ultra-rich cream delivering clinically proven 24-hour moisture with a 6-butterlipid complex and zinc/copper gluconates for chronically dry or compromised skin barrier; marketed to adult consumers and sold in refillable packaging.
- C-Tango Vitamin C Eye Cream A vitamin C eye cream designed to brighten and hydrate the delicate eye area; sold to adult consumers in a small, targeted format.
- Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum with Lactic Acid A 10% lactic acid serum infused with nine signal peptides and snow mushroom extract that gently exfoliates and firms skin; targeted at adult consumers.
- Hair Care Collection A line of hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and leave-in styling products built on the brand's biocompatible formulation philosophy; sold to adult consumers.
- Body Care Collection A line of body care products including cleansers, lotions, exfoliants/scrubs, and deodorants formulated under the brand's clean beauty standards; sold to adult consumers.
- Subscribe to Save Auto-Replenishment Program A subscription commerce program that automatically ships Drunk Elephant products on a 1, 2, 3 or 4 month delivery cycle with free ground shipping and a 10% discount on every order; managed through the customer's DTC account dashboard.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% of users agreed skin felt softer and smoother after 8 weeks using Lala Retro moisturizer
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Drunk Elephant
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Drunk Elephant technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
Drunk Elephant partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Drunk Elephant competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tatcha: Prestige clean beauty skincare brand owned by Unilever, positioned around gentle, bioactive formulations with a heritage-inspired angle. Comparable to Drunk Elephant in price point (~$30-$185 SKUs), Sephora distribution, and clean beauty positioning targeting efficacy-driven consumers.
- The Ordinary: DECIEM's clinical-actives-led skincare brand offering serums and treatments with transparent ingredient lists at disruptive price points. Directly comparable to Drunk Elephant in actives-based positioning (retinol, vitamin C, AHA/BHA, peptides) and Sephora presence, though priced materially lower.
- Glossier: DTC-first beauty brand with strong social media community, Sephora partnership, and Gen Z/Millennial appeal. Comparable to Drunk Elephant in DTC-driven model, social virality, and clean beauty aesthetic, though more color-driven than skincare-pure.
- Sunday Riley: Clinical-grade clean beauty skincare brand with retinol, lactic acid, and vitamin C hero SKUs positioned at premium price points with Sephora distribution. Comparable actives-based positioning and target consumer to Drunk Elephant.
- Youth To The People: Clean, superfood-ingredient skincare brand with Sephora distribution, similar mid-to-premium pricing, and a similar target audience of efficacy-seeking clean beauty consumers. Comparable in product format (moisturizers, serums, eye creams).
- Tata Harper: Luxury non-toxic skincare brand built around natural and biocompatible formulations with high price points ($40-$300). Comparable clean beauty positioning and emphasis on ingredient transparency, though distributed DTC and through selective premium retail rather than Sephora.
- Herbivore Botanicals: Clean, natural-ingredient skincare brand at mid-to-premium price points (~$20-$88) with strong DTC and Sephora presence. Comparable to Drunk Elephant in clean beauty positioning, social-driven marketing, and target demographic of ingredient-conscious consumers.
Broad incumbents
- CeraVe: L'Oréal-owned dermatologist-recommended skincare brand built around ceramides and barrier repair at mass-market price points. Comparable actives (ceramide blends, retinol, vitamin C) to Drunk Elephant but at $10-$30 SKUs, representing a competitive threat on price-value grounds.
- La Roche-Posay: L'Oréal-owned dermatologist-backed skincare brand offering sensitive-skin and barrier-repair formulations through pharmacy and premium retail. Comparable biocompatible/sensitive-skin positioning and ceramide-based formulas to Drunk Elephant at lower price points.
- Fresh (Fresh Beauty): LVMH-owned prestige skincare brand offering natural-ingredient-based cleansers, masks, serums, and moisturizers at premium price points with Sephora and department store distribution. Comparable prestige skincare positioning and target consumer to Drunk Elephant.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Drunk Elephant social profiles
Digital presenceDrunk Elephant compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Drunk Elephant financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drunk Elephant leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Drunk Elephant funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drunk Elephant M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Drunk Elephant
What does Drunk Elephant do?
Drunk Elephant formulates, manufactures and sells biocompatible skincare, hair care and body care products for individual consumers. Its hero categories include vitamin C day serums (C-Firma), hyaluronic acid hydrating serums (B-Hydra), peptide moisturizers (Protini, Lala Retro, Bora Barrier), AHA/BHA resurfacing serums (T.L.C. Framboos), 1.0% retinol treatments (A-Passioni), and facial oils (Virgin Marula). Products are sold via the brand's DTC e-commerce platform and through retail partner Sephora, with auto-replenishment subscriptions and refillable packaging supporting recurring revenue.
Is Drunk Elephant a public or private company?
Drunk Elephant is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Drunk Elephant founded?
Drunk Elephant was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Drunk Elephant based?
Drunk Elephant is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Drunk Elephant make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription/Auto-Replenishment (Subscribe to Save) and refill Program.
Who are Drunk Elephant's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tatcha, The Ordinary, Glossier, Sunday Riley, Youth To The People, Tata Harper and Herbivore Botanicals. Broad incumbents are CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and Fresh (Fresh Beauty).
Does Drunk Elephant have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drunk Elephant.
What industry is Drunk Elephant in?
Drunk Elephant's product category is Premium Skincare. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABAAAB, Treatment Skincare (Serums, Actives, Acne & Anti-aging), with a secondary code of CRABAAAC, Eye & Lip Skincare. Its NAICS code is 456120 and its SIC code is 2844.