Ursa Major

What Ursa Major does

Ursa Major is a privately held clean-beauty skincare company founded in 2010 in Waterbury, Vermont, by Emily Doyle and Oliver Sweatman. It formulates and sells facial skincare, body care, hair care, and deodorant products built around natural ingredients and proprietary "forest-found actives," including upcycled inputs such as Red Maple Bark in its Alpine Rich Cream. The product portfolio spans moisturizers (Golden Hour Recovery Cream, Alpine Rich Cream, Fortifying Gel Moisturizer), serums (Mountain Glow Serum, Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum), cleansers (Fantastic Face Wash), eye treatments (Forest Alchemy Eye Cream, the newly launched Sunny Start Eye Serum), face wipes, body butter, body wash, and deodorant, supported by a Build-Your-Own-Bundle program, a Skincare Quiz, and a Serum Quiz for personalization.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront on Shopify, with checkout and subscription mechanics powered by REPEAT Smart Replenishment, email marketing through Klaviyo, and SMS via PostScript and Wunderkind. Approximately 65% of sales flow through ursamajorvt.com, with the remainder sold through wholesale and retail partners via a dedicated wholesale portal. Pricing is multi-tiered, including first-order discounts (15% off), Subscribe & Save (10–15% off), bundle savings (up to 20%), referral credits ($20 off $70+), and Afterpay installments for orders over $35, alongside free U.S. shipping thresholds at $40.

The business is supported by B Corporation and Plastic Negative certifications (via rePurpose Global), PCI-DSS, GDPR, and CCPA compliance, and earned-media coverage in outlets such as Goop, Forbes, Motherly, Well + Good, and Into the Gloss. Ursa Major has reached approximately $30 million in revenue as of early 2026 with an 11–50 employee headcount, completed a 2025 packaging overhaul that replaced plastic with glass and aluminum (reducing plastic use by over 50% while absorbing roughly 48% tariff-driven cost increases), and appointed Chris Spagnoletti as CEO in February 2026, succeeding Dan Jablonsky. Note: one source describes the incoming CEO's background in aerospace and defense; this conflicts with all other data describing Ursa Major as a skincare company and should be treated as a likely data ingestion error.

Name

Ursa Major

Legal name

Ursa Major

Website

https://ursamajorvt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ursa Major is a privately held, Vermont-based clean-beauty skincare brand founded in 2010 that formulates and sells natural, forest-derived facial skincare, body care, hair care, and deodorant products direct-to-consumer online and through wholesale partners, reaching roughly $30M in revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Natural Skincare

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic & Clean Skincare (CRABAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers) (CRABAAAA), Body Skincare (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRABAAAD), Shampoo & Scalp Cleansers (CRABABAA), Men’s Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Moisturizers, Anti-aging) (CRABAGAD)

Keywords

• Clean skincare products
• Natural facial care
• Body and hair care
• Men's grooming products
• Skincare subscription services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: The company sells directly to consumers through its website ursamajorvt.com, accounting for approximately 65% of total sales. Products include facial skincare, body care, hair care, and deodorant.
2. Subscription Services: Subscribe & Save program offering 10-15% discount on recurring subscription orders. Powered by REPEAT Smart Replenishment platform.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Products sold through retail partners and wholesale channels. The company has a wholesale portal for existing partners and accepts wholesale inquiries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ursa Major crafts and sells clean, natural skincare products including facial moisturizers, serums, cleansers, eye creams, body butters, body washes, deodorant, face wipes, and hair care items formulated with forest-derived active ingredients. Approximately 65% of sales occur through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site (ursamajorvt.com), supplemented by wholesale retail partnerships and a Subscribe & Save auto-replenishment program offering 10-15% recurring discounts.

Product overview

Ursa Major is a clean skincare brand offering a unified portfolio of facial and body care products designed with natural, forest-derived ingredients. The core product line includes moisturizers (Golden Hour Recovery Cream, Alpine Rich Cream, Fortifying Gel Moisturizer), serums (Mountain Glow Serum, Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum), cleansers (Fantastic Face Wash), eye treatments (Forest Alchemy Eye Cream), and body care (Golden Hour Body Butter, Hoppin' Fresh Body Wash, Hoppin' Fresh Deodorant). The brand complements its product line with interactive services including a Skincare Quiz and Serum Quiz for personalized recommendations, and a Build Your Own Bundle program offering up to 20% savings. Founded in 2010 in Waterbury, Vermont, the company has grown to approximately $30 million in revenue with about 65% of sales direct-to-consumer via their website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Golden Hour Recovery Cream Fast-absorbing, nourishing face cream; Ursa Major's top-selling moisturizer with 7,434 reviews and a 4.5-star rating. For clean-beauty consumers seeking an effective daily moisturizer.
• Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum Concentrated brightening serum for radiant, even-toned skin; 2,014 reviews and a 4.4-star rating. For consumers targeting hyperpigmentation and dullness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products have received thousands of positive reviews, with ratings ranging from 4.3 to 4.8 stars across product lines
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pact CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization working to reduce beauty packaging waste. Helps sort, empty, and dispose of returned product containers in an eco-friendly way. Also helps customers recycle their empties.
• rePurpose GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's leading plastic waste recovery group. Partnership enables certified plastic negative status - company funds removal of twice as much plastic from environment as it produces.
• Rokeby FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to protect outdoor spaces and improve access.
• Zeno FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to protect outdoor spaces and improve access.
• Outdoor AfrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to protect outdoor spaces and improve access for all.
• Vermont Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to protect outdoor spaces and improve access.
• One Tree PlantedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization focused on tree planting and reforestation.
• Outward Bound for VeteransminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing outdoor adventures for veterans.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform hosting the online store. Provides payment processing, data storage, and PCI-DSS compliant credit card handling.
• KlaviyocoreTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing platform used for customer communications and marketing automation.
• REPEAT (Recharge)coreTechnology or IntegrationSmart Replenishment platform powering subscription and auto-replenishment services for recurring customer orders.
• B Beauty CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of B Corp-certified beauty and personal care brands working to improve industry standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Versed: Clean, affordable skincare brand with DTC e-commerce, quizzes, and bundles. Comparable on product architecture, DTC-first distribution, and accessible clean-beauty pricing.
• OSEA Malibu: Clean, plant-based skincare and body care brand with skincare quiz, bundles, and DTC emphasis. Comparable on natural-actives positioning, body-and-face portfolio, and DTC growth model.
• Tata Harper: Vermont-based clean/natural skincare brand focused on non-toxic formulations with botanical actives. Comparable on natural-ingredient positioning, premium pricing, and DTC-led go-to-market.
• Beautycounter: Clean beauty brand selling skincare, body care, and deodorant via DTC and consultant channels with a strong 'no harmful ingredients' value proposition. Directly competes for the same clean-conscious consumer.
• Herbivore Botanicals: Natural/botanical skincare brand with face oils, serums, and moisturizers sold DTC. Direct overlap on clean-ingredient positioning and indie-brand aesthetics.
• Youth to the People: Plant-based skincare brand with hero moisturizers, serums, and cleansers sold DTC and at Sephora. Overlaps in target demo, product mix, and natural-ingredient messaging.
• One Love Organics: Organic, Vermont-adjacent skincare brand with botanical facial care. Comparable on small-batch, eco-conscious, natural-ingredient positioning targeting similar premium clean-beauty consumers.
• Drunk Elephant: Premium clean skincare brand with a similar mix of facial moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and body care sold DTC and through wholesale channels (now owned by Shiseido). Comparable on positioning, product architecture, and target consumer.

Broad incumbents

• The Ordinary (Deciem): Science-driven, ingredient-focused skincare brand owned by Estée Lauder with broad assortment of serums, moisturizers, and cleansers. Comparable on clean-beauty ingredient transparency and category overlap, with significantly larger scale.

Others

• Pact Collective: Nonprofit partnered with Ursa Major on beauty packaging waste reduction. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, but relevant for understanding Ursa Major's sustainability infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ursamajorvt
• Xx.com/ursamajorvt
• Facebookfacebook.com/ursamajorvt

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors3 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 Ursa Major