Sundial Brands
Sundial Brands is a New York-based consumer goods company and Unilever subsidiary operating the SheaMoisture brand, selling natural-ingredient hair, body, skincare, deodorant, baby/kids, and men's products formulated for melanin-rich skin and diverse hair types via DTC e-commerce and global retail.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersAmityville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sundial Brands does
Sundial Brands LLC is a New York-incorporated consumer goods company founded in 1990 (firmographic records also reference 1992) by Richelieu Dennis and Nyema Tubman, headquartered in Amityville, NY, and operating today as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever following its 2017 acquisition. The company operates the SheaMoisture brand, producing and selling a portfolio of natural-ingredient hair, body, skincare, deodorant, baby/kids, and men's grooming products formulated primarily for melanin-rich skin and diverse hair types (Type 1 through Type 4). Core technology is formulation-based: products center on shea butter, coconut oil, hibiscus, manuka honey, African black soap, Jamaican black castor oil, and related natural butters and oils, with claims including 92% naturally derived formulas and 24-hour visible moisture in body products.
The product portfolio spans six core categories (hair, body & skincare, deodorant, baby & kids, men's, and ingredient-led sub-brand collections such as Coconut & Hibiscus, Raw Shea Butter, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, African Black Soap, Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil, Scalp Care, Even & Radiant, and the newer Bond Repair and Skin Cleansing lines), supported by interactive Hair Quiz and Skin & Deodorant Quiz recommendation tools. The go-to-market is a hybrid DTC-plus-retail model: direct e-commerce through sheamoisture.com and country-localized storefronts in the US, Canada (English and French), France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, complemented by physical retail distribution through partners. Revenue is generated through one-time consumer product purchases across categories; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Headcount at the LLC level is 51-100 employees, though significant functional capacity is provided by the Unilever parent.
Strategically, Sundial Brands sits as a differentiated multicultural and natural-positioned brand within Unilever's broader personal care portfolio, leveraging Unilever's global distribution and supply chain scale while retaining SheaMoisture's specialized brand positioning in the textured-hair and melanin-rich-skin segments.
Sundial Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sundial Brands
- Legal name
- Sundial Brands LLC
- Website
- https://sundialbrands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Sundial Brands is a New York-based consumer goods company and Unilever subsidiary operating the SheaMoisture brand, selling natural-ingredient hair, body, skincare, deodorant, baby/kids, and men's products formulated for melanin-rich skin and diverse hair types via DTC e-commerce and global retail.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sundial Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Personal Care Products
- NAICS
- Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRADANAC), Deodorants & Antiperspirants (CRADANAA), Men’s Grooming (Shaving, Beard Care, Aftershave) (CRADANAF)
Keywords
Where Sundial Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amityville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sundial Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Consumer Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of hair, body, skincare, deodorant, and baby/kids products. Revenue is generated through one-time product purchases across multiple product categories including shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, treatments, and body care items.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sundial Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sundial Brands manufactures and sells branded hair care, body care, skincare, deodorant, baby/kids, and men's grooming products under the SheaMoisture brand, formulated with natural ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, hibiscus, manuka honey, Jamaican black castor oil, and African black soap. Products are organized by hair type (Type 1–4) and ingredient-themed collections, sold directly to consumers via the company's own e-commerce sites and through third-party retail partners in the US, Canada, UK, France, and the Netherlands.
Product overview
SheaMoisture is a consumer goods company owned by Sundial Brands (Unilever) offering a comprehensive portfolio of moisturizing hair, body, skincare, deodorant, and baby/kids products. The core offerings include hair care products organized by hair type (Coily Type 4, Curly Type 3, Wavy Type 2, Straight Type 1) and product category (wash/condition, style & treat). Body & Skincare encompasses bar soap, body lotion, massage oils, body scrub, body wash, moisturizers, cleansers, wipes, and face treatments. The brand features multiple ingredient-focused sub-brand collections including Coconut & Hibiscus, 100% Virgin Coconut Oil, Raw Shea Butter, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, African Black Soap, Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil, Manuka Honey & Yogurt, Scalp Care, Even & Radiant, Maracuja & Shea Butter, and Aloe Butter. Newer launches include the Bond Repair Collection and Skin Cleansing Collection. Customer engagement tools include Hair Quiz and Skin & Deodorant Quiz for personalized product recommendations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SheaMoisture: Main consumer brand offering moisturizing hair, body, and skincare products.
Products and services
- Hair Products Hair care line including shampoos, conditioners (Rise Out Conditioner, Leave-In Conditioner), detanglers, styling products, treatment products, and masques, formulated for diverse hair types from Straight Type 1 to Coily Type 4.
- Body & Skincare Products Body care products including bar soap, body lotion, massage oils, body scrub, and body wash, plus skincare products including moisturizers, cleansers and wipes, and face treatments.
- Deodorant Products Deodorant line including antiperspirants and whole body deodorants formulated specifically for melanin-rich skin with 24-hour protection.
- Baby & Kids Products Gentle hair and body care products for babies and children, including baby wash/shampoo, baby lotion, kids wash and condition, and kids style and treatment.
- Men's Grooming Products Men's grooming line including beard care products and hair and body products, featuring maracuja and shea butter formulations.
- Bond Repair Collection New hair care collection designed for bond repair treatment, targeting damaged hair repair.
- Skin Cleansing Collection Body wash collection made especially for melanin-rich skin, featuring a 92% naturally derived formula and 24-hour visible moisture.
- Coconut & Hibiscus Collection Hair care collection featuring coconut and hibiscus ingredients, positioned among the brand's best sellers.
- 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Collection Body care collection built around 100% virgin coconut oil as the signature ingredient.
- Raw Shea Butter Collection Signature collection built around raw shea butter, also offered in chamomile and argan oil variants.
- Jamaican Black Castor Oil Collection Hair care collection built around Jamaican black castor oil as the signature ingredient.
- African Black Soap Collection Face and body care collection built around African black soap as the signature ingredient.
- Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Collection Hair care collection built around manuka honey and mafura oil as the signature ingredients.
- Manuka Honey & Yogurt Collection Body care collection built around manuka honey and yogurt as the signature ingredients.
- Scalp Care Collection Hair care collection specifically focused on scalp health treatments and care.
- Even & Radiant Collection Skincare collection formulated to support even and radiant skin tone.
- Maracuja & Shea Butter Collection Men's grooming collection built around maracuja and shea butter as the signature ingredients.
- Aloe Butter Collection Hair care collection built around aloe butter as the signature ingredient.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% naturally derived formula in skin cleansing products
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sundial Brands
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sundial Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sundial Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sundial Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cantu Beauty: Cantu is a mass-market hair care brand specializing in textured, curly, and coily hair with shea butter-based formulations. It targets the same Types 2–4 hair consumer as SheaMoisture, distributed across mass and drug retail channels globally.
- Mielle Organics: Mielle Organics is a fast-growing textured-hair care brand built around natural ingredients including babassu, mint, and rosemary. It competes head-on with SheaMoisture in the multicultural hair care category across shampoo, conditioner, treatments, and scalp care, with strong DTC and retail presence.
- Carol's Daughter: Carol's Daughter is a beauty brand focused on natural hair, skin, and body care for women of color, also founded in Harlem and acquired by Unilever in 2021. It directly overlaps with SheaMoisture in target customer (melanin-rich consumers), product categories (hair, body, skincare), and distribution (DTC plus retail), making it the closest sibling within Unilever's portfolio.
- Design Essentials: Design Essentials manufactures natural hair and scalp care products for multicultural consumers, sold through salons, beauty supply stores, and DTC. It competes with SheaMoisture across shampoo, conditioner, and treatment categories.
- DevaCurl: DevaCurl is a curl-focused hair care brand offering sulfate-free shampoos, conditioners, and styling products primarily for Types 2 and 3 hair. It overlaps with SheaMoisture in curly hair care, with a more premium, salon-rooted positioning.
- Aunt Jackie's: Aunt Jackie's Curls & Coils offers affordable hair and scalp treatments, oils, and moisturizers for textured hair. It competes with SheaMoisture in mass and drug retail channels targeting the same multicultural consumer base.
Emerging players
- Pattern Beauty: Pattern Beauty is a curly, coily, and tight-textured hair care brand founded by Tracee Ellis Ross, focusing on the same Type 3 and Type 4 hair consumer. It competes directly with SheaMoisture in the prestige/natural-textured hair segment via DTC and Sephora.
- Bread Beauty Supply: Bread Beauty Supply is a modern textured-hair care brand focused on wash-day essentials and styling for kinky, curly, and coily hair. It targets a younger multicultural consumer overlapping with SheaMoisture's customer base, primarily through DTC and Sephora distribution.
- As I Am: As I Am is a natural hair care brand focused on textured hair with products for moisture, curl definition, and scalp care. It competes in the same multicultural, natural-ingredient hair care space as SheaMoisture, primarily via specialty retail and DTC.
Broad incumbents
- Dark and Lovely: Dark and Lovely is L'Oréal's heritage mass-market brand for women of color, offering hair color, relaxers, and care products. It is a broader incumbent in the same multicultural beauty category as SheaMoisture but with a wider portfolio and mass-market positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sundial Brands social profiles
Digital presenceSundial Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sundial Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sundial Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sundial Brands 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 Sundial Brands
What does Sundial Brands do?
Sundial Brands manufactures and sells branded hair care, body care, skincare, deodorant, baby/kids, and men's grooming products under the SheaMoisture brand, formulated with natural ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, hibiscus, manuka honey, Jamaican black castor oil, and African black soap. Products are organized by hair type (Type 1–4) and ingredient-themed collections, sold directly to consumers via the company's own e-commerce sites and through third-party retail partners in the US, Canada, UK, France, and the Netherlands.
Is Sundial Brands a public or private company?
Sundial Brands is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sundial Brands founded?
Sundial Brands was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Sundial Brands based?
Sundial Brands is headquartered in Amityville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sundial Brands make money?
One revenue line is on record: consumer Product Sales.
Who are Sundial Brands's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cantu Beauty, Mielle Organics, Carol's Daughter, Design Essentials, DevaCurl and Aunt Jackie's. Emerging players are Pattern Beauty, Bread Beauty Supply and As I Am. Dark and Lovely is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sundial Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sundial Brands.
What industry is Sundial Brands in?
Sundial Brands's product category is Personal Care Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADANAE, Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments), with a secondary code of CRADANAC, Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils). Its NAICS code is 456 and its SIC code is 2844.