Sundial Brands

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.

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

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

• Natural hair care
• Body care products
• Skincare products
• Deodorant products
• Baby care products

Headquarters

HQ city

Amityville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/sundialbrands
• Facebookfacebook.com/sundialbrands
• Instagraminstagram.com/sheamoisture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sundial-brands-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Sundial Brands