What Mad Hippie does

Mad Hippie is an independently owned, Austin-based clean skincare brand founded in 2009 by Sam and Dana Stewart, operating with 101-250 employees across an e-commerce platform, a flagship retail store in South Lamar, and wholesale distribution through Whole Foods Market, Ulta Beauty, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, Wegmans, iHerb, and ~10 additional regional natural/specialty retailers in the United States.

The company manufactures and distributes barrier-safe skincare, sunscreen, and cosmetic products built around clinically proven actives including sodium ascorbyl phosphate (a stabilized vitamin C form), a triple-retinoid system combined with bakuchiol, multi-peptide complexes (Matrixyl Synthe'6, Uplevity, PoreTect, Thermostressine), and blended AHA/BHA exfoliants with ceramide and squalane support. The catalog spans ~30 SKUs across serums, moisturizers, cleansers, mineral sunscreens, cosmetics, and curated routine bundles, with all products formulated vegan, cruelty-free, dermatologist-tested, and free from petroleum, parabens, phthalates, perfumes, dyes, SLS, and PEGs. Hero SKUs are priced at $27-$34 individually; routine bundles deliver approximately 20% savings and a refillable Vitamin C Serum introduces circular-packaging economics.

Revenue is generated through three streams: DTC e-commerce (the primary channel, including full catalog and direct international shipping to 11 countries), a Loop-powered subscription autoship program (10% savings, 30/45/60-day cadence), and wholesale distribution to U.S. natural and beauty retailers. Sustainability and conservation partnerships (Pact Collective, Oceana, Save the Elephants, Whole Planet Foundation, TerraCycle) and PETA vegan/cruelty-free certifications anchor the brand's ethical positioning. Leadership is held by co-founders Sam and Dana Stewart alongside a Chief Customer Officer (Jeff Carducci); the company has remained family-owned with no disclosed private equity or venture capital backing.

Name

Mad Hippie

Legal name

Mad Hippie

Website

https://madhippie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mad Hippie is an independently owned, Austin-based clean skincare brand founded in 2009 that formulates and sells vegan, clinically proven serums, moisturizers, cleansers, mineral sunscreens, and cosmetics through DTC e-commerce, subscriptions, and wholesale at Whole Foods, Ulta, and natural retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Skincare

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural Personal Care & Clean Beauty Retail (within Health Food Stores) (CRAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Clean skincare products
• Vegan facial serums
• Mineral sunscreen SPF
• Anti-aging skincare
• Natural beauty brand

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Primary revenue stream through madhippie.com website featuring full product catalog, subscription autoship, and bundled routine savings. Products sold at MSRP with routine bundles offering 20% discount.
2. Subscription/Autoship Program: Loop-powered subscription service offering 10% savings with 30, 45, or 60 day delivery frequencies. Customers receive automatic replenishment with notification before shipment.
3. Retail Distribution: Products sold through national retail partners including Whole Foods Market, Ulta Beauty, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and regional health food chains. Wholesale relationships with physical storefront presence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mad Hippie formulates, manufactures, and sells clean, vegan, cruelty-free skincare including vitamin C serums, retinoid and peptide serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and mineral sunscreens. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via madhippie.com, through national retail partners (Whole Foods Market, Ulta Beauty, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and others), and a flagship retail store in Austin, TX. The brand also offers a Loop-powered autoship subscription and curated routine bundles.

Product overview

Mad Hippie is a clean skincare brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of skincare, sunscreen, and cosmetic products. The core offerings include serums (Vitamin C Serum, Super A Serum, Corrective Peptide Serum, AHA + BHA Milk Serum), moisturizers (Triple C Night Cream, Face Cream, Brightening Gel Moisturizer, Ultra-Rich Barrier Cream), cleansers (Cream Cleanser, Jelly Cleanser, Cleansing Oil), and sunscreens (Ultra-Sheer Body SPF, Hydrating Facial SPF, Daily Protective Serum, Sheer Tint Sun Serum, Luminizing Facial SPF). The brand also offers cosmetics (Cheek & Lip Tint) and curated routine bundles including Restorative Routine for Mature Skin, The Essentials Routine, Clear Skin Routine, Hydrating Routine for Dry Skin, and Sunshine Routine. Products are vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated with clinically proven actives. The brand emphasizes sustainability through sugarcane bioresin packaging and offers a refillable Vitamin C Serum option.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vitamin C Serum A stable vitamin C serum (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) that visibly brightens, smooths, and reduces discoloration. Boosted with vitamin E and ferulic acid, with chamomile and konjac root to calm and protect. Clinically proven in 8-week trials.
• Triple C Night Cream A luxurious night treatment powered by three forms of vitamin C, adaptogens, and 19 skin-reviving actives that deeply hydrates while visibly brightening, smoothing, and renewing skin.
• Face Cream A lightweight daily moisturizer with peptides, niacinamide, and antioxidants (coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, green tea) to hydrate, smooth, and support firmer, healthier-looking skin.
• Cream Cleanser A pH-balanced cream cleanser that gently washes away dirt and impurities without disrupting the skin's natural oils. Contains jojoba oil, macadamia oil, and orchid extract for nourishment and hydration.
• AHA + BHA Milk Serum A treatment-strength overnight exfoliating formula with glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid that smooths and refines skin while respecting the skin barrier through built-in support from ceramides and squalane.
• Super A Serum A multi-form retinol serum with three bioavailable vitamin A sources (HPR, retinol, retinyl linoleate) and bakuchiol to help smooth fine lines and support steady skin renewal, formulated with hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid for barrier support.
• Corrective Peptide Serum A multi-peptide serum with Matrixyl Synthe'6, Uplevity, and PoreTect that visibly firms while reducing the look of wrinkles, sagging skin, and enlarged pores. Contains polyglutamic acid, ceramides, and silver ear mushroom for hydration.
• Brightening Gel Moisturizer A lightweight, oil-free gel moisturizer with ethyl ascorbic acid (vitamin C), niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid that visibly brightens dull skin, smooths texture, and hydrates without heaviness. Ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
• Eye Cream A targeted eye cream with peptides, niacinamide, caffeine, and antioxidants formulated to reduce the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles around the delicate eye area.
• MicroDermabrasion Facial A dual-action exfoliant combining gentle physical exfoliation (bamboo, volcanic ash) with chemical exfoliation (glycolic acid, mandelic acid, five plant-based AHAs) to smooth texture and reveal brighter-looking skin. Includes probiotic ferment and squalane for barrier support.
• Vitamin C Toning Mist An antioxidant-rich hydrating mist with vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate), tremella mushroom, sodium PCA, and polyglutamic acid that tones, hydrates, and refreshes skin.
• Antioxidant Facial Oil A preservative-free facial oil with organic argan oil base and over a dozen powerful natural antioxidants including sea buckthorn berry, blueberry, pomegranate, camu camu, and goji extracts for hydration and protection.
• Cheek & Lip Tint A hydrating cheek and lip tint made with jojoba, shea butter, and antioxidant-rich berries. Buildable pigment available in Fig and Plum shades for cheeks and lips with a matte finish.
• Cleansing Oil A radiance-boosting cleansing oil with organic safflower, rosehip, and pumpkin seed oils that gently removes makeup, dirt, and impurities while rejuvenating skin with antioxidants. Non-comedogenic formula.
• Jelly Cleanser A hydrating jelly-to-milk cleanser with hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA, and antioxidant-rich chamomile that melts away makeup, pollutants, and grime without disrupting the skin's natural acid mantle.
• Ultra-Sheer Body SPF A clear mineral SPF 40+ sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide (20.5%) providing 80-minute water resistance. Contains cocoa seed butter, sea buckthorn, and quercetin for antioxidant protection. Reef-safe and free of oxybenzone.
• Hydrating Facial SPF A clear mineral SPF 25+ facial sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide (15.7%) providing 80-minute water resistance. Enriched with shea butter, cocoa seed butter, hyaluronic acid, and ferulic acid for hydration and antioxidant defense.
• Daily Protective Serum A lightweight daily SPF 30+ serum with non-nano zinc oxide (12.7%) providing 80-minute water resistance. Contains buriti oil, hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA, resveratrol, and vitamins C and E for hydration and antioxidant protection.
• Sheer Tint Sun Serum A zinc SPF 29 tinted sun serum that leaves no white cast with a sheer mineral tint for even skin tone. Contains pomegranate seed oil, squalane, and antioxidants. Reef-safe formulation.
• Ultra-Rich Barrier Cream A deeply protective moisture-sealing cream for severely dry, chapped, or compromised skin. Features plant-based lanolin alternative, barrier lipids (shea butter, cupuaçu butter, cocoa butter), niacinamide, and vitamin C for barrier repair and recovery.
• Blemish Cream A targeted treatment cream designed to calm active blemishes and help reduce the look of redness without over-drying skin.
• Luminizing Facial SPF A luminizing facial SPF product providing sun protection with a glowing finish.
• Refillable Vitamin C Serum An eco-friendly refillable version of the best-selling Vitamin C Serum featuring sugarcane bioresin sustainable packaging to reduce environmental impact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% saw visible reduction in fine lines & wrinkles and firmer, more lifted skin with Corrective Peptide Serum after 8 weeks
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pact CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit collective dedicated to reducing beauty packaging waste and driving circular solutions. Partners with beauty brands to properly recycle hard-to-recycle packaging like small plastic pumps, caps, and squeezable tubes. Mad Hippie is a member brand offering customers free recycling of beauty empties through 3,300+ drop-off locations including Ulta in-store Pact bins.
• Save the ElephantsminorOthersNon-profit organization working to secure a future for elephants in Africa through scientific research, education, and outreach programs. Mad Hippie proudly supports Save the Elephants through conservation donations.
• Whole Planet FoundationminorOthersProvides micro-lending to female entrepreneurs globally to help lift families and provide relief from poverty worldwide. Mad Hippie is a proud supporter of the micro-loan a month program.
• OceanaminorOthersOcean conservation organization. Mad Hippie supports Oceana's ocean protection efforts through conservation donations.
• TerraCycleminorOthersRecycling company specialized in hard-to-recycle waste streams. Mad Hippie supports TerraCycle's recycling initiatives.
• LoopcoreTechnology or IntegrationLoop is a subscription management platform powering Mad Hippie's autoship subscription program. Provides subscription login, management portal, and recurring delivery infrastructure with 30/45/60 day delivery frequencies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• True Botanicals: Clinically-validated natural skincare brand positioned in the prestige clean beauty segment. Comparable to Mad Hippie's clinically-backed approach with similar pricing on serums and treatment products.
• The Ordinary: Clinical-actives skincare brand owned by DECIEM (Estée Lauder) known for transparent single-actives formulations at accessible prices. Direct competitor for Mad Hippie's Vitamin C Serum, peptide, and retinoid products in the performance-skincare crossover segment.
• Tata Harper: Luxury 100% natural skincare brand with vertically integrated farm-to-bottle manufacturing. Direct competitor in the high-end clean beauty space with comparable price points to Mad Hippie's serums and moisturizers.
• OSEA Malibu: Family-owned clean skincare brand using botanical and seaweed-based formulations with comparable sustainability messaging. Similar company profile (family-owned, founded circa 2000s, multi-channel distribution) to Mad Hippie.
• Juice Beauty: USDA-organic certified skincare brand carried in natural retailers including Whole Foods. Direct competitor for shelf space and clean beauty consumer wallet share in the same Whole Foods channel where Mad Hippie is a primary retail partner.
• Youth To The People: Clean skincare brand emphasizing superfood ingredients and clinical actives with strong Sephora/Ulta distribution. Comparable indie-scale competitor targeting similar clean beauty consumer demographic.
• Indie Lee: Clean skincare brand founded around the same time as Mad Hippie with similar ingredient philosophy and treatment-focused serums. Comparable indie-scale competitor with overlapping product categories.
• Herbivore Botanicals: Natural skincare brand with Sephora presence offering serums, oils, and treatment products at similar price points to Mad Hippie. Competes in the natural-positioned treatment skincare category.

Emerging players

• Codex Beauty: Science-meets-natural skincare brand with Irish heritage and clinical-grade bioferments. Emerging peer with comparable clean-clinical positioning targeting similar consumer concerns around barrier health and ingredient transparency.

Broad incumbents

• Drunk Elephant: Premium clean skincare brand owned by LVMH, founded around the same time as Mad Hippie with similar clean-ingredient philosophy and clinically-backed formulations. Direct competitor in the prestige clean beauty segment across Sephora, Ulta, and DTC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/madhippiebeauty
• Facebookfacebook.com/madhippiebeauty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mad-hippie

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Mad Hippie