Krave Beauty

What Krave Beauty does

Krave Beauty, LLC is a direct-to-consumer K-beauty skincare brand founded in 2017 by Liah Yoo and headquartered operationally in the United States. The company positions itself as the pioneer of barrier-first skincare, offering a focused SKU range spanning cleansers (Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser, Makeup Re-Wined), treatments (Great Barrier Relief, Oil La La, 24 Carrot Retinal, Kale-Lalu-yAHA), moisturizers (Oat So Simple Water Cream and its refill pouch), SPF (Beet the Sun SPF 40), lip care (Plumptuous Lip Jelly), and body care (Great Body Relief), along with curated duos targeting specific concerns such as the Clear Skin Barrier and Barrier Builder kits. Core formulation technology centers on clean, barrier-supporting chemistry using upcycled ingredients sourced from agricultural waste streams.

The business operates as a DTC-first commerce model at kravebeauty.com, with a Subscribe & Save subscription program for recurring orders, bundle and refill packaging to lift LTV, and free-shipping thresholds starting at $50. Pricing spans roughly $16-$70 per SKU, with hero products anchored at $28 and refill pouches priced to incentivize repurchase over repackaging. Distribution is global, shipping to 40+ countries, and a Sephora retail partnership extends reach into physical channels. Marketing is community-driven across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and an editorial blog (KraveBeauty 101), with an email newsletter offering a 10% first-order incentive.

The brand's differentiation rests on barrier-first formulation philosophy, sustainability credentials (B Corp, 1% for the Planet, Plastic Neutral, Climate Label, Animal Test-Free), and educational content marketing. The team is small (1-10 employees per the data), privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors, and the company has begun participating in ingredient innovation ecosystems such as GreenWave's Kelp CoLab.

Name

Krave Beauty

Legal name

Krave Beauty, LLC

Website

https://kravebeauty.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Krave Beauty is a US-based direct-to-consumer K-beauty skincare brand founded in 2017 by Liah Yoo, selling barrier-first cleansers, treatments, moisturizers, SPF, and body care to sensitive and acne-prone consumers globally through kravebeauty.com, Sephora, and shipping to 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Skincare

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Global Skincare Regimens (CRABAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beauty & Personal Care Online Retailers (CRAFADAC)

Keywords

• Skincare products
• Barrier repair serums
• K-beauty formulations
• Clean beauty
• Facial cleansers

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongdong

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of skincare products through e-commerce website. Products include cleansers, moisturizers, treatments, SPF, and lip care. Offers subscription model for recurring purchases with discount incentives.
2. Subscription Services: Subscribe & Save program offering recurring product delivery with potential cost savings for repeat customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Krave Beauty is a direct-to-consumer K-beauty-inspired skincare brand that develops, sells, and ships its own line of barrier-first cleansers, treatments, moisturizers, SPF, lip care, and body care products. Offerings are sold through the brand's own e-commerce site and Sephora, with a Subscribe & Save program for recurring purchases and refill pouches for sustainable repurchasing.

Product overview

Krave Beauty is a direct-to-consumer skincare brand offering a unified portfolio of barrier-focused skincare products. The product line centers on its hero product Great Barrier Relief alongside complementary treatments (24 Carrot Retinal, Oil La La), cleansers (Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser, Makeup Re-Wined), moisturizers (Oat So Simple Water Cream), sun protection (Beet the Sun SPF 40), and lip care (Plumptuous Lip Jelly). The brand also offers targeted body care (Great Body Relief) and sells curated product duos/kits for specific skin concerns (Barrier Renew, Clear Skin Barrier, Barrier Builder, Barrier Rescue). Products are organized by skin concern including acne & breakouts, hyperpigmentation, dry & dehydrated skin, and damaged skin barrier. The brand emphasizes sustainable practices including upcycled ingredients and refillable packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Great Barrier Relief Reparative, skin-soothing serum designed to support damaged skin barriers, positioned as the brand's cult-favorite hero product for sensitive skin consumers.
• Beet the Sun SPF 40 PA+++ Barely-there chemical sunscreen providing broad-spectrum SPF 40 PA+++ daily sun protection for everyday use.
• Oil La La Breakout balancing serum priced at $28, formulated for acne-prone skin to address excess oil and breakouts without harsh ingredients.
• Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser Gentle, non-stripping hydrating cleanser priced at $16, suitable for combination skin types and daily use.
• 24 Carrot Retinal Gentle 0.05% retinal serum priced at $28, formulated to address uneven skin texture and signs of aging through a barrier-friendly vehicle.
• Kale-Lalu-yAHA Gentle AHA exfoliator designed for skin smoothing, renewal, and improved texture without harshness.
• Makeup Re-Wined Jelly-to-oil cleanser designed to remove makeup effectively while remaining gentle on the skin.
• Oat So Simple Water Cream Calming, lightweight water cream moisturizer designed for daily hydration, available with a refill pouch option.
• Plumptuous Lip Jelly Nourishing, non-sticky lip oil product providing hydration and care for the lips.
• Great Body Relief Smooth, reparative body lotion extending the brand's barrier-first philosophy to body skin care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 560,000 meals donated to communities

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GreenWave Kelp CoLabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026Krave Beauty is part of the inaugural cohort of GreenWave's Kelp CoLab innovation platform. This partnership enables access to functional ingredients derived from regeneratively farmed kelp for applications such as skin barrier soothing and natural emulsification. The collaboration involves beauty brands including Credo Beauty, True Botanicals, Elate, Sea-el, and Sonsie working together on sustainable ingredient innovation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Ordinary (DECIEM): The Ordinary is a single-active, transparency-led skincare brand owned by DECIEM/Estée Lauder, sold DTC and through Sephora. Comparable to Krave Beauty on ingredient transparency, accessible pricing, and educating consumers away from overcomplicated routines, though The Ordinary is materially larger and has a broader SKU footprint.
• Beautycounter: Beautycounter is a clean-beauty skincare and cosmetics brand with rigorous ingredient standards, third-party safety certifications, and sustainability commitments. Comparable to Krave Beauty on clean-beauty positioning, ESG messaging, and barrier-conscious formulations, though Beautycounter operates a multi-level marketing channel alongside retail.
• Tatcha: Tatcha is a premium K-beauty-inspired skincare brand sold through Sephora with a strong emphasis on gentle, barrier-supporting rituals and heritage-grade ingredients. Highly comparable to Krave Beauty on K-beauty heritage, Sephora distribution, and gentle-formulation positioning, though Tatcha operates at much larger scale (acquired by Unilever for ~$500M).
• Glossier: Glossier is a digitally native beauty brand built on community-led marketing, founder storytelling, and a direct-to-consumer storefront. Comparable to Krave Beauty on DTC-led brand-building and content-driven customer acquisition, though Glossier skews more toward color cosmetics and has a much larger scale (reportedly >$100M revenue at peak).
• Drunk Elephant: Drunk Elephant is a clean, ingredient-focused skincare brand sold through Sephora and its own DTC site, built around the idea of a "skincare smoothie" for skin health. Comparable to Krave Beauty on clean-formulation philosophy, Sephora + DTC dual distribution, and brand-led educational content, though at materially larger scale (acquired by Shiseido for ~$845M).
• Youth To The People: Youth To The People is a sustainable, super-greens-focused skincare brand sold through Sephora and DTC, with an emphasis on clean, vegan formulations and sustainability messaging. Closely comparable to Krave Beauty on sustainability credentials, Sephora presence, and gentle plant-based formulations targeted at younger consumers.
• Tower 28 Beauty: Tower 28 is a clean, sensitive-skin-friendly beauty brand sold through Sephora and DTC, founded around the principle of non-irritating formulations for sensitive skin. Comparable to Krave Beauty on the "gentle / sensitive-skin" positioning, Sephora distribution, and clean-beauty credentials; product mix skews more toward color cosmetics.

Broad incumbents

• CeraVe: CeraVe is a dermatologist-developed, mass-market skincare brand owned by L'Oréal that has popularized ceramides and barrier-repair messaging at scale. Comparable to Krave Beauty on barrier-repair positioning and sensitive-skin targeting, but CeraVe is a broad incumbent with massive distribution, R&D budget, and lower price points that anchor the category.
• La Roche-Posay: La Roche-Posay is a dermatologist-recommended skincare brand under L'Oréal, focused on sensitive skin, barrier repair, and minimalist formulations. Comparable to Krave Beauty on barrier-supportive, sensitive-skin positioning, but operates at mass-market scale with deep pharmacy and dermatologist distribution.

Regional players

• Sulwhasoo: Sulwhasoo is a heritage Korean luxury skincare brand under Amorepacific that pioneered barrier-nourishing ginseng-based formulations. Comparable to Krave Beauty on K-beauty heritage and barrier-focused philosophy, though Sulwhasoo competes primarily in the Asia premium market with a different price tier and distribution model (department-store counters).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KraveBeauty
• Instagraminstagram.com/kravebeauty
• TikToktiktok.com/@kravebeauty
• Xx.com/kravebeautyinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/kravebeautyinc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Krave Beauty