Less is More
Less is More is a Vienna-based, privately-held certified organic cosmetics brand founded in 2007, selling vegan haircare, facecare, bodycare, a Mom & Baby line, and fragrances via DTC e-commerce and professional hair salons across the DACH region and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWienau, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Less is More does
Less is More is a privately-held, Vienna-based certified organic cosmetics brand founded in 2007 by Dr. Doris Brandhuber (a chemist with a PhD in biomimetics) and Hannes Trummer (a professional hairstylist). The company develops and manufactures its products in-house in Austria, applying a biomimetic R&D approach that translates natural biological mechanisms and Alpine-plant bioactives into haircare, skincare, bodycare, and fragrance SKUs. The portfolio is carried across five pillars — Haircare, Facecare, Bodycare, the ALMA Clean Mom & Baby sub-brand, and a Fragrance line — and is supported by proprietary technology including a prebiotic PURE haircare line, a four-action Pure Bond Complex hair-repair system, and a modular facecare architecture using clinically studied actives (Hyaluron, Astaxanthin, Ectoin, Peptides). One inbound-licensed active, REDENSYL, anchors the Alma Mom hair-growth claim of approximately 8,500 new hairs over a 10-week program.
The full range is COSMOS Organic certified by ECOCERT, vegan certified by PETA, and the company has held B Corp certification since 2017 — among the earliest in Austria — supplemented by rePET packaging certification and ABG certification for the ALMA line. Products are sold primarily direct-to-consumer through lessismore.at (with multi-currency checkout supporting EUR, USD, CHF, GBP, and orders shipped internationally) and, in parallel, distributed via professional hair salons and session stylists worldwide, a channel the founders entered from day one given Trummer's background.
Revenue mechanics rest on unit-priced SKU sales with bundle/Set discounting of approximately 15–25%, a Tier ASP ranging roughly $17 (entry-level lip care) to $263 (Alma Mom Hair-Growth Set) and $245 face serums, plus a $339-per-person in-person Parfum Workshop at the Vienna Open Lab (also sold as a gift card). Customer segments are hybrid: a horizontal base of DACH-led conscious consumers and a vertical of professional salons using the products for coloring, styling, and scalp treatments; ALMA adds a use-case vertical targeting expectant mothers, postpartum women, and infants. Distribution is anchored on owned e-commerce plus the Vienna storefront/Open Lab, with editorial brand-building across Vogue, Elle, Brigitte, Harper's Bazaar, and Grazia.
Less is More firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Less is More
- Legal name
- Less is More
- Website
- https://lessismore.at
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Less is More is a Vienna-based, privately-held certified organic cosmetics brand founded in 2007, selling vegan haircare, facecare, bodycare, a Mom & Baby line, and fragrances via DTC e-commerce and professional hair salons across the DACH region and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Less is More industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Certified Organic Vegan Cosmetics
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)
- 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), Bath & Shower Products (Soaps, Body Wash, Bath Additives) (CRADANAB), Natural & Clean Fragrance (CRABADAG), Deodorants & Antiperspirants (CRADANAA)
Keywords
Where Less is More is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wienau
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Less is More business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales (E-commerce & Salon): The primary revenue stream is direct product sales through the company's e-commerce platform (lessismore.at), covering haircare, facecare, bodycare, Alma Mom & Baby, fragrances, and accessories. Products are also distributed through professional hair salons and hairstylists worldwide.
- Workshops (Parfum Workshop): The company operates in-person perfume workshop experiences at their Vienna Open Lab, guided by founder Dr. Doris Brandhuber. Participants compose a personalized natural perfume from ~60 pure essential oils and take home their handcrafted fragrance. Workshop price is $339 per session.
- Gift Cards / Workshop Vouchers: The company sells gift cards redeemable for workshops, offered as 'Gutschein Parfum Workshop' at $339, suitable for gifts or team events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Products — Haircare, Facecare, Bodycare, Alma Mom & Baby |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sets & Bundles (multiple products bundled with discount) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Parfum Workshop Experience |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Less is More product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Less is More develops, manufactures, and sells a compact range of certified organic, vegan cosmetics — haircare, facecare, bodycare, fragrances, and a mom-and-baby sub-line (ALMA) — formulated through biomimetic science with Alpine plant-derived bio-active ingredients and sold primarily through its own e-commerce platform and professional salon partners. The brand also operates an experiential Parfum Workshop service at its Vienna Open Lab, where customers compose a personalized natural perfume under the guidance of co-founder Dr. Doris Brandhuber.
Product overview
Less is More is a vegan certified organic cosmetics company based in Vienna, Austria, established in 2007. The company offers a compact, modular product portfolio across four main categories: Haircare (shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling), Facecare (cleansers, toners, creams, serums, masks), Bodycare (washes, creams, deodorants, body mists), and Fragrance (body mists, scented candles). The company also operates the ALMA Clean Mom & Baby Care sub-brand for pregnancy, postpartum, and baby care. Products are biomimetically formulated based on the latest science, combining bio-active ingredients with organic plant extracts. The philosophy emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness, with formulations free from silicones, microplastics, and synthetic additives. The company also offers perfume workshops in their Vienna Open Lab and sells products in Ecosize (recycled packaging) and Travelsize formats.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ALMA Clean Mom & Baby Care: A sub-brand under Less is More offering certified organic, biomimetic skincare products specifically formulated for mothers during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as babies and young children. Products are fragrance-free for newborns and nursing mothers, and prebiotic for healthy skin from the start. COSMOS and ABG certified, handmade in Vienna.
Products and services
- Haircare Line Certified organic, vegan haircare product line including volume, balance, moisturizing, color-care, and scalp-relief shampoos, plus conditioners, treatments, and styling products such as Kieselwax styling wax and Tangerine Curl Balm. Developed for both end consumers and professional stylists, formulated with pea protein, vegan keratin, amino acids, and prebiotic ferments without silicones or microplastics.
- Facecare Line Modular certified organic, vegan facial skincare line including Gentle Facial Cream Cleanser, Refining & Hydrating Facial Toner, Protect & Repair Facial Cream, Rich Moisture & Firming Facial Cream, Anti-Oxidant Face Oil, Even Tone Vitamin C Serum, Plumping & Firming Hyaluronic Serum, and De-Stress Eye Cream. Targeted at anti-aging, hydration, skin barrier strengthening, and pore refinement for conscious consumers.
- Bodycare Line Certified organic, vegan bodycare range including Body Wash (e.g., Lemongrass Cypress), Body Cream (e.g., Lavender Atlas Cedar), and aromatherapeutic body products with pure essential oils for deep nourishment, moisture, and microbiome support.
- Parfum Workshop Premium experiential service at the Less is More Open Lab in Vienna where participants, guided by co-founder Dr. Doris Brandhuber, hand-blend a personalized natural perfume from approximately 60 pure essential oils and take home their custom fragrance, a sachet set, and an exclusive workshop discount. Priced at $339 per person and also available as a gift card suitable for gifts or team events.
- ALMA Clean Mom & Baby Care Sub-brand of certified organic, biomimetic skincare products formulated for mothers during pregnancy and postpartum and for babies and young children. Fragrance-free options suitable for newborns and nursing mothers, with prebiotic formulations, including Alma Mom Rosehip Belly Oil for stretch mark prevention, Alma Mom Hair-Growth Set with REDENSYL® for hormonal hair loss, and Alma Baby Gentle Blossom Shampoo & Wash for gentle daily baby care.
- PURE Line (Fragrance-Free Prebiotic Haircare) Fragrance-free, prebiotic haircare line without essential oils or fragrances, positioned as the most sustainable line in the range, designed for sensitive skin and scalp with 9 certified organic products.
- Fragrance Line Natural fragrance product line made from 100% pure essential oils, comprising Body & Room Mists and Scented Candles produced from soot-free plant wax.
Quantifiable outcome
- Approximately 8,500 new hairs in 10 weeks (Alma Mom Hair-Growth Set with REDENSYL®)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Less is More
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Less is More technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Less is More partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Less is More competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Santa Maria Novella: Historic Italian natural perfumery and cosmetics house with a comparable fragrance + skincare premium positioning and workshop/heritage experience-led brand. Relevant comparable for Less is More's parfum workshop strategy and natural-fragrance product line.
Broad incumbents
- Kevin Murphy: Australian professional salon haircare brand with global salon distribution. Comparable salon-channel strategy and premium positioning, but broader portfolio and significantly larger scale; competes for the same professional stylist endorsement.
- Lavera: German certified-natural cosmetics brand with broad face/body/hair portfolio at mainstream premium price points. Comparable on German-market certified-organic positioning, though operating at a more mass-premium scale than Less is More.
- Weleda: Swiss-founded natural cosmetics incumbent with broad certified-natural product lines across face, body, baby, and aromatherapy. Comparable on the certified-organic / NATRUE positioning and DACH heritage, but operates at far greater scale and global retail penetration than Less is More.
- Davines: Italian professional haircare brand with strong salon channel presence and a B Corp certification since 2016. Comparable on professional-salon distribution, sustainability positioning, and premium pricing — but at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Oway: Italian professional organic haircare brand sold primarily through salons with a similar 'professional-first, organic-certified' ethos. Most direct competitor on the salon-professional + certified-organic haircare axis.
- Tabitha James Kraan: UK-based organic hairdresser-founded haircare brand with a salon-first, certified-organic positioning. Closely comparable on the founder-hairstylist + certified-organic + salon-channel model that Less is More also embodies.
- Rahua: US premium clean haircare brand built around plant-derived Amazonian bio-actives. Comparable on the premium, naturally derived, performance-positioned haircare thesis, with overlapping celebrity-stylist endorsement channels.
- Innersense Organic Beauty: US-based certified-organic, salon-professional haircare brand with similar clean-beauty positioning and use of naturally derived bio-actives. Comparable product philosophy and salon channel strategy, though skewed to the US market.
- Dr. Hauschka: German natural cosmetics brand with a similarly certified-organic, professional-positioned portfolio spanning facecare, bodycare, and selected haircare. Closely comparable on certification ethos, premium pricing, and salon/spa distribution channels — and a key European competitor Less is More benchmarks against.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Less is More social profiles
Digital presenceLess is More compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Less is More financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Less is More leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Less is More funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Less is More 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 Less is More
What does Less is More do?
Less is More develops, manufactures, and sells a compact range of certified organic, vegan cosmetics — haircare, facecare, bodycare, fragrances, and a mom-and-baby sub-line (ALMA) — formulated through biomimetic science with Alpine plant-derived bio-active ingredients and sold primarily through its own e-commerce platform and professional salon partners. The brand also operates an experiential Parfum Workshop service at its Vienna Open Lab, where customers compose a personalized natural perfume under the guidance of co-founder Dr. Doris Brandhuber.
Is Less is More a public or private company?
Less is More is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Less is More founded?
Less is More was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Less is More based?
Less is More is headquartered in Wienau, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Less is More make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (E-commerce & Salon) is the primary driver. The others are workshops (Parfum Workshop) and gift Cards / Workshop Vouchers.
Who are Less is More's main competitors?
Santa Maria Novella is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Kevin Murphy, Lavera, Weleda and Davines. Direct peers are Oway, Tabitha James Kraan, Rahua, Innersense Organic Beauty and Dr. Hauschka.
Does Less is More have an API?
No public API is recorded for Less is More.
What industry is Less is More in?
Less is More's product category is Certified Organic Vegan Cosmetics. 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 32561 and its SIC code is 2844.