Beauty packaging doesn’t always reveal a brand’s DNA or capture its mission in one snappy tagline.
Initially pigeonholed as a Gen Z skin care brand because of its playful, bright aesthetic, InnBeauty Project’s founders explain that skin concern, not demographic, is how they set out to create and differentiate their formulas that use raw ingredients sourced by the brand to pass on cost savings. Sure, many of their customers are 18 (and younger) and post TikToks featuring their multi-colored containers, but women in their sixties and seventies are just as passionate, especially for products such as InnBeauty Project’s Extreme Cream, a daily moisturizer designed to lift, firm, and plump skin.
“They’re like, ‘Wow, this stuff really works,” said co-founder Alisa Metzger. “We have completely won a multi-generational clientele.”
Founded in 2019, InnBeauty Project’s approach to pricing and formulation, alongside its wide demographic lens, is indeed doing things differently — and it’s working. And the timing is good. As of 2024, masstige beauty is outperforming prestige beauty, reflecting broader consumer trends and economic factors including price sensitivity, value, inclusivity, and accessibility.
“The industry is so focused on asking, ‘What’s your age demo?’ I’ve never once walked into Sephora or any retailer and said, ‘Hi, I’m 41. What do you have for me?’ We all know it’s not about age, it’s about skin concern,” said Metzger.
This cut-through-the-clutter attitude combined with a skepticism for generational formulating is what brought Metzger and co-founder, Jen Shane, together. As early employees of Tula Skincare 10 years ago, they watched wellness begin to take over every vertical and brand.
Metzger recalled, “We saw this phenomenon, in beauty and in skin care in particular, [where brands such as] Drunk Elephant and Beautycounter had come to the forefront with a very, very loud clean message and a focus on benefits and efficacy. But when you look at the price points, which range from $60 to $80, and marry that with the average U.S. salary of less than $45,000 a year, the reality is most customers cannot and will never be able to afford this.”
Shane, who serves as Head of Product Innovation, added, “It was special that Alisa and I had such a similar vision for what needed to exist. We always say that if we can’t make it better in every regard — like better price, better efficacy, better texture, better experience — we’re not even going to try.”
The overall “experience” Shane refers to is a direct result of her approach to product formulation. “When we’re looking at a specific skin concern, there are usually four, five, or six things happening within the skin that are causing it — and they can be different for Caucasian versus more melanated skin. We create a holistic formula that’s going to give faster, better results for a wider array of people,” she said.
To keep price points in check, InnBeauty sources its own raw materials. “When you use a manufacturer, you don’t know what they’re charging for raws, filling, or assembly. We order all our expensive actives ourselves and that cuts the cost of the formula. It’s a lot of extra work and we’re the only brand doing this, but that’s how we put out superior formulas at better prices,” Shane explained.
The company operates on a remote basis with the majority of employees based in the NYC.
Distribution-wise, Sephora is the brand’s marquee retail partner in the U.S. and Canada, responsible for 75% of the brand’s sales. The duo said this is a healthy spot since launching there in 2021. “From the get-go, Sephora has recognized why our brand is so special and how it fills a white space in their portfolio,” she explained.
Over the past three years InnBeauty has grown from having one foot on the skin care wall to four-shelf units. The brand’s trajectory in Canada is forecasted to be similar. “We hope to have full distribution with end caps in Canada next year. This is one of the fastest expansions that a brand has had with Sephora, and international expansion would be the next move outside of North America.” Another accolade: InnBeauty was named Sephora’s Breakout Brand of the Year for 2024.
Fueling this expansion is outside investment: in October of 2023, InnBeauty secured Series B funding with ACG Partners as lead investor, joining existing investors Strand Equity and Beechwood Capital. Together, Alisa and Jen remain the largest equity holders. This infusion is sure to help InnBeauty lean into clinical testing for 2024. “I love data and we’re very, very research based,” shared Shane, explaining that she wants to be able to back up marketing that says their products are as good if not better than a $300 item.
“We also focus on average improvement versus ‘up to’ so a customer knows what to expect — and a 30% reduction in wrinkles is huge.”
Share optimistically shared, “I really do believe topical skin care can go above and beyond what a lot of people think it can. I still think you can really push its limits.”
