Christine Esposito, Managing Editor03.20.23
Boka, an oral brand that has gone viral on TikTok, is launching nationwide into 800 Ulta Beauty locations. The beauty retailer will have exclusivity through the end of 2023 and will be the brand’s flagship partner.
Ulta will carry Boka’s top-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste ($12), Coco Ginger Toothpaste ($12) as well as a two-pack travel size Ela Mint + Coco Ginger ($10-exclusive at Ulta) and Boka Brush ($75). The toothpaste’s hero ingredient is nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA), the major component of tooth hard tissue and bone. Found in nature’s micro-calcium component, n-HA makes Boka’s products naturally restorative, gentle on sensitive teeth, and safe from further teeth sensitivity, according to Boka. The brand says that since they has same chemical makeup as enamel, Boka products are capable of closing small pores in your teeth’s enamel through chemical bonding and stimulating bone growth.
Boka is looking to deliver 3x growth in 2023, fueled by the roll out of its first multi-million dollar marketing plan.
Happi spoke with Nisha Karna, head of brand at Boka, about the move into Ulta and how this digitally native brand plans to grow in 2023.
HAPPI: What has been a secret to your success to date?
Karna: For years, we hadn't seen much innovation in toothpaste or oral health products even though patients are becoming more involved in product ingredients and preventative health. Boka is a brand that understands the strong connection between oral and systemic health (e.g., the connection between cavities/periodontal disease with heart health). Boka’s oral care products are made with high-quality ingredients that are proven to deliver safe and effective results. Boka is powered by nature + n-Ha (nano-hydroxyapatite), a modern evolution in medicine and dentistry, which makes our products naturally restorative.
Since Boka’s launch, we have seen immense organic growth, including rapid consumer adoption evidenced by 110% year-over-year growth. We also earned the #1 Toothpaste on Amazon multiple times in 2022, and our best-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste sold out five times last year. Boka has organically gone viral four times in 2022 on TikTok with no marketing investment, driving a +135% sales spike each time. Boka was acquired by Heyday in 2022— a platform for digital brand creation. Heyday pioneers a marketplace-first approach to building the next-generation consumer product company. They acquire and incubate marketplace-native brands through innovative partnerships with eCommerce entrepreneurs. Once a part of the Heyday platform, brands tap into technology, data and capital custom-built to drive exponential revenue and profit growth.
To date, we credit our success to the commitment to our core beliefs: innovation is the key to reducing the most prevalent and preventable disease in the body, and we are here to provide non-toxic products that work with the body, rather than against it. The mouth is the number one source of disease and a huge source of chronic inflammation, which not only wreaks havoc on your immune system, but is also linked to systemic diseases like Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Boka believes in making more effective products with safer ingredients to have a positive impact on preventive health. We also work with dental, oral and wellness experts to stay up-to-date on all aspects of our science and continue to share our research with our consumers so they are as well-educated as possible.
HAPPI What are nano-hydroxyapatite’s benefits in oral care?
Karna: n-HA is the major component of tooth hard tissue and bone, corresponding to 97% of the enamel. Found in nature’s micro-calcium component, n-HA makes Boka’s products naturally restorative, gentle on sensitive teeth, and safe from further teeth sensitivity. With the same chemical makeup as enamel, Boka products are capable of closing small pores in your teeth’s enamel through chemical bonding and stimulating bone growth. It’s not about avoiding fluoride for the sake of some moral debate, but rather that we’re just leveraging something that works better and is inherently less toxic.
HAPPI: Are there other core ingredients that make Boka's formulations special?
Karna: All Boka products are non-toxic, fluoride-free, paraben-free, SLS-free and free of artificial flavoring and endocrine disruptors. In addition to n-HA (nano-hydroxyapatite), each product has a unique formulation of ingredients to ensure the utmost efficacy. For example, Boka’s best-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste includes aloe vera to soothe sensitive teeth, xylitol to fight bacteria, green tea extract full of antioxidants, and mint for a refreshing flavor. Boka’s products challenge the age-old industry mantra that “if it’s burning, it’s working.”
HAPPI: As a digitally native brand that has found great success on TikTok, you have your pulse on a unique group of consumers. What are these customers looking for today in oral care that they have not found elsewhere?
Karna: Ask yourself this question; are we just using these brands because that’s what is available and on sale? Or maybe because it’s what our dentists hand us in sample size when we leave. Consumers have been using the same oral care products without asking for the same accountability we ask for in our foods and skincare products. While some natural oral care brands share what not to use, they don’t offer ingredients backed by science to heal our mouths. Through our years of research and connecting with consumers, it is clear that shoppers are becoming more and more curious about what they are putting into their bodies, and seek out information to be well-educated. We are here to provide not only answers to their questions, but also clean, non-toxic, efficacious, and science-backed solutions. The self-care movement is upon us, and the mouth has been left behind. Eastern medicine, particularly Ayurveda, has long understood that the mouth is a main focus of overall health. We want sparkling white smiles, but we aren't considering the cost to our health, probably because we didn’t know there was one. Finally, we think that oral care can (and should!) be an everyday treat, which is why we formulate toothpastes with natural, delicious flavors and our packaging is minimal, yet elevated.
HAPPI: Your brand has sold out of products, which speaks to success and rising demand. Is the company working to expand production to ensure customers get your product when they want it? Can you share details about this, especially as you ramp up retail into Ulta?
Karna: We have a lot of confidence in our growth model. With the investment from Heyday, we have been able to time our Ulta with significant realized increases in production capacity and speed with local US manufacturers. We have been able to secure more steady access to our core ingredient, nano-hydroxyapatite, as a means to create more scale and flexibility in our supply chain. Our investments in production and sourcing have also catalyzed our innovation pipeline with 2023 seeing more launches than ever before, giving our customers access to Boka’s superior technology in every step of their oral regimen and other parts of their wellness routines.
HAPPI: Do you have any dentists or oral healthcare professionals that back your brand or that you work with?
Karna: As a science-backed brand, we take our relationships with medical professionals seriously and are currently growing a full roster of experts in the oral and dental care fields. We also work very closely with Dr. Miles Madison, a member of our Boka board. Dr. Madison graduated from the University of Southern California Magna Cum Laude with Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences, then attended UCLA School of Dentistry where he again graduated with top honors and was the recipient of numerous academic awards. Dr. Madison went on to specialize in Periodontology at University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) where he became one of the youngest graduating periodontists in the United States. He is the innovator of numerous advanced techniques, and lectures nationally and internationally to other dentists and periodontists.
Dr. Madison is just one of our growing Boka board members, who advise on our innovation plans and support our continued efforts to educate customers and industry professionals. We see this as a major opportunity for the brand going forward as so many people are unaware that there is a better, healthier solution and it’s our mission to help make this ingredient mainstream.
Happi: Why do you believe Boka is a great brand for Ulta?
Karna: Ulta has spent the last few years growing its wellness offerings and retail spaces, as well as educating its consumers on clean products. With our conscious consumer demographics now overlapping, it is the perfect time for Boka to partner with Ulta and introduce a new era of efficacious oral care science. Boka believes in the bridge between wellness, beauty and health, bringing a well-rounded and shared mission for both brands to follow.
Ulta will carry Boka’s top-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste ($12), Coco Ginger Toothpaste ($12) as well as a two-pack travel size Ela Mint + Coco Ginger ($10-exclusive at Ulta) and Boka Brush ($75). The toothpaste’s hero ingredient is nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA), the major component of tooth hard tissue and bone. Found in nature’s micro-calcium component, n-HA makes Boka’s products naturally restorative, gentle on sensitive teeth, and safe from further teeth sensitivity, according to Boka. The brand says that since they has same chemical makeup as enamel, Boka products are capable of closing small pores in your teeth’s enamel through chemical bonding and stimulating bone growth.
Steady Growth in DTC
Since Boka’s launch in 2015, the brand has witnessed steady, posting 110% YoY growth, according to the company. Boka has been the No. 1 toothpaste on Amazon, including multiple times in 2022. The brand was founded by James Hagen, a then-hedge fund analyst who shifted his parents’ dental supply company to an e-commerce model and then began to research how the mouth and body are connected. Boka was acquired by Heyday, the digital brand platform and incubator, in 2022. Heyday also owns skincare brand ZitSticka.Boka is looking to deliver 3x growth in 2023, fueled by the roll out of its first multi-million dollar marketing plan.
Happi spoke with Nisha Karna, head of brand at Boka, about the move into Ulta and how this digitally native brand plans to grow in 2023.
HAPPI: What has been a secret to your success to date?
Karna: For years, we hadn't seen much innovation in toothpaste or oral health products even though patients are becoming more involved in product ingredients and preventative health. Boka is a brand that understands the strong connection between oral and systemic health (e.g., the connection between cavities/periodontal disease with heart health). Boka’s oral care products are made with high-quality ingredients that are proven to deliver safe and effective results. Boka is powered by nature + n-Ha (nano-hydroxyapatite), a modern evolution in medicine and dentistry, which makes our products naturally restorative.
Since Boka’s launch, we have seen immense organic growth, including rapid consumer adoption evidenced by 110% year-over-year growth. We also earned the #1 Toothpaste on Amazon multiple times in 2022, and our best-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste sold out five times last year. Boka has organically gone viral four times in 2022 on TikTok with no marketing investment, driving a +135% sales spike each time. Boka was acquired by Heyday in 2022— a platform for digital brand creation. Heyday pioneers a marketplace-first approach to building the next-generation consumer product company. They acquire and incubate marketplace-native brands through innovative partnerships with eCommerce entrepreneurs. Once a part of the Heyday platform, brands tap into technology, data and capital custom-built to drive exponential revenue and profit growth.
To date, we credit our success to the commitment to our core beliefs: innovation is the key to reducing the most prevalent and preventable disease in the body, and we are here to provide non-toxic products that work with the body, rather than against it. The mouth is the number one source of disease and a huge source of chronic inflammation, which not only wreaks havoc on your immune system, but is also linked to systemic diseases like Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Boka believes in making more effective products with safer ingredients to have a positive impact on preventive health. We also work with dental, oral and wellness experts to stay up-to-date on all aspects of our science and continue to share our research with our consumers so they are as well-educated as possible.
HAPPI What are nano-hydroxyapatite’s benefits in oral care?
Karna: n-HA is the major component of tooth hard tissue and bone, corresponding to 97% of the enamel. Found in nature’s micro-calcium component, n-HA makes Boka’s products naturally restorative, gentle on sensitive teeth, and safe from further teeth sensitivity. With the same chemical makeup as enamel, Boka products are capable of closing small pores in your teeth’s enamel through chemical bonding and stimulating bone growth. It’s not about avoiding fluoride for the sake of some moral debate, but rather that we’re just leveraging something that works better and is inherently less toxic.
HAPPI: Are there other core ingredients that make Boka's formulations special?
Karna: All Boka products are non-toxic, fluoride-free, paraben-free, SLS-free and free of artificial flavoring and endocrine disruptors. In addition to n-HA (nano-hydroxyapatite), each product has a unique formulation of ingredients to ensure the utmost efficacy. For example, Boka’s best-selling Ela Mint Toothpaste includes aloe vera to soothe sensitive teeth, xylitol to fight bacteria, green tea extract full of antioxidants, and mint for a refreshing flavor. Boka’s products challenge the age-old industry mantra that “if it’s burning, it’s working.”
HAPPI: As a digitally native brand that has found great success on TikTok, you have your pulse on a unique group of consumers. What are these customers looking for today in oral care that they have not found elsewhere?
Karna: Ask yourself this question; are we just using these brands because that’s what is available and on sale? Or maybe because it’s what our dentists hand us in sample size when we leave. Consumers have been using the same oral care products without asking for the same accountability we ask for in our foods and skincare products. While some natural oral care brands share what not to use, they don’t offer ingredients backed by science to heal our mouths. Through our years of research and connecting with consumers, it is clear that shoppers are becoming more and more curious about what they are putting into their bodies, and seek out information to be well-educated. We are here to provide not only answers to their questions, but also clean, non-toxic, efficacious, and science-backed solutions. The self-care movement is upon us, and the mouth has been left behind. Eastern medicine, particularly Ayurveda, has long understood that the mouth is a main focus of overall health. We want sparkling white smiles, but we aren't considering the cost to our health, probably because we didn’t know there was one. Finally, we think that oral care can (and should!) be an everyday treat, which is why we formulate toothpastes with natural, delicious flavors and our packaging is minimal, yet elevated.
HAPPI: Your brand has sold out of products, which speaks to success and rising demand. Is the company working to expand production to ensure customers get your product when they want it? Can you share details about this, especially as you ramp up retail into Ulta?
Karna: We have a lot of confidence in our growth model. With the investment from Heyday, we have been able to time our Ulta with significant realized increases in production capacity and speed with local US manufacturers. We have been able to secure more steady access to our core ingredient, nano-hydroxyapatite, as a means to create more scale and flexibility in our supply chain. Our investments in production and sourcing have also catalyzed our innovation pipeline with 2023 seeing more launches than ever before, giving our customers access to Boka’s superior technology in every step of their oral regimen and other parts of their wellness routines.
HAPPI: Do you have any dentists or oral healthcare professionals that back your brand or that you work with?
Karna: As a science-backed brand, we take our relationships with medical professionals seriously and are currently growing a full roster of experts in the oral and dental care fields. We also work very closely with Dr. Miles Madison, a member of our Boka board. Dr. Madison graduated from the University of Southern California Magna Cum Laude with Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences, then attended UCLA School of Dentistry where he again graduated with top honors and was the recipient of numerous academic awards. Dr. Madison went on to specialize in Periodontology at University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) where he became one of the youngest graduating periodontists in the United States. He is the innovator of numerous advanced techniques, and lectures nationally and internationally to other dentists and periodontists.
Dr. Madison is just one of our growing Boka board members, who advise on our innovation plans and support our continued efforts to educate customers and industry professionals. We see this as a major opportunity for the brand going forward as so many people are unaware that there is a better, healthier solution and it’s our mission to help make this ingredient mainstream.
Happi: Why do you believe Boka is a great brand for Ulta?
Karna: Ulta has spent the last few years growing its wellness offerings and retail spaces, as well as educating its consumers on clean products. With our conscious consumer demographics now overlapping, it is the perfect time for Boka to partner with Ulta and introduce a new era of efficacious oral care science. Boka believes in the bridge between wellness, beauty and health, bringing a well-rounded and shared mission for both brands to follow.