iNNBeauty Project Closes Minority Investment to Support Nationwide Sephora Launch

iNNBeauty Project, an effective, clean, and accessible skincare brand for the next generation, has closed a minority investment led by leading consumer investors Strand Equity and Beechwood Capital. 

 

Funds will be allocated towards growing the brand and supporting its nationwide launch in Sephora. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

“Our time is now! said Alisa Metzger, co-founder of iNNBeauty Project. “With the omnichannel expansion into Sephora and Sephora x Kohl’s, we have an incredible opportunity to become a household name. We are committed to investing in people, product, and process. Bringing on key roles in operations and finance as well as investing in marketing will allow us to flawlessly execute our Sephora launch and introduce our brand to millions of consumers. Our emphasis on innovation is always at the heart of everything we do. We will continue to amplify our core products and blow consumers away with new formulations.” 

 

iNNBeauty Project represents the culmination of over 30 years of combined experience from its co-founders, Metzger along with Jen Shane. Shane brings over 15 years of product innovation and formulation experience from beauty industry leaders including Bare Essentials, Tarte Cosmetics, Tula and TATCHA, where she worked on formulating top products such as bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, and TATCHA Silken Pore Perfecting SPF. Shane’s products have won over 20 beauty industry awards including Allure Best of Beauty Hall of Fame. While at Tula, Shane met Metzger, who led the brand’s marketing team and helped launch the brand nationwide at ULTA Beauty in over 1,200 stores.

 

“The beauty editor community is notoriously difficult to impress, so the reason we are receiving so much support is because our products truly perform,” said Shane. “At iNNBeauty Project, we custom-build every formula from the ground up and take a holistic and creative approach to helping each skin concern. I thoroughly research the latest active ingredients and manufacturing processes and review medical journals to find proven ingredients often overlooked by skincare brands. This gives our products the superior efficacy, innovative textures, and ingredient stories that consumers are actively looking for. I am passionate about making high-quality, clean formulations with exceptional efficacy accessible to a wider audience.”

 

iNNBeauty Project prides itself on being one of the beauty industry’s first “plastic negative” brands via a partnership with rePurpose Global to remove more plastic than the brand produces. As a women-owned brand, iNNBeauty Project has made supporting diverse communities and causes a priority since launch. iNNBeauty Project has supported Rainbow Railroad, The UNCF, and Girls Write Now, among others, on its journey thus far, and the company looks forward to increasing its impact for years to come.

 

In 2019, the two joined forces to launch iNNBeauty Project after identifying a void in the beauty space for clean and efficacious skincare that was affordable to younger consumers. Consumers responded, fueling iNNBeauty Project towards 300% year-over-year growth and gaining the attention of Sephora. Now available in all 490 Sephora stores, 200 Sephora x Kohl’s stores and Sephora online, iNNBeauty Project seeks to continue its meteoric rise.

 

iNNBeauty Project’s products Slushy, Pimple Paste, Down to Tone, and most recent success Green Machine, have received awards and accolades such as Glamour’s Reader’s Choice Award 2021, Real Simple Smart Beauty Awards 2021, Women’s Health Beauty Awards 2021, PopSugar Clean Beauty Awards, Women’s Health 2020 Best Skincare Award and AskMen Grooming Award.

 

“Beechwood Capital is excited to partner with iNNBeauty Project as they continue to expand their product line, their team and launch into Sephora and Sephora X Kohl’s,” said Larry Kahn, managing partner of the investment firm. “We were blown away by Alisa and Jen’s vision, the brand’s unique selling proposition, and believe that the roster of products fill a long-standing gap in the market for truly efficacious, simple ritual-based skincare products at an accessible price point.”