The New Blueprint for Beauty

What started as influencer side hustles has matured into an undeniable pattern: celebrity-founded beauty brands are scaling faster, lasting longer, and exiting bigger than many of their venture-backed peers.

And the numbers back it up:

• Fenty Beauty (Rihanna) – ~$3B valuation, $600M revenue

• Rare Beauty (Selena Gomez) – $2B valuation, $400M revenue

• Kylie Cosmetics – $1.2B valuation at Coty deal, $400M revenue

• Anomaly Haircare (Priyanka Chopra) – $600M revenue, flying under the radar

The headliner this month is Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand. Just two years after launching, Rhode is reportedly generating $200M in revenue and has brought on JPMorgan and Moelis to explore a sale at $1B+.

What’s driving the wave?

• Product-market fit with purpose — inclusivity, clean formulas, and social proof

• Founder visibility — built-in trust loops via massive platforms

• Retail-native scale — many are skipping the DTC trap and going omni early

• Solid executive teams — Rhode, for instance, is run by the ex-CEO of The Honest Company

This is no longer about hype. It’s about smart execution riding the tailwind of influence.

The Energy Drink Boom Isn’t Slowing Down

Look past the beauty aisle and the same story plays out in beverage. Functional energy drinks are the new frontier—and investors are betting big.

Recent moves:

• Celsius acquired Alani Nu for $1.8B

• Keurig Dr Pepper acquired GHOST for $1.65B

• Heineken took a stake in Tenzing

These aren’t fads. They’re the result of massive shifts in consumer behavior—where energy, wellness, and branding intersect.

Enter GORGIE: a 2023 launch that’s already raised $37M and landed in 1,900 Target stores. With clean ingredients such as 150mg green tea caffeine, zero sugar, B vitamins, biotin, L-theanine, and pastel-perfect branding, it’s attacking the white space between Red Bull and kombucha.

It’s not crazy to think this ends with a $1B+ exit in a few years—especially if it keeps stacking retail distribution and wellness loyalty.

Billion-Dollar Mayo? Believe It.

If you needed a reminder that you don’t need influencers to scale, just look at Duke’s Mayo.

In 2019, Falfurrias Capital Partners acquired Sauer Brands (parent company of Duke’s) for ~$300M. They went heads-down and focused on the basics:

• Bolted on Kernel Season’s in 2020

• Picked up Mateo’s Salsa in 2021

• Stayed disciplined with margin, ops, and distribution

By 2024, the business was generating $120M+ in EBITDA.

By January 2025? Advent International acquired the whole portfolio for $1.5B.

No celebrity. No DTC gimmicks. Just consistent execution in categories people use every day. A masterclass in CPG portfolio building.

Podcast Recap: Fan Bi x Dave Rekuc (Bambu Earth)

How to Increase LTV and Exit Value on DTC

This week on In the Money, I sat down with Dave Rekuc, President of Bambu Earth, to unpack how he’s grown the brand 30x post-acquisition and why it might be one of the most cash-efficient beauty businesses in DTC.

Key themes from the episode:

• Not all dollars are equal. Brands that optimize for predictability—recurring revenue, high repeat rates, tight customer files—are not just more stable, they’re more acquirable.

• Memberships can outperform subscriptions

• Good friction builds belief. The best DTC brands don’t chase Amazon-level ease. They invest in small moments that create buying confidence—and drive bigger, more valuable orders.

• Fewer SKUs, better economics: A tight, well-curated catalog lets you focus on high-margin bestsellers, avoid operational bloat, and tailor messaging more precisely.

• The smartest channel bets are often the slowest

• What acquirers actually value: Repeat behavior, capital efficiency, and cash realization (not just EBIT) drive real interest. Building for exit means building like it’s your own money.

This is a must-listen for any CPG founder navigating margin pressure, retail expansion, or post-DTC reality. Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify.

Deal in the Market:

An omni-channel skincare brand with ~$2M in annual revenue—primarily through wholesale and retail—is seeking a soft landing. Inventory buyout or strategic acquisition preferred. If you're a serious buyer, DM on X or connect on LinkedIn for an intro.

Takeaways:

1. Valuations are resetting and only the cleanest operators will clear the bar. Acquirers want revenue that sticks, margins that hold, and businesses that don’t wobble under pressure.

2. DTC brands are maturing or getting left behind. Simplified catalogs, smarter retention tools, and real cash conversion are replacing gimmicks and growth hacks.

3. Distribution isn’t about scale, it’s about alignment. The right channel isn’t the biggest. It’s the one that fits your cost structure, brand, and customer behavior.

4. Durability is the new differentiator. Beauty, beverage, or beyond—what wins now are brands built to last, not just launch.