4 Influencer Owned Brands to Watch in 2020

The concept of D2C has taken on a whole new meaning with the rise of Influencer Marketing. In a nutshell, influencer marketing is the vehicle in which brands work with influencers to reach their customers and move them down the customer funnel. No matter where a consumer is in the funnel, influencer marketing can help bring awareness or move them that much closer to a point of consideration. 

Influencer’s are taking note of this and forming entrepreneurial personal brands, to expand their individual brands. In layman’s terms, if other brands can benefit from their social stardom, why not propel their own brands forward? With this notion, influencer brands are beginning to take over, not only in our social feeds, but at shelves in @Sephora and other retailers. Here is a roundup of Influencer beauty and fashion brands we are loving.

Summer Fridays: The brainchild of Loren Gores and Marianna Hewitt, the brand launched it’s ever-popular skincare mask, Jet Lag, with a promise of hydration and self-care, all-in-on. The brand has since then expanded to an array of skincare products, with the latest cleanser being released this month. The brand gets the added benefit of the founders social circle using products to boost organic engagement. Launched in 2018, it received funding from Prelude Investments, and the brand was said to be on track for $20 million in retail sales in 2019. The Instagram aesthetic caught the eye of users with the ‘imperfect’ product images, where mask tubes were shown as crinkly, but very much in-use. 

LuxUnfiltered: Sivan Ayla Richards is the genius behind the newest IT product, that gives you a tan, without any of the orange streaky mess that typically comes with self-tanner. With a focus on making a better self-tanning product, LuxUnfiltered promises to deliver a hydrating and natural glow. Launched in 2019, this is Sivan’s second product launch, after the debut of her popular Tan Line swimwear. Though revenue hasn’t been disclosed, this product has sold out multiple times, through digital and pop-up sales distribution. 

Kosas: Clean beauty brand, Kosas, was initially launched in 2015 with 4 signature shade lipsticks, and over time the product line has expanded into a full-fledged beauty line. The brand was founded by Sheena Yaitanes after the founder wasn’t very impressed by makeup products she had come across – so she decided to make her own line. Kosas had a slow and steady growth pattern, but shot up considerably after influencers came across the Tinted Face Oil. A favorite of Lily Aldrigde, the buy-in gave the brand credibility and made the line a must-try for makeup connoisseurs. In 2018, Kosas raised $2 million in Series B funding and recent wins include a 409% sales growth in 2019 over 2018, and the brand is projected to break $50-$60million in sales in 2020. 

Gisou: Negin Mirsalehi founded Gisou with partner Mauritts Stribbe, which tells the story about the Negin’s generational bee-keeping roots and how she’s woven in this experience into her haircare products. Started in 2015, Gisou was funded by Vaulter7, and is said to break $100 million in revenue over the course of the next 3 years. The brand is a perfect example of how a story drives interest and paired with a reach like Negin’s can result over longterm sales and brand loyalty. 

Curious to learn more? Reach out to Captiv8, and let’s talk Influencer Marketing.