Fable, the investment vehicle created by Brazilian beauty giant Natura, has backed Los Angeles-based science-based skin care brand Stratia with a US$2m cash injection.
Founded by blogger Alli Reed, who writes under the pseudonym The Acid Queen, Stratia was developed at home before transforming from Reed’s side hustle into a fully-fledged skin care brand in 2016.
Beginning with her debut moisturiser Liquid Gold, her product line now extends across cleansers and serums, as well as a selection of other skus, which are affordably priced between $15 and $49.
Reed’s other mission with her brand is to create a platform to educate customers on skin care, which she talks about extensively on her YouTube channel and on social media.
“I want to create better-educated skin care consumers overall, whether or not they become Stratia customers,” said Reed.
Speaking about her new investment, she added: “I am truly thrilled to have found a partner in Fable that really understands, respects and appreciates our philosophy and autonomy as entrepreneurs.
“My boundless curiosity to figure out how skin care products work drove me to obsessively research, learn and understand this vast space.
“In the beauty industry, I so often see brands developing new products to capitalise on trends and buzzwords, but the science often doesn’t back those claims up.
“I tirelessly research, test and validate the science behind our ingredients, sourcing and even packaging to ensure customers receive expertly formulated skin care.”
Meanwhile, commenting on its latest investment, Thomas Buisson, Director of Fable Investments, added: “Stratia immediately struck us as an outstanding example of a product-centric brand: authentic, innovative and confidently challenging the status quo in a meaningful way.
“We have been impressed with Founder Alli Reed’s passion and commitment to cut through the noise to really understand the science behind products that truly work and enlighten users about skin care.
“She has demonstrated incredible resilience, determination and an ability to create long-lasting relationships with her customers – rare qualities that we relentlessly look for when we invest.
Buisson also wants to capitalise on Stratia’s 250% customer growth year-on-year, and is expected to scale up the brand’s retail presence into new destinations.