Function of Beauty Funding, Investors & Competitors

Function of Beauty has raised $248M across 6 funding rounds, most recently a $86M undisclosed-stage round in January 2021.

Last Function of Beauty funding round

$86M

Undisclosed stage · Jan 2021

Cumulative funding Function of Beauty raised

$248M

across 6 funding rounds

Key investors in Function of Beauty

  • SoGal Ventures
  • Bessemer Venture Partners
  • Y Combinator
  • Notable Capital
  • L Catterton
  • Brad Flora
  • Bullish
  • FEMPIRE x SoGal

Function of Beauty Overview

About Function of Beauty

Function of Beauty is a New York-based company founded in 2015 that manufactures custom hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, and styling treatments matched to individual hair types, goals, and preferences such as scent and color. Formulas exclude sulfates, parabens, and phthalates to prioritize clean ingredients. The brand sells through its website and retail partners like Ulta Beauty. Sephora acquired the company in 2020, expanding its reach in personalized beauty.


Founded

2015

HQ

United StatesNew York City, NY

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2C

Revenue model

Product sales

Function of Beauty Funding History

Function of Beauty has raised a total of $248M across 6 funding rounds.

Function of Beauty's first fundraising round was a $1M seed round in March 2016. The most recent completed round was a $86M undisclosed-stage round in January 2021.

Function of Beauty funding rounds

Function of Beauty funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedDeal Summary
Jan 2021Undisclosed stage-$86MFunction of Beauty is a New York-based company specializing in customizable hair, skin, and body care products, leveraging mass customization technology to create personalized formulas for consumers. The company secured a $150 million Series B strategic minority investment led by L Catterton on December 2, 2020, with participation from existing investors CircleUp and GGV Capital. This round brought total funding to approximately $164.66 million across five rounds, following a $9.5-$12 million Series A in 2017 led by GGV Capital and seed investment from Y Combinator. The investment aims to accelerate product development, expand customized manufacturing capabilities, and support international growth beyond its presence in 45 markets, while pursuing U.S. customer acquisition through aggressive marketing. Recent launches included customizable body products in July 2020 and skincare products in October 2020, which saw rapid adoption and high customer ratings. The company operates three locations and positions itself as a first-mover in personalized beauty, with co-founders anticipating personalization becoming the industry norm. L Catterton, a global consumer-focused private equity firm with $20 billion in equity capital, views Function of Beauty as poised to redefine the beauty landscape through innovation in haircare, skincare, and beyond. Prior valuation data lists $110 million in March 2017. Goldman Sachs advised on the transaction, which was expected to close in Q4 2020.
Dec 2020Series BL Catterton (lead); SoGal Ventures$150MFunction of Beauty is a direct-to-consumer beauty company specializing in fully customized haircare, skincare, and body care products tailored to individual consumer preferences, launched in 2015 by CEO Zahir Dossa, COO Joshua Maciejewski, and CSO Hien Kaplan. The company operates advanced customized manufacturing capabilities and sells in 45 markets with three locations, positioning itself as the largest online haircare brand through mass personalization amid rising millennial demand for non-mass-produced goods. On December 2, 2020, it raised a $150 million Series B strategic minority growth investment led by L Catterton, with participation from existing investors CircleUp and GGV Capital, following a $12 million Series A in 2017 valued over $110 million and undisclosed debt financing. The funding aims to accelerate product development in haircare, skincare, and beyond, expand international presence beyond 45 markets, enhance U.S. customer acquisition via aggressive growth marketing, and scale manufacturing. L Catterton, the world's largest consumer-focused private equity firm backed by LVMH with $30 billion in equity capital, highlighted Function of Beauty's innovation in mass customization as poised to redefine the beauty landscape, drawing parallels to its investments in brands like The Honest Company, Elemis, Bliss, Il Makiage, Nutrafol, Tula, and Frederic Fekkai. Goldman Sachs advised Function of Beauty financially, with Cooley LLP as legal counsel, while Gibson Dunn advised L Catterton; the deal was expected to close in Q4 2020. The company reported over 100% year-over-year sales growth in 2020. Function of Beauty's traction includes phenomenal growth over five years, e-commerce strength in prestige haircare, and a focus on sustainable development roots from Dossa's prior Argan Tree venture, with future personalization seen as industry norm in 10-20 years.
Mar 2017Series ANotable Capital (lead); SoGal Ventures; Y Combinator; Bessemer Venture Partners; Bullish$10MFunction of Beauty raised $9.5 million in a Series A round in March 2017 led by GGV Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Bessemer Venture Partners, and SoGal Ventures, bringing total funding to $12 million. The company creates customizable hair care products based on personalized quizzes, offering up to 12 billion custom combinations. Funds supported brand refinement, product development, international expansion, and a planned flagship store in NYC.
Jan 2017SeedBessemer Venture Partners (lead); SoGal Ventures; FEMPIRE x SoGal$1M-
Mar 2016Pre-seedY Combinator (lead); SoGal Ventures; Bessemer Venture Partners$100K-
Mar 2016SeedBrad Flora$1M-

Who has invested in Function of Beauty?

8 investors have backed Function of Beauty across its funding rounds, including SoGal Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Y Combinator, Notable Capital, L Catterton and Brad Flora.

Lead investors include L Catterton, Notable Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners and Y Combinator.


Function of Beauty Investors

Investors in Function of Beauty by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
SoGal VenturesUnited StatesNew York City, NY4ParticipantMar 2016
Bessemer Venture PartnersUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA3LeadMar 2016
Y CombinatorUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA2LeadMar 2016
FEMPIRE x SoGalUnited StatesNew York City, NY1ParticipantJan 2017
L CattertonUnited StatesGreenwich, CT1LeadDec 2020
Bullish--1ParticipantMar 2017

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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples

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Acquisitions by Function of Beauty

Function of Beauty has acquired 1 company to date.

Last acquisition by Function of Beauty was on August 4th 2021. Function of Beauty acquired Atolla for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by Function of Beauty

Atolla
Description
Atolla is a Boston-headquartered skincare company that delivers personalized regimens based on at-home skin testing kits developed from MIT-licensed technology. Customers receive a diagnostic patch that analyzes 15 biomarkers like hydration and inflammation, leading to custom-blended serums, cleansers, and moisturizers shipped quarterly. Founded in 2020, Atolla partners with dermatologists for ongoing virtual consultations and tracks skin progress via app uploads. The service operates in the United States, emphasizing long-term skin health through data-informed adjustments.
HQ CountryUnited States
HQ City
New York City, NY
Deal Date4 Aug 2021
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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Function of Beauty Competitors

Function of Beauty competitors include listed companies like Lenskart, Alibaba Group and Carvana, and private ones like Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, GP Club and KKW Beauty.

Public and private companies comparable to Function of Beauty
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
LenskartIndiaIndiaPublicly listed$916M$189M$12B11.6x
Lush Fresh Handmade CosmeticsUnited KingdomPoolePrivate--$1.5B-
GP ClubSouth KoreaSeoulPrivate--$1.3B-
KKW BeautyUnited StatesLos Angeles, CAPrivate$100M-$1B10.0x
Alibaba GroupChinaChinaPublicly listed$153B$15B$266B1.6x
CarvanaUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$20B($110M)$72B2.9x

Function of Beauty Public Comps

Function of Beauty is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Amazon, Tencent, AbbVie, Procter & Gamble, Alibaba Group, L'Oreal, Novo Nordisk, Unilever, Pinduoduo and MercadoLibre.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Amazon$717B$161B3.9x3.5x17.5x13.8x
Tencent$112B$51B4.5x4.2x9.9x9.9x
AbbVie$61B$17B8.7x8.1x30.6x17.6x
Procter & Gamble$87B$24B4.2x4.2x15.4x15.6x
Alibaba Group$153B$15B1.7x1.6x17.5x13.0x
L'Oreal$51B$12B4.9x4.6x20.9x19.4x
Novo Nordisk$48B$23B4.2x4.3x8.8x8.8x
Unilever$58B$12B2.9x2.8x13.6x12.4x

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Common questions about Function of Beauty

When was Function of Beauty founded?Function of Beauty was founded in 2015.
Where is Function of Beauty headquartered?Function of Beauty is headquartered in New York City, NY, United States.
Is Function of Beauty publicly listed?No, Function of Beauty is a private, VC-backed company.
How much funding has Function of Beauty raised?Function of Beauty has raised $248M across 6 funding rounds.
What was Function of Beauty's last funding round?Function of Beauty's last funding round was a $86M undisclosed-stage round in January 2021.
Who are Function of Beauty's investors?Function of Beauty's investors include SoGal Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Y Combinator, FEMPIRE x SoGal, L Catterton, Bullish, Brad Flora and Notable Capital.
Which companies are comparable to Function of Beauty?Companies comparable to Function of Beauty include Lenskart, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, GP Club, KKW Beauty, Alibaba Group and Carvana.
How many companies has Function of Beauty acquired?Function of Beauty has acquired 1 company, including Atolla.

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