When Caldera + Lab launched in 2019, the prestige men’s skincare category was still largely defined by minimalist grooming products, utilitarian branding, and simplified routines marketed as an antidote to traditional beauty culture. Today, that same landscape looks different, and Caldera + Lab is betting that modern male consumers are ready for a more sophisticated approach to skincare.
Now, the brand is entering its next phase with its retail debut at Nordstrom, marking its first major brick-and-mortar expansion after years of building a direct-to-consumer business. Outside of Nordstrom, their physical footprint consists of independent doors including select boutique pharmacies, membership clubs, and hospitality locations across North America.
The move comes amid explosive growth for the company. The BeautyMatter FUTURE50 2025 brand grew from $7 million in sales in 2022 to $40 million in revenue last year, and is projecting more than $60 million in sales in 2026. The company also raised a $6 million Series A round in Q3 2024. Since its September 2025 rebrand and the launch of new products The Great and The Hydro Layer, the brand said demand has “exploded beyond expectations.”
For founder Jared Pobre, the Nordstrom partnership is more than a retail partnership. It represents the growing legitimacy of prestige men’s skincare within the broader beauty industry. “After building a strong DTC business and cultivating a highly engaged customer base, this felt like the natural next step for us,” Pobre said to BeautyMatter. “The Nordstrom partnership marks a key milestone in the company’s expansion strategy, reflecting growing demand for elevated, performance-driven men’s skincare in prestige retail.”
Prestige retailers have increasingly turned their attention toward men’s beauty as consumer attitudes around grooming, wellness, and self-care continue to evolve. Formerly considered a niche category, men’s skincare is now becoming a meaningful growth opportunity for department stores seeking new luxury consumers and higher-margin wellness categories.
According to Pobre, Caldera + Lab’s positioning aligned naturally with Nordstrom’s broader beauty strategy of commitment to delivering an elevated consumer experience.
The retail launch also shows how male consumers are engaging with skincare. Historically, men’s grooming purchases were often framed as partner driven or necessity based. Pobre said that dynamic has changed dramatically over the past several years. “Men are purchasing for themselves, where traditionally the category was seen as driven by partner purchases,” he explained. “That is not true of the Caldera + Lab customer. Men are engaging with products that are right for them, learning how to build a routine and how it impacts their long-term well-being and longevity.”
That behavioral evolution has helped create a more educated and discerning customer base, one increasingly interested in ingredient transparency, scientific validation, and premium positioning. “We are also seeing a shift towards clinical results and evidence-based products, increasing consumer interest in ingredients, and a willingness to invest in prestige skincare that addresses his unique concerns,” said Pobre.
The emphasis on “unique concerns” has become central to Caldera + Lab’s positioning within the men’s skincare market. While gender-neutral beauty continues to gain traction across parts of the industry, Pobre believed there remains significant white space for brands specifically formulated for male skin. “Men’s skin is dermatologically different from women’s,” he said. “By formulating specifically for these needs, we deliver a higher level of efficacy. Designed for men means better results.”
At the same time, the brand has intentionally rejected many of the traditional visual cues long associated with men’s grooming. Instead of leaning into hypermasculine aesthetics or utilitarian packaging, Caldera + Lab built a more elevated and design-forward identity closer to prestige skincare and wellness brands.
“Our visual identity was designed to reflect that commitment to science-driven products, sustainability, and simplicity, and in doing so, stands out from traditional men’s grooming brands,” Pobre said. “Men want products that visibly make a difference, feel good to use, and look great on their counter, too. Delivering on that goal was intentional from the start.”
That philosophy also extends to the company’s product development strategy, which blends botanicals with biotech-driven formulation science, a duality embedded directly into the brand’s name. “The name Caldera + Lab actually mirrors that formulation philosophy, which has been core to the brand from day one,” Pobre explained. “‘Caldera’ represents the extraordinary, transformative power of nature, while ‘Lab’ reflects our commitment to advanced scientific innovation and performance.”
The brand’s focus on the combination of botanicals and biotech comes at a time when efficacy-driven messaging has become increasingly important as prestige men’s skincare grows more competitive. Consumers may still prioritize simplicity and ease of use, but Pobre says outdated assumptions about male beauty consumers continue to persist. “One misconception that still exists is men only want simple, utilitarian products,” he said. “Today’s consumer certainly looks for ease of use and uncomplicated routines, but values science-backed formulations and a premium aesthetic.”
The challenge now will be translating the intimacy and educational depth of a successful DTC business into a department store environment—a transition many digitally native beauty brands struggle to navigate.
For Caldera + Lab, maintaining consistency across channels is a key priority. “When a customer sees us in Nordstrom, in store or online, they are met with the same quality, messaging, and branding as our owned channels,” Pobre said. “Education and storytelling are central to the Caldera + Lab experience because our products are science backed, clinically proven, and formulated for the unique needs of men’s skin.”
The company is investing heavily in merchandising, digital assets, and discovery-driven retail moments designed to preserve the brand’s storytelling while reaching new consumers. “This attention to detail through thoughtful merchandising, high-performing digital assets, and creating new moments of discovery extends the Caldera + Lab world into Nordstrom,” Pobre said.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, Pobre advised that success will not only be measured through sales, but also through category influence and long-term brand equity. “Success for us will be showcased through a strong brand presence in store, growing men’s category performance, and a highly productive assortment that resonates with the Nordstrom shopper,” he said.
As prestige beauty retailers increasingly invest in men’s skincare, Caldera + Lab positions itself as part of a larger cultural shift around wellness, longevity, and modern masculinity. “With the consumer behavior shifts over the last several years, it’s clear from the category growth that men’s skincare is becoming a more meaningful part of the prestige beauty landscape, driven by greater wellness awareness, education, and evolving attitudes around self-care,” said Pobre.
Five years from now, he hopes Caldera + Lab will occupy a defining role within that evolution. “Our goal is to be a definitive leader and one of the most respected modern men’s skincare brands in the world,” he concluded.
