When Sarah Moret launched Curie in 2018, she was a venture capitalist by day and a budding entrepreneur by night, shipping deodorants from her living room floor. Moret’s journey from side hustle to an eight-figure clean beauty brand has been one of persistence, strategic growth, and an incredibly calculated appearance on Shark Tank. Her pitch ultimately secured a deal with Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran, but what came after was even more impressive—a tenfold increase in business and a brand that is now a rising force in the personal care market.

The Birth of Curie: A Personal Problem Turned Business Opportunity

Moret’s path to founding Curie started out of necessity. A former marathon runner, she struggled to find an aluminum-free deodorant that could keep up with her active lifestyle. “I was always super into health and wellness, but when I started looking at the ingredients in my personal care products, I was shocked,” Moret tells BeautyMatter. “A quick Google search showed me how many of these everyday ingredients were petroleum-derived or endocrine disruptors,” she recalls. Deodorant was the toughest switch—nothing on the market lasted long enough to meet her needs.

This grew a determination to find a solution and caused her to collaborate with expert formulators in the deodorant industry. “We worked for a year to develop our first formula, and since then, we’ve iterated four more times based on customer feedback to make it even better.” With $12,000 of her own savings, she launched Curie, initially handling every aspect of the business herself, from formulation to fulfillment.

Without a budget for paid marketing, Curie’s early growth relied entirely on word-of-mouth and social media. “It was me telling friends to tell their friends, sending cold emails to journalists, and reaching out to influencers,” she says. The brand’s first major breakthrough came with a feature on QVC in 2022, providing an opportunity to tell her story to a broad audience.

However, the real game-changer was Shark Tank. “Shark Tank was the catalyst that put Curie on the map,” Moret says. Initially seeking $300,000 for a 5% stake, she ultimately struck a deal with Corcoran and Cuban for 10% equity and 4% in advisory shares. “They both said, ‘We want to bet on this girl,’ which was an incredible moment,” Moret remembers. The exposure sent Curie’s sales soaring, with the company growing its revenue by nearly ten times in the year following the episode’s airing. So far, Curie has surpassed $1.6 million in sales. “We went from a fledgling start-up to an eight-figure direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand relatively quickly.”

So far, Curie has sold over 1 million deodorants in 2023, has seen a 900% year-over-year growth from 2022 to 2023, and deodorant and body spray sell out five times in 2022 & 2023, while the deodorant sticks sold out seven times on QVC. Beyond the immediate sales spike, though, Shark Tank’s impact has been long-lasting. “Barbara has been an amazing partner—she got us on the Today Show, filmed an ad for us, and even had me on her podcast. It wasn’t just about the deal—it was about the doors it opened,” Moret says. “The right entrepreneur can turn any idea into a booming business,” Corcoran tells BeautyMatter via email. “When I heard Sarah’s pitch, I knew right away she was the real deal. She showed passion and enthusiasm, wasn’t afraid of risk, knew her numbers inside and out, and was solving a problem in the market.”

The Business Model: A DTC-First Approach, Retail Expansion Strategy and Investment

While Curie started as a DTC brand, Moret is quickly realizing the limitations of relying solely on e-commerce. “DTC will always be a big part of our business, but retail is where the future growth is,” she explains. The first big leap into brick-and-mortar came when Walmart approached Curie about carrying its deodorants in 4,300 stores nationwide. “Going from a DTC brand to being on shelves in Walmart was a massive learning curve. It completely changed how we operated, especially in terms of supply chain and fulfillment.”

Building on that success, Curie is now expanding into Target, a move informed by customer demand. “We listen to our customers constantly—through surveys, social media, and DMs. People kept asking us to be in Target, and it became clear that it was the right next step,” Moret says. Starting February 2025, Curie’s best-selling deodorant sticks will be launching into 1,001 Target stores and Target.com, nationwide. The brand’s retail expansion is also a strategic play to increase brand discovery. “Target is such a discovery-driven shopping experience. People walk into the beauty aisle looking for new brands to try, and we see that as a huge opportunity to introduce Curie to even more consumers,” Moret says.

Despite its expansion into mass retail, Moret mentions that Curie remains deeply connected to its community. “DTC is still crucial for us because it allows us to engage directly with our customers,” she says. A prime example is Curie’s "Sniff Club," a community-driven initiative where customers test new scents before they hit the market. “It’s not a loyalty program—it’s a fan club. These are our most passionate customers, and their feedback helps shape our products.”

That direct line to consumers has also fueled Curie’s marketing success. “The Shark Tank exposure gave us a level of brand awareness that made our paid marketing much more effective,” Moret explains. “We now invest in Facebook ads, influencer partnerships, and affiliate programs, but it all works better because people already recognize the brand from Shark Tank, QVC, or seeing us in Equinox and SoulCycle locker rooms.”

Unlike many fast-growing beauty brands, Curie has been careful about taking on outside investment. “Most of our investors are small angel investors—we haven’t taken on private equity or large institutional funding, and that’s intentional,” Moret says. “I’ve seen brands take on investors who then push them to cut costs, and suddenly they’re compromising on product quality. That’s never been an option for me.” Instead, Curie has focused on sustainable scaling. “2024 was all about getting our supply chain ready for retail growth. We needed to ensure we could scale efficiently without losing the essence of what makes Curie special.”

What’s Next for Curie?

With its Target launch, Moret is focused on further cementing Curie as a household name. “We’re still US-focused for now, but global expansion is definitely in our future.” In the meantime, Curie continues to refine its formulas, expand its product offerings, and strengthen its connection with consumers.

For aspiring entrepreneurs eyeing the Shark Tank route, Moret’s advice is simple—“Apply. And if you don’t get in, apply again. I got rejected multiple times before I made it on. And if you do get on, be prepared—know your numbers inside and out, because that’s what sets great pitches apart.” Corcoran adds that overpreparation gives ample confidence. “And last, look the part. When Sarah pitched Curie on Shark Tank, she entered the Tank right off a hike in the mountains. What better way to sell deodorant? When I hopped up and smelled her armpits to test if Curie really worked, she smelled great! I was sold,” she continues.

From bootstrapping a deodorant brand to leading an eight-figure company, Moret’s journey is a stark reflection of the power of persistence, strategic growth, and a willingness to listen to consumers. As Curie expands into retail and beyond, its story serves as both inspiration and a blueprint for the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs.