Launched: 2019
Key Executives:
2025 Full Year Expected Revenue Range: $30 to $50 million
2025 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 40
Primary Category: Skincare
Other Categories: Haircare, Personal Care
Key Markets: United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary Distribution Channel: DTC
Other Distribution Channels: Amazon, Boutique, Department Store, Professional, TikTok Shop
Funding Rounds: Venture Capital
Total Funds Raised: $6 million
In October 2024, Caldera + Lab landed $6 million in its Series A funding round from HIPstr, the early-stage investment arm of HighPost Capital.
Notable Investors / Funding Partners: HighPost Capital
The inspiration for the brand came in 2016 when I was living in Jackson Hole for most of the year. The high elevation and harsh winters left my skin incredibly dry, and the men’s products I was using at the time only made things worse, often irritating my skin. My wife suggested I try some of the clean, high-quality products she was testing, and the results were astounding. At that time, there were many premium, clean beauty brands for women, but nothing comparable in the men’s category. That was the moment we decided to dive in and create a brand that filled this gap in the market.
Insights provided by Jared Pobre, Founder + CEO
Key business initiatives for 2025?
In 2025, our focus is on expanding our wholesale presence and becoming a more omnichannel brand. We’re also looking to grow our international sales footprint. Additionally, we’re launching a new haircare line early in the year, designed for customers seeking effective solutions for thinning hair.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
We launched in early 2019 with just one product—our hero, The Good, an oil-based serum made from wild-harvested botanicals. Many people thought we were crazy, claiming men wouldn’t spend $100 on a skincare product, especially a facial serum. At that time, there were no dedicated men’s serums on the market. Since then, The Good has arguably become the leading men’s face serum, inspiring other brands to develop similar products. We’re proud to have pioneered this category and believe we currently offer the #1 men’s face serum in the market.
What has been the biggest surprise?
In this industry, there are no silver bullets. Success has come from mastering every aspect of the business. Contrary to the myth of overnight success, we’ve had to build a strong foundation step by step, refining advertising, marketing, and growth strategies along the way. There hasn’t been one singular tactic that led to massive growth—it’s been about doing the hard work across the board.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Our competitive advantage lies in our thoughtful, custom product development process. We build our formulas entirely from scratch, which takes longer and involves significant risk, such as passing stability or irritation testing. However, this commitment to originality ensures our products stand out in terms of quality and effectiveness.
Insight on the future of the beauty industry.
The future of beauty is just beginning to be shaped by AI and innovative proprietary technologies. Wellness, longevity, and self-care will benefit immensely from these advancements. With sufficient capital, brands will introduce groundbreaking devices, ingredients, and modalities that will revolutionize how we interact with beauty and personal care products.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
When building a real brand, shortcuts never work. Any time we’ve opted for a quick, easy, or cheap solution, it hasn’t paid off in the long run. The best advice I’ve received is to do the hard work and take the high road—it’s more challenging and costly upfront, but the long-term results are worth it.
What is the best mistake you've ever made and what did you learn?
In our first two years, we repeatedly hired growth marketing agencies to handle paid acquisition on Meta and other channels. Each time, the results were mediocre. Eventually, we decided to build an in-house growth marketing team from the ground up. It took time to find the right team members and get them up to speed, but once the team matured, our performance skyrocketed. This experience taught us the value of owning critical functions internally rather than relying on agencies.
What advice would you give to someone contemplating launching a beauty brand?
It all starts and ends with thoughtful product development. Founders should focus on creating products that truly outperform what’s currently on the market. Repeat purchases are the foundation of a successful business—if your first-time customers don’t want to repurchase, your brand won’t survive.
If you could change one thing in the beauty industry what would it be?
I would advocate for stricter regulations on toxic ingredients entering the US supply chain. In Europe, over 1,300 cosmetic ingredients are banned, compared to just 11 in the US. There’s a lot of room for improvement for the US to catch up with EU standards.
