Launch Date: November 2020
Geography: Orinda, CA, US
Founders:
Advisors:
Notable Investor:
2025 Full Year Projected Revenue: $2M - $5M, according to industry estimates
Primary Category: Skincare
Funding: Sephora Accelerator
Primary Distribution Channel: Prestige
Other Distribution Channels:
Key Retail Partner: Sephora
2025 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 350
Lion Pose is making derm-grade skincare accessible for everyone and raising cosmetic industry standards by clinically testing products on all skin tones, types, and textures. When creating this company, it was remarkable to learn how many skincare products have not been rigorously tested. By championing inclusivity, advocating for transparency, and utilizing the highest standard of clinically proven formulations crafted by Harvard-trained dermatologists, we invest significantly in our clinical trials, often upwards of $50,000 per product in third-party clinical testing, even though this is not a legal requirement.
Our journey began with a focus on hyperpigmentation, and we have dedicated ourselves to developing the safest and most effective solutions to address this often overlooked skincare challenge. We also address skin concerns such as melasma, acne, and eczema. These conditions have historically been treated with prescriptions, and the best solutions were gate-kept by derms and medical spas. We aim to bring products typically only found in professional offices to more consumers on the retail shelf. It is through this mission that we participated in Sephora Accelerate and launched in Sephora stores in July 2023.
Insights: Madhu Punjabi, Co-Founder + CEO and Nisha Phatak, Co-Founder + COO
Why now and why you?
Madhu Punjabi: My skincare journey began with bleach, a common practice in my Indian culture, where whitening skin is the norm and being fair-skinned is revered. I was just ten years old when I had my first bleaching treatment and was told that bleaching my skin would make me more beautiful. Since then, I continued bleaching my face to get rid of acne scars for nearly two decades. It wasn't until many years ago, after being diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease, that I had to reassess my routine and eliminate harmful substances like bleach. This transition led to difficult struggles with severe cystic acne and hyperpigmentation, which made me realize just how much I needed effective and safe skincare.
Professionally, my background as a Product Manager at Facebook and Pinterest fueled my love for building impactful solutions from scratch. I often find myself envisioning what could be and then immediately strategizing how to make it a reality, and that's where the seed for Lion Pose came in. While working at Pinterest, I had the opportunity to connect with many influencers. I sought advice from those with great skin, and they often pointed me toward expensive cosmetic dermatologists, which led me on a journey of self-discovery. Eventually, I learned that what my skin needed was a safe chemical exfoliation. I also learned that I didn't need bleach to feel confident, I simply needed to even out my natural skin tone to feel beautiful in my own skin. This personal experience sparked my passion to create skincare products that are tested on and work for all skin tones.
Nisha Phatak: Growing up, I struggled with persistent acne, assuming it would fade with age. Yet, well into my 30s, I was still battling flare-ups, scarring, and dark spots, especially as I started having kids. It never crossed my mind that seeing a dermatologist or using treatments like peels and lasers were options for regular people like me, not just celebrities. Plus, many of these treatments didn't feel safe to use during this stage of my life (pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc.). I realized that there simply weren't solutions that felt accessible, safe, and effective for women like me. Lion Pose, the name of our brand, represents a yoga power pose that encourages you to find your voice; to us, it's about empowerment and access. Our goal is to ensure that people of all skin tones, types, and textures have access to high-quality skincare without requiring a prescription or a trip to the dermatologist.
This is why we founded Lion Pose: to create effective, safe skincare that genuinely addresses real skin issues. At Lion Pose, we're setting new standards by conducting rigorous third-party clinical testing, ensuring our products work across all skin types and tones. There is a woeful lack of regulation when it comes to most skincare products. Most serums, moisturizers, cleansers, eye treatments, and lip treatments have little to no regulatory requirements for clinical testing, let alone testing on all skin tones. We set out to raise the standard for testing across the board, encouraging the industry to bring higher-quality, safer products to market.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Our competitive edge really comes down to our deep commitment to raising the bar for inclusive clinical testing in the beauty industry. While many skincare products in the US lack strict regulatory requirements for clinical testing, we choose to go the extra mile for every product. We invest in thorough, third-party clinical trials for all Fitzpatrick scale skin tones, types, and textures. This means our formulations are designed to work for everyone, filling a crucial gap in an industry that often claims to be "for all skin types" without truly conclusive testing. We are committed to bringing effective and safe products to the market that we truly believe in and can scientifically stand behind.
We also specialize in hyperpigmentation, a common concern that hasn't received enough attention, especially for women over 30 who deal with hormonal skin changes. Our formulations are carefully crafted by Harvard-educated dermatologists with a subspeciality in skin of color. This isn't just another skincare line; we're built on solid scientific research and expertise. It's so rewarding to think that our research, testing, and solutions could make a real difference for people who need it most.
Beyond our inclusive clinical trials and high-quality formulations, our journey has become even more exciting with some fantastic partnerships. Celebrity, director, and actress Mindy Kaling is our investor and brand ambassador. She has brought wider education and visibility to our brand and helped us connect with our target audience on a deeper level. Additionally, our early partnership with Sephora through their Accelerate Program enabled us to reach a nationwide audience on retail shelves at the time of our brand launch—a milestone typically acquired much later.
As we continue to challenge the status quo and inspire change in the beauty industry, we remain committed to our mission to empower every individual to feel confident in their own skin, knowing that true inclusivity starts with inclusive clinical trials, rigorous science, and genuine care.
What are you most proud of accomplishing to date?
Our products have received incredible accolades since our launch only two years ago. Our dark spot and hyperpigmentation treatment, UNSPOTTED 4X, swept prestigious awards, including the 2024 Best of Beauty and Best Tranexamic Acid Product from Allure, Best in Beauty for Dark Spot Serum from Essence Magazine, and Best Brightening Serum from Bustle, in addition to the 2023 Best Dark Spot Serum from the Oprah O-Awards and the Future of Beauty Awards from Elle Magazine.
Our Ghost-Buster SPF has also gotten significant praise, winning 2024 Best Mineral Sunscreen awards from Oprah Daily Sun O-awards, Well & Good, Women's Health Magazine, and Best Sunscreen Overall from Real Simple Magazine.
Furthermore, our newest product, PEP TALK Bio-Placenta Barrier Cream, has been recognized for its exceptional skin-barrier repair properties, earning a place on Sephora's "Clean" list and receiving a recommendation from the National Eczema Association Directory.
These accolades validate our dedication to creating effective, safe skincare that genuinely addresses real skin issues through rigorous, science-backed formulations. Each recognition not only honors our hard work but also underscores our commitment to inclusive testing in the beauty industry. By prioritizing diverse skin tones and types in our clinical trials, we are ensuring that everyone can confidently and easily find products designed for their unique needs, conveniently on a retail shelf near them.
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?
One thing we wish someone had told us is that the skin challenges we face are probably not unique to us, and if we aren't seeing existing solutions in the market, we should build them ourselves! This realization has been a powerful driving force for Lion Pose, inspiring us to develop effective and safe skincare that addresses real, often underserved, skin issues, rather than waiting for the industry to catch up.
What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?
I'd tell my past self that there will be countless ups and downs along the way; entrepreneurship is certainly not for the faint of heart. But seeing customers tell us how grateful they are for the solutions we made, the skin transformations we enabled, and the products that now permanently live on their bathroom shelf? That makes all the tough times worth it.
What does success look like in the next 3-5 years?
Success for us means growing our brand awareness and reach with some amazing new partnerships. Our goal is to be recognized and trusted for our inclusively tested formulations, ensuring everyone has access to effective science-backed products that were tested on people who look like them. Although we began with hyperpigmentation, we hope to tackle even more skin concerns as we grow the product line.
What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked?
One over-hyped industry trend is the claim that products are suitable for "all skin tones,” without solid, conclusive clinical testing needed to back that claim up. It's a shame that some brands make these types of broad-sweep claims without going through the rigorous third-party trials that can really demonstrate how their products work for a wide range of Fitzpatrick scale skin tones, skin types, and textures.
Unfortunately, there's not enough regulation when it comes to retail skincare products in the US. Most serums, moisturizers, and treatments don't have strict requirements for clinical testing. At Lion Pose, we're on a mission to change that! We're committed to investing in these crucial trials, ensuring our products truly deliver on their promises for more people.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve?
The skincare industry needs to adopt more rigorous clinical testing requirements and practices. Right now, there's a noticeable gap in regulatory oversight for most cosmetic products in the US. This allows many serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and treatments to hit the shelves without solid proof of their effectiveness or safety, and more often than not, without testing on a diverse set of skin tones.
We really should be aiming for a future where comprehensive, third-party clinical testing is the standard, covering all Fitzpatrick scale skin tones, types, and textures. This positive shift will not only enhance transparency and build trust with consumers but also bring higher-quality, safer, and truly effective products to everyone. Let's work together to make this change happen!
If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?
Our wish for Lion Pose is that customers everywhere see us as their go-to, trusted resource for skincare best practices, ingredients, research, and transparency in the industry. We dream of a future where Lion Pose is globally known for effective, safe, and inclusively tested skincare.
