Shiseido Acquires Cult Skincare Brand Drunk Elephant for $845 Million

Big news in the beauty industry today as Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido confirms it has acquired Drunk Elephant for the tidy sum of USD$845 million.

The acquisition has been speculated for months, with the news officially being confirmed today. Interestingly, Shiseido has acquired a 100% stake in the company, however founder Tiffany Masterson has reiterated that she will stay on board despite the new ownership.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Masterson announced the news to the brand’s followers writing, “So... some great news! I’ve decided to partner with Shiseido. I couldn’t be more excited that we’ve found someone who respects my vision and the brand identity and is willing to let us stay who we are.” Pre-empting concern from consumers, she added, “I want to reassure you. The formulations won’t be changing. I’ll remain in my same role. My same incredible and lovable team will stay with me. If it wasn’t announced, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference; that’s our main goal. Our prices will not be increased. And, we’ll remain cruelty-free.”

Masterson noted four key goals that the brand will now be able to accomplish under its new ownership. “1. Attain sustainability across the brand. 2. Get to the markets who have been requesting the products. 3. Share our philosophy in a louder way, so that we can hopefully help more people reconnect with their skin all over the world. 4. Ignite our anti-bullying campaign on a bigger stage.”

Drunk Elephant was founded by Masterson in 2012 and has taken the “clean-clinical” skincare world by storm ever since, thanks to its Instagram-friendly packaging and potent formulations. The name comes from the myth that when elephants in Africa eat the fruit from the marula trees, they get drunk. According to reports, it is one of the fastest growing beauty brands on the market, making the sale a particularly promising one for Shiseido.