Unilever Ventures & Silas Capital Invest in Oak Essentials
Natural skincare brand, Oak Essentials, has successfully secured its first round of funding from Silas Capital and Unilever Ventures. This investment aims to fuel the brand’s expansion through enhanced product development, increased marketing efforts, and broader distribution.
Founded three years ago by Jenni Kayne, Oak Essentials delivers simple, spa-inspired self-care products that are designed to effortlessly elevate daily rituals. Since its inception, the California-based brand has introduced 26 products, ranging from skincare to body care, and has sold over half a million products. Its best-selling products include the Moisture Rich Balm, Ritual Oil, and Dew Body Oil.
“Oak Essentials was born from my lifelong pursuit of intentional living, a journey routed in nature, that inspired me to create a refined, botanical-based skincare collection inspired by the transformative power of spa experiences. As we celebrate Oak Essentials’ third year, this partnership with Silas Capital and Unilever Ventures marks an exciting new chapter for the brand,” said Jenni Kayne, founder of Oak Essentials.
2024 has already seen substantial growth for Oak Essentials. The brand has evolved from being direct-to-consumer only to being stocked at ShopBop and Nordstrom and it has recently been recognised as one of NewBeauty’s NB100.
“Jenni is the consummate tastemaker, and over the past few years has artfully reflected her ethos in the development of Oak Essentials’ multi-category assortment of clean, luxe essentials,” said Brian Thorne, Partner at Silas Capital. “Beyond the elevated aesthetic of these products, they truly do deliver on efficacy – which has been one of the key drivers of the brand’s tremendous growth to date.”
Silas Capital is a growth equity and venture capital firm focused on ‘exceptional next-generation consumer brands’. In addition to capital investment, the firm offers expertise in e-commerce, digital expansion, and traditional retail channels. Its rich portfolio of beauty brands includes ILIA Beauty, Vacation, Makeup By Mario, and Herbivore Botanicals.
Unilever Ventures, the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever, focuses on investments in emerging, promising companies. By offering access to Unilever’s extensive global ecosystem, assets, and expertise, they helped accelerate the growth of brands such as BYBI Beauty, Lemme, Saie, Beauty Bakerie, and The INKEY List.
“We are so grateful to have Silas and Unilever Ventures’ support and expertise as we place focus on the key areas that we believe will solidify us as leaders in prestige beauty; keeping product innovation at the forefront and building upon our existing assortment and categories, expanding our distribution channels with new and upcoming retail partnerships, and deepening our focus on sustainability as a core pillar of the brand.” said Lauren Harris, CEO at Oak Essentials.
This announcement follows the launch of The Jenni Kayne Farmhouse and Oak Essentials Wellness Club, an experiential lifestyle and wellness retreat in Tivoli, New York. Initially open to VIPs, editors, and influencers, and opening to the public this autumn, the Wellness Club provides a brand-immersive skincare experience to best introduce the brand to the East Coast.
Oak Essentials is available at oakessentials.com, ShopBop, and Nordstrom with prices ranging from $18 to $68. The brand is not currently available in the UK.