Winky Lux Lands Majority Growth Investment

Playful makeup and skincare brand Winky Lux has announced a majority investment from private equity firm CORE Industrial Partners (CORE). The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2015 by friends Natalie Mackey and Nate Newman, Winky Lux set out to create a line of products designed to “create joy when you see them, use them, and even when you throw them away”. The brand—whose products are plastic neutral, thoughtfully sourced, clean, and cruelty-free—quickly gained popularity for its ‘joyful’ products, including the bestselling Universal Brow Pencil, Flower Balm, and Peeper Perfect Concealer.

“Joining forces with CORE is an exciting next step for Winky Lux,” said Mackey. “This partnership enables us to meet customer demand, scale our operations, maximize existing retailer partnerships with Target, ULTA, and Shoppers Drug, and reach new heights in product innovation. We’re confident CORE’s experience and resources will help us achieve our long-term goals while staying true to our brand values of joy and creativity.”

This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for Winky Lux and will fund the expansion of both its digital and brick-and-mortar retail channels.

“The growth prospects and underlying demand drivers of the beauty industry remain highly attractive and we’re confident the strength of the Winky Lux brand combined with our resources and operational experience will assist their leadership team in executing against their long-term plans for growth,” said John May, Managing Partner of CORE. “We are excited to further our participation in the beauty industry with the Winky Lux partnership.”

Winky Lux is one of several beauty brands that have secured investment this year, including Allies of Skin, KIKI World, Luna Daily, and Summer Fridays.