Undefined Beauty is adding to its ever-growing list of retailers by introducing its plant-derived products to Ulta Beauty’s Conscious Beauty assortment of clean, cruelty-free, vegan and sustainable brands.
Ulta shoppers can pick up the brand’s R&R Day Serum, R&R Gel-Crème, R&R Cleanser, R&R Exfoliator, R&R Night Serum and bestselling R&R Sun Serum Tinted Mineral SPF 50 online and in 634 Ulta doors starting Sunday. Prices run from $24 to $28. “Ulta is taking steps to really reinforce inclusivity and diversity on shelf, both in bringing in indie brands like Undefined, but also giving shoppers the tools to help guide the conversation for those that are looking to make a better-for-you switch,” says founder Dorian Morris.
Morris points out that Ulta’s mix of mass and prestige products fits nicely with Undefined’s mission to offer prestige-quality formulas at mass-level pricing. “We know that the shopper tends to shop high-low, so being in a partner like Ulta that understands that model is important,” she says.
Undefined’s conversations with Ulta began in 2019. In 2021, the brand launched its R&R range centered on adaptogens and without CBD, a key ingredient in its first collection. The range unlocked a host of retail possibilities. Today, Morris estimates wholesale makes up 75% of Undefined’s sales. The brand’s sales have skyrocketed 7X this year.
Along with Ulta, Undefined’s retail network extends to Whole Foods, Target and HSN. The brand will be launching at CVS in the coming weeks, where it will be in an in-line display within the mass skincare section and endcaps. Walmart is on deck for next year. Undefined is participating in the beauty accelerator Walmart Start. “Walmart was not on my radar, but, as I’ve learned more about what they’re building, it made sense,” says Morris. “Because I want to democratize beauty, I should be in bed with the largest retailer.”
Morris views retail partnerships as marketing vehicles. Before inking a deal with a retail partner, she tries to understand if it has an ecosystem in place to support indie beauty brands by asking questions about terms and the potential for free assistance. Morris says, “I don’t have the deep pockets of the L’Oréals and the P&Gs of the world, so flexibility is important.”
At Ulta, Undefined will receive exposure on the retailer’s homepage and the landing page for Black-owned brands as well as an email blast. Morris is working on a video about Undefined’s mission that will be shared in stores. The brand’s tagline will read, “Plant wisdom meets powerful actives to reset and replenish your skin barrier.”
Outside of retailers, Undefined’s marketing efforts were focused on in-person events prior to the pandemic and are now focused on spreading word of mouth. Gifting to influencers such as Houston-based dermatologist Andrea Suarez, who has 439,000 followers on Instagram, has been an unexpected win. “She does a really good job of demystifying skincare ingredients,” says Morris. “She gives the brand credibility because she is a dermatologist and has a no-nonsense approach.”
Skincare influencer James Welch also posted about Undefined unprompted after being sent products to try. He has 1.45 million subscribers on YouTube. “He’s really introduced me to the international marketplace given that he is based in London,” says Morris. Undefined is eyeing the United Kingdom and Canada as it considers international expansion in the future.
At the moment, Morris is Undefined’s only full-time employee. “I’m actually an employee who doesn’t pay myself, so I’m not even sure if it’s really an employee,” she says, half-jokingly. Undefined has part-time help in the form of a fractional CFO, marketing lead, public relations manager and a “Jill of all trades” handling operations, customer service and sales support. Morris hopes to hire a creative, operations and community lead to guide a forthcoming ambassador program.
On top of its revenues, Undefined has been funded by accelerators, pitch competitions and grants. The Shea Moisture Next Black Millionaire initiative in partnership with the New Voices Fund provided the brand with $100,000 equity-free. “I believe in what New Voices and Richelieu [Dennis] and his team are building,” says Morris, formerly a director at CoverGirl and Sundial Brands, and a global brand manager at Kendo. “He was my CEO back in the day when I worked for Sundial, and he really is putting his money where his mouth is in terms of amplifying Black-owned brands and giving them the support and capital to win.”
The bulk of the funding Morris has secured over the years has been dedicated to Undefined’s inventory. In particular, it’s been directed toward R&R Sun Serum’s stock. The product has sold out four times. “That is my most expensive formula because sun protection innovation is just expensive,” says Morris. “Keeping up with the demand has meant larger runs with just more capital outlay.”
Undefined has products in its pipeline related to scalp care and ingestible beauty. Morris is weighing whether to fundraise early in 2023. She says, “I currently appreciate the flexibility of being self-funded, but ultimately do not want to starve the business and be penny wise and pound foolish as you have to invest to grow.”
While there’s a lot of buzz and pressure around institutional funding, Morris emphasizes there are many approaches to cultivating a brand—and it’s powerful to showcase them for other founders. “It’s not about you have to raise a $5 million seed round and spend all this money on performance marketing, you can do it differently,” she says. “I’ve definitely taken a very different, slow but steady wins the race approach. Sometimes, you have to just jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down.”
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