California Naturals believes there’s space in the market for another big, better-for-you family-friendly brand spanning multiple categories, and new funding is giving it the ammunition to become one.
Started in 2023 by Playa founder Shelby Wild with a lineup of haircare and body care products, the brand has closed a series B funding round led by Align Ventures, backer of Starface and Olipop, with participation from L Catterton, Midnight Venture Partners and Elizabeth Street Ventures along with Able Partners. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. According to financial information resource Tracxn, California Naturals has raised $40 million over three funding rounds.
California Naturals CEO Hayden Hiatt says, “The foot in the door was through haircare because that was obviously Shelby’s background, but the goal was always to expand and provide a personal care solution for the family across all categories.”
With its debut, California Naturals launched directly into Target and reports it’s registered 300% annual growth at the retailer. Wild, who previously served as CEO, has handed the role to Hiatt, former COO at California Naturals and head of operations at Glossier, while continuing to lead product and brand as chair. Classic Clean Shampoo, Classic Clean Conditioner, Glow Oil Body Wash and Re:GRO Anti-Thinning Scalp Serum are among the bestsellers.
Products are largely priced from $8 to $20, situating California Naturals between traditional mass and prestige brands. Investors have gravitated toward brands in that middle ground, where consumers are often willing to pay more for perceived ingredient quality without stepping up to prestige pricing. Align, for example, was an early investor in premium baby care brand Coterie, which was acquired by Mammoth Brands last year in a deal valued at over $1 billion.
Today, California Naturals is available in more than 15,000 retail doors, including Walmart, CVS, Sprouts, Target and Ulta Beauty. Since entering Ulta in 2025, the brand has exceeded its internal forecast by 67%, according to Hiatt. California Naturals claims the No. 1 and No. 2 shampoo spots at Sprouts.
The brand aims to deepen its penetration at existing retailers, with Hiatt noting that it’s currently in 1,340 Walmart stores and 803 Target locations or roughly 30% and 40% of the chains’ store networks, respectively. Beyond adding doors, California Naturals is focused on expanding category placements and increasing velocity at existing retail partners.
Revamping its direct-to-consumer channel is also a focus for California Naturals this year. The brand has tapped design and technology agency VAAN to redesign and optimize its website. The objective is to own the customer journey and make it a profitable channel, which Hiatt explains has been difficult due to the brand’s mass positioning and widespread retail availability. A stronger DTC business would allow California Naturals to boost performance marketing spending and propel sales on Amazon and at its retail partners.
Hiatt says, “It’s our highest-margin channel, and so we want to continue to see that grow as a percentage of our revenue.”
Already, California Naturals has been ramping up its marketing. Last month, it launched a campaign called “Keep It Real” via social media, out-of-home advertisements and community events in partnership with GRLSWIRL, a women-founded skateboarding collective that hosted a group skate and scavenger hunt, and Ebony Beach Club, an adult swimming lessons provider that offered lessons. The brand counts tens of thousands of influencers in its outreach efforts and has gifted them custom digital detox kits complete with NFC-tag keychains that disable social apps on their phones.
Hiatt says, “We’re leaning into the naturality of our brand positioning and wanting people to step outside, touch grass and get away from screens.”
Celebrities have been a part of California Naturals’ marketing mix. At launch, California Naturals brought on professional skateboarder Tony Hawk as chief culture officer. The following year, it enlisted actor Owen Wilson as an investor, advisor and face of the brand. Hiatt says Wilson has widened California Naturals’ appeal beyond its core consumer base. He most recently appeared in a campaign for the brand’s Re:GRO Anti-Thinning Scalp Serum and is slated to feature in another campaign in early 2027.
California Naturals’ core customer base is 22 to 40 years old, but Hiatt expects its audience to evolve as the brand expands into new categories. He says, “Our creator mix is going to shift from, let’s say, a super-efficacious hair influencer to a busy mom who wants to make sure the products she’s using on herself and her family are clean, healthy, natural and affordable.”
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