Beauty’s startup economy has long cycled through shorthand comparisons. First came brands aspiring to be the “Drybar of” a category, followed by the “Glossier of” a direct-to-consumer niche and the “Goop of” clean beauty or wellness.
Today, increasingly, comparisons are emerging around brands building the “Aesop of” everyday essentials by transforming them into elevated rituals and status symbols. Köppen is among the brands earning that comparison, with many industry observers concluding it’s the real deal.
Rooted in the Ayurvedic practices co-founder siblings Parag and Priya Shah grew up with, the DTC brand aspires to transform the twice-daily habit of brushing into a holistic practice that gives oral health the attention they believe it deserves. Initially launched in 2021 as an online store dedicated to Ayurvedic products, Köppen premiered in its current form with the introduction of a copper tongue scraper in 2023 as a proof of concept, and the tool went viral, garnering nearly 10 million views on TikTok user-generated videos. The brand has since sold over 40,000 tongue scrapers and amassed over 1,500 five-star reviews for the product.
Parag says, “I love the idea of creating a brand around oral care that becomes part of someone’s lifestyle.”
With results and reviews for the tongue scraper revealing an appetite for modern oral care grounded in traditional Ayurvedic practices, Köppen is now expanding its assortment to eight products to fill out an end-to-end oral care system, including $48 Oil Pull, a spearmint-, nutmeg-, clove bud- and licorice root-infused oil pulling solution; $35 alcohol-free Mint Mouthwash; $25 Mint Toothpaste; $20 organic neem and spearmint coated bamboo silk Floss; $29 Lip Balm with avocado, African shea butter and organic coconut and castor oil; $18 hydroxyapatite-, xylitol- and parsley-infused Healthy Mouth Mints; and $27 Myofunctional Mouth Tape.
Köppen’s “whole mouth care” approach follows a three-step protocol that Priya crafted for herself years ago. First, detox the mouth via tongue scraping and oil pulling. Second, protect the entire oral ecosystem with brushing and flossing. Third, provide ongoing support throughout the day with thoughtful additions like Köppen’s lip balm and mints.
Köppen’s lip balm, mints and mouth tape reflect its philosophy that oral care extends beyond brushing. The lip balm is positioned around barrier support and moisture retention, and the mints incorporate ingredients like hydroxyapatite, parsley and xylitol aimed at supporting oral health between brushings. Priya points out that chronic mouth breathing can contribute to cavities because it dries out the mouth and reduces protective saliva production, and Parag notes that lips are part of the oral biome and require targeted care.
Parag, whose career has spanned consumer packaged goods and DTC companies, with stints at mattress maker Casper and eco-friendly bottle brand Cove, has always been drawn to brands that inject new energy into “set it and forget it” categories. He previously founded heavy-duty, military-grade tote brand Salta and editorial platform 1993. Priya has a background studying various health modalities with a focus on bringing Eastern practices to Western science.
Köppen’s traction is happening amid a broader movement to makeover the medicine cabinet, with brands reimagining practically every personal care category, from indigestion relief to bug repellent. Oral care has been especially active in the premiumization wave, with upstarts like Aurezzi, Arame, Boka, Bite, Davids, Olas Wellness and Moon raising the profile and prices of the basic toothpaste tube. Even Aesop, the luxury brand frequently referenced in conversations about Köppen, entered oral care in the 2010s with premium mouthwash and toothpaste. According to Grand View Research, the United States oral care products market was estimated at $11.41 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% through 2030.
“I love the idea of creating a brand around oral care that becomes part of someone’s lifestyle.”
Oral care has been thrust into the zeitgeist thanks to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement’s crusade against fluoride, an ingredient long demonized by natural living advocates. That cultural shift overlaps with the rise of oral care brands built around “better-for-you” and fluoride-free positioning. Köppen seeks to validate its Ayurvedic oral care concepts, notably oil pulling, by formulating in collaboration with Ayurvedic experts as well as dentists to ensure efficacious percentages of ingredients.
Oil pulling has detractors due to the time commitment involved—it takes at least four to five minutes—and the disposal of oil in the trash rather than the sink, but it’s nonetheless sparked consumer interest. Powered by its oil pulling product, GuruNanda became the No. 1-selling brand on TikTok Shop in 2024. Across its range, the brand has sold almost 6 million units on the platform to date.
Köppen has sparked investor curiosity, but it’s proudly bootstrapping at the moment, although it has raised what it characterizes as a small friends and family round. The co-founders emphasize they’ve been careful about prioritizing profitability from the outset. They report the subscription response to Köppen’s eight-product lineup has been encouraging, with all products from the lip balm to the toothpaste selling at an “essentially even” rate, assuring them that the market is ready to adopt a system of whole mouth care.
Köppen is primarily focused on DTC and digital subscriptions, but it’s pursuing a measured retail rollout with partners aligned with its identity and has just landed at Laurel Supply, a new high-end grocer in the Los Angeles area that’s been likened to Erewhon. The brand is also carried by luxury hotels including Oberish in Telluride and select holistic and functional dental clinics. This week, Köppen debuted on CPG brand community building platform TYB. It’s consciously deferring entry into larger big-box retailers until it’s established sufficient brand awareness.
