Bubble is broadening its retail circumference.
The gen Z-focused facial skincare brand has entered 665 Ulta Beauty doors and launched on the beauty specialty chain’s website as part of its Conscious Beauty program. The expansion brings the not quite 2-year-old brand’s door count in North America to 9,000. Before landing at Ulta, Bubble rolled out to Walmart in 2021 and CVS this summer. “We’re super excited because the products are truly accessible everywhere now,” says founder and CEO Shai Eisenman.
Bubble created the product Over Night Hydrating Mask exclusively for Ulta for its debut at the retailer. At $20, it’s the brand’s most expensive offering and could attract the parents of Bubble’s usual teen customers who frequent Ulta. In testing, over 90% of consumers reported their skin appeared more plump, hydrated and glowing after application. “When you don’t sleep, when you have too much to drink, if you’re super tired, if you’re jet lagged, use it,” says Eisenman. “It’s a beautiful, super hydrating formulation.”
In August, Bubble moved into the over-the-counter (OTC) drug category with its $17 Super Clear Acne Treating Serum with 2% Salicylic Acid. The product is a response to the struggles the brand’s consumers have with acne, clogged pores and blackheads, but Eisenman, currently almost eight months pregnant, has depended on the serum lately to gently combat her hormonal breakouts.
“Every acne serum, every acne product, every acne gel is so drying,” she says. “This product is really calming for the skin. Even when I wasn’t pregnant and a hormonal wreck, I used it every night and it made my skin glow.”
Bubble will enlarge its OTC acne range in 2023 with products Eisenman reports have taken two and a half years to develop. They’re informed by feedback from the brand’s community of 4,000-plus active members who advise it on everything from formulations to product names and packaging.
Bubble’s other merchandise includes its seven-product launch collection priced from $12 for Bounce Bank Refreshing Toner to $19 for Come Clean Detoxifying Clay Mask. Earlier this year, it added $17 Day Dream Vitamin C + Niacinamide Tone & Texture Serum, $19 Float On Soothing Facial Oil and $18 Deep Dive Exfoliating Mask to increase its assortment to 11 products.
Affordability is a priority for Bubble so its gen Z customers can swing its products, but Eisenman says the brand has the “exact same cost of goods as companies” with product price points surpassing $100. In its pricing strategy, she continues, “We don’t look at it as we need to make X margin. We rather look at it as what our consumers can afford to pay and are looking to pay for this product because eventually we’re here to make the best quality product and the kind of product you’ll never be able to get at this price point.”
Bubble’s packaging is bright without leaning into gendered color tropes. Eisenman describes the brand’s products as “for people with skin,” and adds that 42% of its customers identify as male. “This is something we constantly discuss with our community, and we see so many brand ambassadors and influencers that are guys that care about their skincare routine,” she says. “We’re excited about being one of the brands that is making it more exciting for boys to actually start having a skincare routine.”
To launch Bubble in late 2020, Eisenman raised an undisclosed amount of seed capital from IgniteXL Ventures, Bullish, Willow Growth Partners and FAB Ventures. Industry sources cited by the publication Women’s Wear Daily estimate the brand could reach between $20 million and $30 million in 2022 sales.
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