In a shift from its initial focus on prestige retail, plant-based ingestible beauty brand Imaraïs Beauty recently launched into Target nationwide. The brand, co-founded by Aaron Hefter and fitness influencer Sommer Ray, previously partnered with Saks, Holt Renfrew and Selfridges.
“Our entrance into Target is a turning point for our brand; its reach and scale are unmatched, and I am so excited about the potential for our brand to transform how women and men access and interact with clean and clinical ingestible beauty in the USA,” Aaron Hefter, co-founder and CEO of Imaraïs Beauty, told NutraIngredients.
He noted that the move was a strategic effort to increase accessibility within a leading wellness-focused retailer in the United States, one that Imaraïs “always envisioned, and it was done to make our brand more accessible in a retailer that has been a leader in the wellness space in the USA.”
Social media’s role in brand development
Like many independent brands, Imaraïs Beauty has used social media as a primary tool for growth, which has played a massive role in its evolution as a brand, Hefter shared.
From industry awareness to driving sales, cultivating a loyal fan base and building a dedicated community, social media platforms have been crucial in supporting the brand’s efforts to educate consumers about the benefits of ingestible beauty and communicate the science behind our formulations, he explained.
The company’s digital strategy has been a key factor in its ability to transition to mass-market retail, aligning with broader industry trends toward direct-to-consumer engagement.
Positioning in the ingestible beauty market
The company has focused on differentiating itself by emphasizing plant-based and clinically tested formulations in the densely populated ingestible beauty market, which, according to Verified Market Research, is projected to reach $9.22 billion globally by 2031.
“There is no global standard for ‘clean beauty’ in the space, and we feel it is important to be honest and forthright about our approach,” Hefter said—adding that, as a result, Imaraïs Beauty has honed its brand identity into “being radically transparent about our mission to be the world’s most sustainable ingestible beauty brand.”
He confirmed that the company’s formulations undergo clinical validation, with its hero product, GLOW, being registered by Health Canada and shown in testing to increase skin hydration by 17.75%. Hefter also noted that Imaraïs Beauty aims to have all its products clinically tested for consumer transparency.
Target and beyond
Hefter pointed to Target’s leadership in the ingestible beauty category as a key reason for the partnership.
“For the past few years, we have watched Target be the leader of introducing innovative ingestible beauty brands, technology, and trends to its customers, and be boldly committed to growing the ingestible category in their doors,” he said.
“Our shared visions and values make this partnership extremely exciting, and we cannot wait to bring our brand to life at Target and help grow the ingestible beauty category together.”
Beyond Target, Imaraïs Beauty is set to expand its presence in additional retailers.
“We are also launching this month at Sprouts nationwide across the USA, and we are expanding our UK retail footprint with Boots by over 30% in April,” Hefter shared, further mentioning upcoming product innovations but not providing specific details.
“We have some exciting new product innovation and new delivery system innovation coming this year,” he previewed.
“I can’t divulge much more information just yet, but all I can say is they will absolutely be category disruptors in the wellness space.”
