Who Owns Rare Beauty?

Selena Gomez is the founder and majority owner of Rare Beauty, holding roughly 51% of the company. The privately held cosmetics brand reached an estimated valuation of $2.7 billion in 2026 and expanded into Ulta Beauty stores in February 2026.

Who Owns Rare Beauty

Rare Beauty is privately held by founder Selena Gomez, who retains majority ownership estimated at 51%. The brand operates independently, without backing from a larger beauty conglomerate like the Estée Lauder Companies or L’Oréal.

Primary Ownership Structure

Gomez founded the company and continues to lead it as chief creative officer. CEO Scott Friedman runs day-to-day operations, while Nikki Eslami of New Theory Ventures sits on the board as an early backer.

In 2024, Gomez hired advisers to explore a potential $2 billion sale. The process paused later that year without formal offers, and Gomez has since confirmed she plans to continue building the brand rather than exit.

Rare Beauty Origin, Founders and Early Years

Selena Gomez registered Rare Beauty on February 22, 2019, after roughly two years of product development. She announced the brand publicly on February 4, 2020, and launched the first products exclusively at Sephora on September 3, 2020.

The Founding Team

Gomez assembled a small team of 28 employees before launch. Early leadership included industry veterans from beauty and consumer packaged goods. The headquarters sits in El Segundo, California.

First Product Line

The debut collection had 48 products across complexion, eye, lip and tools categories. Foundation and concealer shipped in 48 shades, a deliberate choice to signal inclusivity from day one.

Largest Shareholders of Rare Beauty

Who Is on the Board of Directors for Rare Beauty

The company keeps its board compact, with directors chosen for product, operations and finance experience rather than sector celebrity.

Executive Leadership

Product and Operations

Sales, Marketing and Impact

Rare Beauty Revenue and Valuation Trajectory

The company’s financial growth explains the shift from a celebrity brand to a credible acquisition target.

How Did Rare Beauty Get Its Name?

The name comes from Selena Gomez’s third studio album, Rare, released in January 2020. The album and its title track explored self-acceptance and the idea that individual worth is not tied to perfection.

Gomez chose the word because it framed the brand’s core argument: beauty products should help people feel comfortable with themselves, not hide what makes them different. She told Billboard she always wanted “Rare” as the title of her record, and the same theme carried into the company.

The word also reflects the brand’s independent positioning. Unlike celebrity lines tied to beauty conglomerates, Rare Beauty has stayed privately held under its founder, giving the name a second, commercial meaning.

Rare Beauty Mission Statement

Rare Beauty exists to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and connect makeup with mental health advocacy. The company states its purpose is to help people feel comfortable being themselves rather than pressured toward a fixed ideal.

The mission runs through product design, marketing and philanthropy. Formulations are built to feel lightweight on skin, shade ranges launch wide rather than expanding later, and campaigns feature unretouched imagery.

The Rare Impact Fund carries the mission into practice. One percent of all Rare Beauty sales goes to the fund, which supports mental health services for young people through partners like Crisis Text Line and The Jed Foundation. The fund has raised more than $20 million since 2020.

Rare Beauty Products and Services

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