Here's What Went Down With Range Beauty After Shark Tank

Range Beauty is one of those rare "Shark Tank" stories where they were invited to pitch their makeup line by the show, rather than requesting to appear on "Shark Tank" themselves. The makeup company was established enough that "Shark Tank" producers reached out to them to ask if they wanted the opportunity to meet the sharks and see if they could land an investor. Alicia Scott founded the Black-owned makeup business in 2018 and her cousin, Myisha Fantroy, acts as operations manager. Scott not only created a makeup line with inclusive color ranges; her products specifically target eczema and acne. In 2022, Scott told Beauty Independent about her decision process. "My biggest thing was, of course, the investment, but also the platform and the exposure of being able to tell the world about who we are and our mission, that was a huge part of it, too," Scott said. "A 'Shark Tank' exposure is something that you can hold on to forever." It turned out to be a shrewd business decision. 

Range Beauty isn't the only makeup and skincare-based brand to pitch on the ABC series. We saw Luna Magic Beauty take off thanks to "Shark Tank"; the Matte Makeup Organizer also appeared on the show. Plus, Love and Pebble, a cryotherapy skincare line, did really well in part thanks to "Shark Tank." But Range Beauty had an extra special story, and the company is a huge success to this day.

Alicia Scott and Myisha Fantroy of Range Beauty absolutely nailed their "Shark Tank" pitch. They asked for $150,000 in exchange for 6% equity in their brand. But their episode featured a special guest: Emma Grede, a self-made mogul, who co-owns several brands with the Kardashians, like SKIMS and Good American. She was also the first Black woman to appear as a guest shark.

After Scott and Fantroy gave an excellent pitch, Grede got up and whispered a conversation with Lori Greiner. The other sharks pulled out, noting that makeup wasn't their arena, but not without considerable praise. When Scott said that their foundation cost $21, Grede said it was "masstige." Kevin O'Leary had never heard this term before, so it was a fun vocabulary lesson. Masstige is the sweet spot between prestige cosmetics and mass-produced cosmetics. While all of the sharks were in awe of Scott and Fantroy, it was Grede and Greiner who came in with a team offer. They would give Range Beauty $150,000 in exchange for 20% of the brand. After a bit of back and forth, Scott and Fantroy accepted the deal.

Later, Scott told Beauty Independent about the experience. "Being up there as a Black woman-owned makeup brand in front of their first Black women guest shark, being the first Black woman-owned makeup brands to receive a deal, it was everything," Scott said. "We walked away, and it was like in the cartoons where there are stars floating around. That's exactly how it felt."

Range Beauty has soared since their "Shark Tank" pitch and subsequent deal with Emma Grede and Lori Greiner. According to Beauty Independent, the night that their episode aired, Range Beauty got over 1,000 orders for their True Intentions Hydrating Foundation Sample Kit, a product that sells for $23. The kit allows consumers to try different shades before selecting a full-size foundation bottle. It's safe to say the interest in Range Beauty was intense.

It does appear like the deal with Grede and Greiner went through. Sometimes, a deal made during an episode falls apart behind the scenes, during the paperwork process. It's usually obvious when this happens because the brand doesn't refer much to their "Shark Tank" exposure, and the shark doesn't mention the brand on their platforms. For Range Beauty, the opposite is true. Grede has Range Beauty all over her "Shark Tank" Stories Highlights, noting her investment in the brand. Meanwhile, on Range Beauty's Instagram page, the brand has plenty of content referring back to their "Shark Tank" pitch, so both the shark and the brand appear to be close.

Grede spoke to People about her experience as a shark. "I think I'm a good Shark because first of all, I'm relatively young and the business climate now is really unique and really different than it's ever been before," Grede said. "And I've prioritized my career in building a diverse, inclusive route and team." She was obviously a great match for Range Beauty.

Range Beauty did well after "Shark Tank," carving out its place in the masstige market. However, it appears that there was a hitch with production. Nearly every item was sold out on Range Beauty's website, and there was a delay in producing further product. In fact, some customers posted on r/Makeup Reddit to ask what the hold up was. In May 2024, one user wrote: "Does anyone know what's up with Range Beauty? I am dying to get my hands on their foundation however almost all of the shades are out of stock, even in the samplers." This remained the case for several months, and customers weren't able to purchase anything. 

However, on December 16, 2024, Range Beauty added an update to Instagram. They said that on December 23, 2024, they were coming back with their products and invited clients to join the waitlist. In a cute, holiday rhyme, they explained that production had stalled because they were working in their labs and testing products to ensure that Range Beauty was supplying the best quality possible makeup and skin care. Fans were thrilled about the relaunch. "So excited!!" one wrote in the comments. "Almost time!!!!" another added. So Range Beauty will be back in full force. 

With a delay in production, Range Beauty had to answer to curious fans and frustrated customers. However, the social media-savvy brand had fun with the delay. On December 9, 2024, they posted a video to Instagram with protestors asking where Range was. They pretended to interview frustrated yet loyal customers. They added other Instagram content, promising their fans that they were well aware that there was a hold up. "Working OT to get back to our Beauties," they wrote on Instagram, sharing a video of foundation. 

With the promise that the products would be back on December 23, 2024, the brand also gave a sneak peak of new and exciting things ahead. In another video, Range Beauty excitedly shared the news that they were launching a new primer. "Enter the True Intentions Hydrating Primer with a hint of tint AND Sodium PCA," the caption announced. So not only are all the classic foundations and products coming back for eager customers, but the brand is also promising new and exciting products that will enhance their ever-growing brand. To get full access to the episode, watch it on "Shark Tank," available for purchase on Prime Video.