Unilever Ventures invests in intimate body care brand Luna Daily

Sign up to receive the Vogue Business newsletter for the latest luxury news and insights, plus exclusive membership discounts. To become a Vogue Business Member and receive the Beauty Edit newsletter, click here. Intimate body care brand Luna Daily has raised new funding in a round led by Unilever Ventures, the venture capital arm of the consumer goods giant that owns brands including Dove, Simple and Tresemmé, among other angel investors. While the amount was undisclosed, the company confirmed it is more than £2 million, and brings the brand’s total funding raised to date to £4.7 million. Previous funding rounds were raised from existing partners Redrice Ventures, Joyance and Partners, as well as new angel investors, who have witnessed the brand’s growth since its inception. This comes at a pivotal time as the intimate care market evolves beyond offerings geared towards basic hygiene. Consumers are becoming increasingly focused on their intimate body care and vulvovaginal health, making space for brands such as Luna Daily, Deodoc and Megababe to thrive. They are also demanding targeted options that provide a premium experience, per Spate in the latest Vogue Business Beauty Trend Tracker. The data also shows a 581.3 per cent increase in searches for emerging feminine hygiene brand Summer’s Eve and an 87.6 per cent increase for Cln Wash, which is dedicated to dermatological body needs. Luna Daily entered the intimate care market with a focus on packaging and marketing, an area where other brands such as Femfresh have previously fallen short. Luna Daily’s products are microbiome balancing, natural and vegan, while being free from soaps, allergens, sulphates and parabens. Its sensitising formulations, zeitgeist packaging and inclusive marketing suit the sophisticated mood consumers now search for. They have successfully hit mass-market appeal — all while retaining a grassroots outlook. Wellness has remained a great focus for Unilever in 2024, injecting $2.5 million into Indian personal care brand Wishcare and $6 million into vitamin brand Perelel, among others. Luna Daily is their first significant investment in intimate health this year. The brand reported a 1000 per cent year-on-year sales increase in 2023, coupled with an entrance into Sephora in the US — Luna Daily was prime for investment. “The collaboration will bring their [Unilever Ventures] unparalleled global expertise and resources at such an exciting time for Luna Daily’s growth,” said Luna Daily founder Katy Cottam in a statement. The brand plans to use the funds to expand its tailored motherhood offering, which it has been developing with dermatologists, gynaecologists and a pelvic floor physiotherapist to ensure its six performance-led products will help women both during and post-pregnancy; most recently picked up by Sephora, the collection will be a first for the multi-brand retailer. “I was engaged instantly with the Luna Daily product offering and positioning and how multi-functional the product range is, in particular, the motherhood range, [which occupies] a space that has been previously overlooked,” Michelle Kennedy, founder of Peanut and an angel investor supporting the brand, said in the release. “We are excited by how Katy has elevated the customer experience. We think it’s an empowering idea,” added Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville, partner at Unilever Ventures. Aside from expanding its motherhood range, the brand plans to invest in marketing, increase influencer spending and realign its internal marketing team to pivot to a more agile strategy. Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.

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