Beautycounter: 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50

The 2020 CNBC Disruptors are 50 private companies at the epicenter of a changing world, poised to emerge from the pandemic as the next generation of billion-dollar businesses.

Founder: Gregg Renfrew (CEO)
Launched: 2011
Headquarters: Santa Monica, California
Funding: N/A
Valuation: N/A
Industry: Skincare and beauty
Previous appearances on Disruptor 50 List: 0

George Kavallines

Gregg Renfrew started her clean beauty company, Beautycounter, in 2013 after learning about the toxic chemicals in her makeup and skincare products from Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." The Santa Monica-based company is a certified B Corporation, meaning they blend making a profit with real-impact social responsibility. Beautycounter does this by being the first clean beauty brand to stick by a "Never List" of ingredients that they will not use in their makeup and skincare products. The company has also lobbied for the Personal Care Products Safety Act, a bill that would introduce stricter regulations for beauty products. Beautycounter's mission: Get safer lipstick, eye shadow and moisturizer into the hands of consumers.

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Beautycounter claims there are 80,000 chemicals on the market today, many without safety data. A good number of them are freely used in skincare and beauty products. The company sells over 150 different products that are free of these toxic ingredients. It does this through its website, retail boutiques and more than 45,000 Beautycounter consultants.

Beautycounter launched a direct-to-consumer business in 2013, selling through its own website and web of consultants, of which it has more than 65,000 today, many on social media.

Bono-backed Beautycounter is moving in to Sephora, bringing its clean makeup to the masses

In the midst of the pandemic, the company launched an initiative called "Shop One, Give One." For every order placed for its Charcoal Cleansing Bar, the company donated one to health-care workers on the front lines. Consultants are meeting with customers virtually, and the entire headquarters staff is working from home. The company has raised an undisclosed amount of money from investors, including Mousse Partners and TPG Growth.