Tiffany Masterson on Discovering Passion
The tale of becoming a beauty boss.
If you’re a (self-proclaimed) beauty enthusiast, you’d be no stranger to Drunk Elephant. The Texas-based skincare brand is the brainchild of Tiffany Masterson, a stay-at-home mom turned entrepreneur who rose to prominence in the cut-throat beauty industry with her extraordinary skincare solutions.
Having experienced her fair share of skin issues, Masterson set out to find the holy grail of skincare products, but to no avail. Frustrated, she decided to educate herself and identified six ingredients—Suspicious 6™—that she believed were at the root of her issues. However, when she couldn’t find products without at least one of the Suspicious 6™ in them, she decided to make her own. Little did she know then that Drunk Elephant would become one of the fastest-growing skincare brands in history and be acquired for a whopping $845 million.
Masterson tells us about the time she discovered her passion, her entrepreneurial journey, and her skincare routine (ladies, take note!).
Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion (Photo: Courtesy of Drunk Elephant)
What were you doing before Drunk Elephant?
I was a housewife and mother of four.
Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Not at all! When I was younger my goal was to have a family and raise kids.
How did you discover your passion for beauty and skincare?
I started selling a little cleansing bar on the side when my kids were all in school. Those few years really brought to light my passion for learning about ingredients. I spent a lot of time researching what worked, what didn’t and what it would take to have healthy skin.
I personally had struggled to find a product that was clinically effective and still felt safe to use. Also, my skin didn’t tolerate fragrance or essential oils well, and I couldn’t find a line that didn’t contain them. After years of bouncing back and forth between the all-natural and clinical categories without success, I realised that to get what I wanted, I would need to develop it myself.
Drunk Elephant’s O-Bloos™ Rosi Drops (Photo: Courtesy of Drunk Elephant)
What defines a modern woman in 2021 to you?
A woman who is confident in her own skin, strong and kind.
How would you describe your style?
OMG that’s a tough one! Modern bohemian?
What’s one accessory every woman must have?
Self-reliance.
What does your self-care routine look like?
The same philosophy that guides my brand bleeds over into all areas of my life … relationships, diet, self-care: focus on the positive and cut out the negative.
I eat well most of the time, I exercise often, I work really hard, I try to get enough sleep, I spend time with my friends, I cook, I walk my dog, I spend quality time with my husband and kids and I treat people the way I want to be treated. Those are the things that really keep me balanced and healthy.
What’s your favourite female-owned brand(s) at the moment?
Supergoop. I really admire their founder, Holly Thaggard. She is strong and real.
Who’s your Chika?
My three daughters are my everything. They keep me in check.
