Love & Pebble: What Happened To The Skincare Brand After Shark Tank?
Every entrepreneur who goes before the panel of ultra-wealthy investors on ABC's "Shark Tank" hopes for the same outcome — an investment with a seasoned business professional who will guide their small business to great success. Sadly, even many of the brands that do manage to negotiate a deal with a Shark end up going out of business within just a few short years. For those who walk away without an investment, the future can seem even more bleak.
However, from time to time, an extra-determined founder appears on the show, is denied a deal, and keeps on trucking until they find success on their own. This is exactly what happened when skincare business Love & Pebble appeared on Season 13, Episode 7. The married co-founders may not have secured an investment, but they went on to win the hearts of thousands of loyal social media followers and customers. Was the online fanfare enough to keep them afloat for the long haul, though?
Love & Pebble's Shark Tank pitch
Husband and wife duo Lynda Truong and Paul Tran entered the tank searching for a $150,000 investment in return for 10% equity in their natural skincare company, Love & Pebble. The brand's anchor product, known as the Beauty Pop, consists of a blend of natural ingredients — including aloe, banana, papaya, and turmeric — that's frozen into a shape similar to an edible ice pop. As the frozen pop is applied to the skin, it melts into a nourishing face mask.
Thanks to the product's all-natural ingredients, the couple informed the Sharks, the pops are technically edible. Mark Cuban was quick to test the theory by tasting one — a decision he appeared to regret immediately. The couple shared Truong's struggle with acne, Tran's career as a pharmacist, the sale of Truong's house for startup funds, and how a penguin mating ritual inspired their company's name. They also revealed that their Beauty Pops had gone viral on TikTok, snagging nearly $900,000 in sales in under a year.
Unfortunately, none of the Sharks were particularly interested in the skincare industry. One by one, each Shark dropped out of the running, citing a lack of expertise in skincare. Barbara Corcoran, the last Shark left in the running, openly questioned whether the brand's success on social media was a "one-hit wonder" before she dropped out. Crushed, the couple made a tearful exit, promising to continue on their path despite not landing a deal.
Love & Pebble after Shark Tank
After appearing on "Shark Tank," Lynda Truong and Paul Tran kept their promise to continue growing Love & Pebble. Thanks to the visibility they gained by appearing on the show, the brand was flooded with orders — so much so that they eventually had to cancel $50,000 in orders and refund the customers who'd placed them. Truong posted a candid video on the brand's TikTok page in June 2023, explaining exactly what had happened when the company was hit with the wave of attention that comes along with appearing on a major television network just before the holiday season. Essentially, the fulfillment facility the brand had partnered with couldn't keep up with the orders, leading to delays and, eventually, the refunds.
On behalf of the brand, she thanked the customers who were understanding about their orders being canceled and went on to place additional orders in the future. She vowed to improve the company's processes to prevent disappointing their customers in the future and it appears as if that is exactly what she and her husband did. Then, on August 22, Truong took to Instagram to announce that Love & Pebble had reformulated its Beauty Pops and redesigned its packaging to cut down on shipping costs and shrink its carbon footprint.
Is Love & Pebble still in business?
Love & Pebble appears to be in business at the time of writing. The company's website and Amazon store are active, and the founders frequently post updates and promotional material on the brand's Instagram and TikTok. In addition to the original Beauty Pop kit — a set that includes a jar of powdered face mask with a scoop, a mixing spatula, two stick handles, and a two-pop tray mold — the company has added a few new products to its offerings.
You can now purchase a Love & Pebble microneedle dermaroller kit, which comes with three replacement heads, three disinfectant cups, and a travel case for the rather affordable price of $19.99. Microneedling — a procedure that intentionally creates tiny wounds on the skin — stimulates the epidermis, alerting it to produce more collagen and elastin, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and acne scarring (via the Cleveland Clinic). Stainless steel gua sha facial massagers are also now available for purchase on the company's website.
Outlook for Love & Pebble
Love & Pebble is showing zero signs of slowing down. In August 2023, the brand announced in a TikTok video that it was moving the entirety of its formulating and manufacturing process to Seoul, South Korea. The video, which begins with a clip of Kevin O'Leary dropping out of the running for an investment in Love & Pebble on "Shark Tank," includes a caption explaining that Korean beauty "aligns with who we are as a brand and company."
Since the announcement, the brand has involved its fans and customers in business decisions, such as whether to switch its beloved Beauty Pop formula to a liquid format or leave it as a powder on social media (via Instagram). The founders' openness with their audience appears to have created a loyal fan base that is unlikely to fade away any time soon. As long as the brand continues to engage its customers in such a genuine way, the future looks increasingly bright for Love & Pebble.