Drunk Elephant, one of beauty’s previously reigning skin care titans, has found itself up against the wall in 2025.
The prestige skin care brand saw sales plummet by 65% in the first quarter of the year, which was reported in parent company Shiseido’s recent Q1 2025 financial update.
It was an impact so significant that it contributed to a 19% slump in income for the Japanese beauty giant’s US operating region.
The sales crash is just the latest hurdle faced by Drunk Elephant, in what has been a challenging year for the brand.
Sales declined 25% in 2024, which was attributed to “temporary declines in production and shipments in the first half of the year” last year.
Shiseido has been notably reserved about why exactly Drunk Elephant struggled during its first quarter this year, and has not mentioned specific reasons in its financial update.
However, the NARS-owner made it explicitly clear that it is not giving up on the brand just yet.
Shiseido is “striving for a swift turnaround” for the embattled business, which includes plans to drive consumer engagement by educating beauty advisors at retail touchpoints.
While it is reassuring to see Shiseido having Drunk Elephant’s back, the situation is still tinged with sadness for the beauty trailblazer.
How exactly did Drunk Elephant end up in its current situation, and can it pull itself out of the mire and make a comeback?
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