Private equity firm TSG Consumer has acquired a majority stake in Saltair from Prelude Growth Partners-backed beauty incubator The Center, marking another high-profile exit for one of beauty’s most notable brand builders. 

First reported by publication Women’s Wear Daily, financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition comes as Saltair is enjoying a period of rapid growth. Launched in 2022 by The Center in partnership with British model Iskra Lawrence, the affordable body care brand is expected to generate roughly $150 million in sales this year while producing an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margin of approximately 30%, according to Puck News. The sale follows reports last month that The Center had retained investment bank Raymond James to oversee a sale process for the business.

Moving forward, The Center and Prelude Growth Partners will no longer retain ownership stakes in the brand. Lawrence, who has cultivated a following of over 7 million on social media through her body positivity advocacy, will transition into the role of chief community advocate. 

For TSG, the acquisition underscores a bet on the continued premiumization of body care as consumers seek skincare-forward products that combine efficacy with an elevated experience. The private equity firm believes Saltair’s combination of treatment-led formulations, fragrance-focused positioning and accessible price points uniquely positions it to capitalize on those market trends. The deal also reflects the firm’s broader approach to investing in founder-led beauty and personal care brands with a distinctive point of view, clear consumer demand and strong loyalty. TSG’s portfolio includes Summer Fridays, Hempz, Phlur—another The Center alum—and Dude Wipes. 

“Body care is increasingly being treated with the same level of consideration as facial skincare. Consumers are looking for products that deliver efficacy, but they also want elevated formulations, textures and scents that make an everyday routine feel special. Saltair sits squarely at the intersection of those trends,” says Colin Welch, managing director and head of New York at TSG Consumer, before adding, “Rather than chasing any one trend, we are committed to finding exceptional brands and teams that have built genuine loyalty and have significant room to grow. TSG’s role is to bring resources and experience that can help accelerate the team’s vision without changing the ethos of the brand.”

For Rachel Shelowitz, who joined Saltair as CEO last year following a previous stint at Lawless Beauty, TSG’s track record of scaling consumer brands made it the ideal partner for the brand’s next chapter. With added resources fueling its engine, Saltair plans to deepen its relationship with existing retail partners while pushing into new channels and strengthening the community-first approach that has underpinned it since launch. 

“What excites me about TSG is they know how to take a brand that’s working and give it the infrastructure to scale, without losing what makes it special. That’s the kind of alignment of vision that dreams are made of. Our community tells us what they need, and we build it. That doesn’t change: it just gets bigger,” says Shelowitz, adding, “We’re building a brand that belongs in every household, and we are thrilled to have a partner who knows how to get us there.”

Saltair’s sale represents the third major beauty exit for The Center and its founder, Ben Bennett, and the second involving TSG Consumer. In 2025, TSG scooped up niche fragrance brand Phlur in a deal reportedly valued at $400 million, cementing The Center’s reputation for pairing highly scalable beauty brands with notable influencers before growing and exiting them. Fronted by creative director and influencer Chriselle Lim after a hiatus, Phlur has since emerged as one of Sephora’s fastest-growing prestige fragrance businesses. The prototype for this business model was ingredient-focused body and skincare brand Naturium, which The Center incubated with beauty influencer Susan Yara. In 2023, Naturium sold to E.l.f. for $355 million

Positioned at the intersection of prestige-inspired formulations and mass accessibility, Saltair has built its identity around bringing skincare principles to everyday body care. Its portfolio spans body washes, lotions, scrubs and oils, along with haircare and deodorants formulated with skincare-inspired ingredients such as niacinamide, squalane and glycolic acid, many of which have helped fuel the broader premiumization movement within body. Retailing from $12 to $26, the brand has paired elevated fragrance profiles and refined packaging with mass-market price points to cultivate a loyal gen Z and millennial customer base. The brand’s offering features 12 scent profiles, with Santal Bloom, Salt Water Vanilla and Pink Beach its most popular fragrances. 

Lawrence’s platform and a steady stream of creator content centered on “everything shower” routines and fragrance layering has also helped to bolster the brand, particularly on TikTok Shop where it has amassed more than 152,000 followers. On it, the brand’s storefront has sold nearly 875,000 products, with its Serum Body Washes, 5% AHA Deodorant Serums and Nourishing Body Oil among its consistent bestsellers.

Ahead of the sale, The Center spent the past year strengthening Saltair’s leadership team. In addition to bringing on Shelowitz, it also hired former Murad executive Erin Sale as CMO last year. The brand also expanded chain wide at Ulta, where its fan-favorite Body Oils are sold exclusively. Saltair had previously secured nationwide distribution at Target in 2023, where its $14 Serum Body Washes have frequently sold out. According to Puck News, Target now accounts for the majority of Saltair’s sales.

Sale explains that Saltair will continue investing in the strategies that have fueled its momentum both online and off. “Our focus is simple: continue to do what we do best, and do even more of it,” she says, explaining that the brand has spent the past year sharpening its brand marketing efforts and deepening its creator relationships. “As we’ve grown, we’ve been intentional about preserving the intimacy and authenticity of those connections. That sense of closeness is one of the reasons people fall in love with Saltair and enthusiastically share it with others.” 

While haircare and fragrance were beauty’s standout growth engines in the second quarter, market research firm Circana reported that sub-categories such as body lotions and body washes saw momentum from consumers prioritizing self-care, wellness and efficacy. Nearly every face and body segment within the mass skincare category posted gains in both dollars and units during the quarter. Prestige body products, including creams, cleansers and hand soaps, also continued to outperform. CPG’s major players have taken notice. Brands offering better-for-you personal care and deodorant products have been hot acquisition targets recently, with Salt & Stone, Wild and Dr. Squatch all exiting to major multinationals in the past year. 

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