Despite the fact that there is no shortage of deodorant options on the market, entrepreneur Sarah Moret couldn’t find one that met her precise needs. (Here’s what happens when you skip deodorant.) And so, in 2018, she used $12,000 of her own money to fund and establish Curie, a deodorant line that prides itself on being free of aluminum (great if you are allergic to the metal or don’t want to block your sweat) and other ingredients you don’t want to see in your deodorant. After a year of selling her products, Curie generated $125,000 in revenue.
In a bid to take her venture to the next level, Moret pushed for an appearance on “Shark Tank” in 2020, aiming to get a deal from the sharks, specifically Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran. Initially unsuccessful, she tried again the following year, ultimately securing a slot for a Season 13 episode (September 2021). By the time she finished her pitch — in which she revealed that she was seeking $300,000 in exchange for a 5% share in her yet-to-be-profitable business — four of the five sharks opted out, with Daymond John asking for 20% of the business in exchange for the money. Moret countered by offering 12%, to which John said no.
Shockingly, Corcoran and Mark Cuban changed their minds. Jumping back in, they asked for 14% of the business. After some back and forths, Moret struck a deal with the two sharks: she got the amount she wanted, in exchange for 10% equity and 4% advisory sales. But the story didn’t end there.
A behind-the-scences renegotiation – and success right out of the gate
In a 2024 episode of the Startup to Storefront podcast, Moret revealed that she renegotiated the contract after making a deal with Cuban and Corcoran. Cuban opted out, but Corcoran stayed — which ultimately turned out to be a good call. According to Moret, viewers scrambled to buy Curie deodorants after the episode debuted, causing it to sell out within a day and generating a waitlist of 5,000 eager customers (via dot.LA).
With Curie’s popularity boost came a considerable shift in the product’s target audience: By 2024, Moret acknowledged that approximately 4 out of 10 Curie customers were male. During her podcast guesting, Moret shared that her goal that year was to “double [the brand’s] retail footprint” and introduce new variants to the market.
Curie’s success isn’t surprising, considering how mainstream reception to the “deodorant that doubles as skincare” has been generally positive, even years after its “Shark Tank” appearance. Reviewing it for Cosmopolitan, Lauren Balsamo called it “the most effective natural deodorant [she’s] tried in [her] 10+ years as a beauty editor.” Meanwhile, Business Insider executive editor Sally Kaplan called it “the holy grail” of aluminum-free deodorants, particularly praising its effectiveness in terms of odor control. (Read about whether aluminum-free deodorant is really good for you.)
Curie is sticking around and rolling on
As of 2025, Curie appears to be thriving. In a “Year in Review” post on the company’s official blog, Moret shared that in 2024, Curie grew its team, sold over a million deodorants, and launched new products (including the Limited-Edition Peach Soleil and “gender-neutral” Santal Sage and Ocean Air scents, as well as Body Wash Bars). The blog, which regularly features skincare tips, shopping recommendations, and product-related FAQs, was last updated in January 2025.
U.S.-based customers can order Curie products online or grab them from the shelves of major retailers Walmart — where the brand launched one year after its “Shark Tank” feature — and Target. (Inc. even included Moret in the 2024 edition of its Female Founders 250 list for “launching personal care products in 4,300 Walmart stores while growing DTC sales 10 times over.”) Curie is a relatively new presence on Target shelves; the brand began selling its deodorants in 1,001 Target stores in early 2025, with both Moret and Corcoran excitedly promoting the launch via their respective Instagram accounts.
