{{Short description|Male grooming product company and brand}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Manscaped LLC | logo = Manscaped logo.svg | logo_size = 200px | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | key_people = {{ubl | Paul Tran (Co-founder and [[CEO]]) | Steve King (Co-founder and former CEO) }} | products = [[Male grooming]] wares | foundation = 2016 | location = [[San Diego]], California, US | website = {{URL|manscaped.com}} }} '''Manscaped LLC''' is a [[male grooming]] company based in [[San Diego]], California, United States. It was co-founded in 2016 by Steve King and Paul Tran and produces and distributes male grooming tools and hygiene products under the Manscaped brand.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{Cite web |last1=Tan |first1=Gillian |last2=Tse |first2=Crystal |date=July 30, 2021 |title=Grooming startup Manscaped holds Bright Lights SPAC talks |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-30/grooming-startup-manscaped-said-to-hold-bright-lights-spac-talks |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=August 4, 2021}}</ref>
== History == Co-founders Steve King (the original CEO) and Paul Tran (the current CEO) established Manscaped in 2016 to provide [[male grooming]] products targeted at [[pubic hair|pubic]] [[hair removal]].<ref name="Bloomberg" /> The company uses the term ''[[Male grooming#Body grooming|manscaping]]'', a long-standing [[neologism]], as the basis of its branding, and is referenced in [[Merriam-Webster|Merriam-Webster's]] definition of the word.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manscaping|title=Manscaping: the trimming or shaving of a man's body hair so as to enhance his appearance|publisher=Merriam-Webster Dictionary|access-date=September 7, 2021}}</ref> It has also capitalized on the shock factor of addressing male [[body hygiene|hygiene]] [[taboos]] and using [[pun]]-based [[humour|humor]] and paid [[celebrity]] appearances to build its name.<ref name="WSJ">{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Jacob |date=November 16, 2020 |title=Unspeakable Manscaping is more common than you think |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/unspeakable-manscaping-is-more-common-than-you-think-11605545000 |access-date=August 10, 2021 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |language=en}}</ref>
In October 2018, Manscaped was featured in the 10th series of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s "[[Shark Tank]]," represented by co-founders Steve King and Josh King, who sought $500,000 in funding for the company and accepted a handshake offer for that amount from [[Mark Cuban]] and [[Lori Greiner]] in exchange for a 25% stake in the business.<ref name="CNBC">{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Sarah |date=October 29, 2018 |title='CNBC': Why Mark Cuban invested 6 figures in this 'manscaping' business |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/29/shark-tanks-mark-cuban-invested-in-manscaped-grooming-kit.html |access-date=August 9, 2021 |publisher=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> However, the deal never materialized after the show, according to Cuban.<ref name="Bloomberg2" />
In late 2020, the company was reported to be exploring its options for further fundraising. At the time, it was backed by investment firms Kaktus Capital, Longley Capital, Rx3 Venture Partners, and Scala Ventures.<ref name="Bloomberg2">{{Cite web |last1=Tan |first1=Gillian |last2=Tse |first2=Crystal |date=October 22, 2020 |title=Men's grooming startup Manscaped is said to explore options |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-20/mark-cuban-backed-manscaped-is-said-to-explore-options |access-date=August 9, 2021 |publisher=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref> A prominent [[advertisement campaign]] for the company also aired during the same period, featuring the [[NFL]]'s [[Rob Gronkowski]] and US sportswear supermodel [[Camille Kostek]].<ref name="WSJ" />
In July 2021, Manscaped was revealed to be in an ongoing merger discussion with Los Angeles-based [[special-purpose acquisition company]] Bright Lights to create a combined entity worth up to $1.4 billion.<ref name="Bloomberg" /> Led by Michael Mahan, the former CEO of [[Dick Clark Productions]], Bright Lights listed for $230 million on the [[Nasdaq]] [[stock market]] in January 2021 on the promise of finding a merger target in the consumer products or media sectors.<ref name="Bloomberg" />
In November 2021, it was confirmed that the merger would advance at a valuation of around $1 billion "amid a difficult market." This followed reporting in October that suggested the company was considering a $500 million sale. Reuters noted that the merger was all but guaranteed after being backstopped by the actor [[Channing Tatum]] and two investment firms, Endeavor and [[Guggenheim Partners|Guggenheim Investments]].<ref>{{cite news |publisher=Reuters |last=Guildford |first=Jonathan |title=Manscaped SPAC shaves public investors' consent |date=November 30, 2021 |access-date =January 18, 2022 |url=https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/manscaped-spac-shaves-public-investors-consent-2021-11-30/}}</ref> However, the two companies canceled the merger that same year.<ref>[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220818005712/en/Bright-Lights-Acquisition-Corp.-and-MANSCAPED%E2%84%A2-Mutually-Agree-to-Terminate-Business-Combination-Agreement-Due-to-Unfavorable-Market-Conditions Business Wire:News:Home: August 18th, 2022:Bright Lights Acquisition and MANSCAPE Agree to Terminate Business Combination Agreement Due to Unfavorable Market Conditions]</ref>
== References and citations == {{Reflist}} {{reflist|group=note}}
== External links == *{{Cite podcast |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/0105-paul-tran-how-manscaped-created-nine-figure-business/id1506311322?i=1000473834834 |title=How Manscaped Created a Nine-Figure Business |access-date=September 7, 2021 |series=Exit Strategy with Moiz Ali |date=May 7, 2020}}
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[[Category:Male grooming brands]] [[Category:Personal care brands]] [[Category:Skin care brands]] [[Category:Hair removal]] [[Category:American companies established in 2016]] [[Category:Companies based in San Diego County, California]] [[Category:2016 establishments in California]]