True Botanicals

True Botanicals is an American clean-skincare and body-care company founded in 2014 by Hillary Peterson and Christina Mace-Turner [5]. Based in Northern California, it makes plant-based products that it positions as both non-toxic and clinically tested, sold mainly direct to consumers. The brand remains independently operated, though Unilever Ventures took a minority stake in 2017 [7].

Peterson started the company after a personal health scare, and that origin shapes how the brand describes itself: safety first, but with results it says it can measure. Its tagline, "Pure. Potent. Proven.", captures the three claims it returns to most often.

The company grew out of Peterson's own experience with illness. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer in her early thirties, she began looking more closely at the products she used and concluded that her skincare contained what she called "endocrine disrupting toxins" [5]. She spent time researching the beauty industry and consulting specialists while still working as a consultant for Levi's, running clinical trials that compared her formulations against established competitors.

The brand's earlier identity ran through the names True Nature Botanicals and a product line called Pacific Skin Care. Peterson had worked alongside Marie Veronique Organics founder Marie Veronique Nadeau for several years; when they parted ways, she carried the Pacific Skin Care line forward to build her own company, which became True Botanicals. According to the company, the business stayed self-funded for its first two years, with the founders blending products themselves and relying on word of mouth rather than advertising [5].

True Botanicals is independently operated. In mid-March 2017 Unilever Ventures, the venture-capital arm of Unilever, acquired a minority stake — described at the time as its first deal with a direct-to-consumer luxury skincare brand [7]. The investment came through a roughly $3 million seed round [6]. Peterson, who has said the investors are "on the sidelines when it comes to decisions," has remained founder and president, with Mace-Turner as chief executive [6].

The company frames its purpose as championing "whole-body wellbeing through the power of plants" and states its mission is to create products that "heal, protect, and perform—without harm to people or the planet." Its safety standard centres on avoiding more than 15,000 ingredients it classes as toxic, and it holds MADE SAFE certification, which it describes as a non-toxic seal for personal-care products.

Underpinning the range is a framework the brand calls PI⁴, or Plant Intelligence, built on four principles: BioCompatible, BioActive, BioHolistic and BioProtective. Editorial coverage has described the line as a luxury skincare and body-care offering built on "super concentrated, bio-active formulations" [6]. Much of the brand's messaging turns on the idea that clean formulation and measurable performance need not be a trade-off — the company says it relies on facts rather than marketing and points to independent clinical studies to support the claim.

True Botanicals spans cleansers, toners, serums, face oils, eye treatments, moisturisers, targeted treatments, body care and lip products. Recurring hero ingredients include chebula, ginger and turmeric, and a plant-derived retinol alternative the brand markets as Phyto-Retinol.

Its longest-standing signature product is the Renew Pure Radiance Oil, which the founder profile describes as the item that built the brand's early following [5]. Other frequently featured products include the Chebula Active Serum, the Chebula Extreme Cream, the Phyto-Retinol Advanced Clinical Cream, and a Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm the company promotes as a viral makeup remover.

Clinical testing is a core part of the brand's story. It reports a randomised, double-blind trial conducted in late 2013 in which the Renew Pure Radiance Oil outperformed Crème de La Mer across every measured metric after 45 days, including a 22.6% reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles against 17.6% for the comparison product [4]. In a separate 33-subject trial in 2018, the company says its Moisture Lock Overnight Mask, used with the Pure Radiance Face Oil, improved skin-surface hydration in every participant [4]. The brand also states that its Phyto-Retinol is clinically proven to be twice as fast and effective as conventional retinol without the usual irritation.

Sustainability claims feature prominently. The company says it is certified plastic negative through rePurpose Global, uses recyclable glass containers, and aims for fully recyclable packaging, including closures, within five years. It reports carbon-neutral status maintained through annual greenhouse-gas assessments, holds B Corporation status, and is a member of 1% for the Planet, committing 1% of annual sales. Products are manufactured in the United States, and the brand highlights an all-female board of directors. Its certifications include Leaping Bunny, EWG Verified and PETA vegan and cruelty-free status.

The company has drawn coverage in beauty and business press, including a founder profile in dot.LA and Business of Fashion's reporting on the Unilever Ventures investment [7]. In late May 2017, actress Olivia Wilde joined the company as "Chief Brand Activist" [6].

True Botanicals is active. As of 2026 it operates a working e-commerce site with current promotions and a stated bestseller lineup, and its founder maintains an active blog. Its primary market is the United States.

Sources vary on the company's exact base. WELL Insiders places it in Mill Valley, California [6], while the brand's own account and other coverage describe it more broadly as Northern California or the San Francisco Bay Area [2]. Mill Valley sits within the Bay Area, so the descriptions are consistent rather than contradictory.