Highlights
- Dr. Edna Ma pitches BareEASE, a numbing cream and underwear kit for bikini waxing, seeking $50,000 for 20% equity, but does not secure a deal.
- Despite the patented product and a market for bikini grooming, the Sharks are concerned about low sales and Dr. Ma’s other professional commitments.
- After Shark Tank, Dr. Ma continued selling BareEASE online, but the business eventually shut down in 2019.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | BareEASE |
| Founder | Dr. Edna Ma |
| Industry | Personal Care |
| Product | Numbing cream and underwear kit for bikini waxing |
| Funding | Seeking $50,000 |
| Investment Ask | $50,000 |
| Equity Offered | 20% |
| Valuation | $250,000 |
A former Survivor South Pacific player tries her hand with the Sharks with BareEASE, a numbing cream and underwear combo for use before bikini waxing. Dr. Edna Ma enters the Shark Tank in episode 506, about two and a half years after shooting another Mark Burnett produced reality show. Ma is a board certified anesthesiologist and the first Survivor alumni to air on Shark Tank.
BareEase is a “numbing kit” designed to “prepare your bikini area by anesthetizing and moisturizing the skin so you can have as painless of a bikini waxing experience as possible.” The BareEase cream moisturizes and desensitizes the area before waxing and the specially designed panties contain the cream for maximum pain reduction.
BareEASE is currently available on their website, DrugStore.com, and nationwide at various independent spas and bikini waxing clinics. Edna is looking to the Sharks to get into the national chains and “big box” stores to get BareEASE into the mainstream markets.
BareEASE Shark Tank Recap
Dr. Ma enters the room seeking $50K for a 20% stake in her company. She then goes on to explain how BareEase eases pain for women about to get waxed. Her formula is patented. She hands out samples “to try in the privacy of your own homes.” Ma found that 40-80% of women groom their bikini line and it’s becoming the new cultural norm. Mark says “men are thankful” for that, which elicits chuckles from the Sharks. That’s when Ma introduces Numb Nuts. Kevin can’t believe it!
Edna came up with the idea when she felt pain while waxing. Most numbing creams are for canker sores and hemorrhoids, but BareEase is the only bikini wax numbing cream. Last year sales were $45 K and this year she predicts $65K. She needs distribution for the product, which is why she’s in the Shark Tank. Most of her sales are online now. The BareEase kit sells for $18 and costs $2.82 to produce.
Ma still practices medicine, teaches medicine, and has a family.
Did Shark Tank Invest In BareEASE?
Kevin thinks the sales are low for such a big potential market. Mark thinks Dr. Ma has too much on her plate and he goes out. Barbara thinks she’s looking for someone to drive the business, and she’s out too. Kevin isn’t sure about the market size and it hasn’t grown fast enough – he’s out too..
Dr. Ma then tells Robert about her experiences growing up as the daughter of Chinese immigrants. It’s a heartfelt moment, but Lori interjects and says she’s out. Robert is impressed by her story He says you can never underestimate an immigrant’s work ethic. Robert says it’s hard to leave comfort to experience the pain of growing a business, but he thinks BareEase is more of a hobby, he goes out and Ma doesn’t receive a Shark Tank investment.
BareEASE Shark Tank Update
Dr. Edna continues marketing her bikini wax preparation cream through Amazon and her own website, providing pain prevention and relief to women who wax for personal grooming.
The product does have the extra appeal of being created by a woman for women, and the website is very informative and helpful without being excessively graphic in tone. If Dr. Edna was to leave her full time medical profession and commit to marketing BareEASE, she would likely have a blockbuster product on her hands. As it is, the product is available through the website and Amazon, for women who want to have a pain-free waxing experience.
After appearing on Shark Tank, she found an investor who has a logistics team that manages everything from the warehouse to customer service accounts. Their team ran the business until they shut it down in 2019.
Posts About BareEASE on Shark Tank Blog
BareEASE Information
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More products from this episode! Check out other businesses that participated alongside BareEASE.
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