Brand

Skincare Brand Evereden Gives Equity to Teenage Influencers in Shift From Paid Sponsorships

Published on March 18, 2026

Evereden, a New York-based Gen Alpha skincare brand, has granted equity stakes to three teenage creators as part of a new partnership model it calls “Generation E,” the company announced alongside a nationwide Sephora expansion.

The initiative gives equity to Madison Rae, 14, Embreigh Courtlyn, 15, and Kaili Asa, 17. The deals were negotiated through the creators’ agents.

Evereden CEO and co-founder Kimberley Ho told “The Glossy Beauty Podcast” that the decision to offer equity rather than standard influencer contracts reflected a deliberate strategic choice. “If we had just wanted the popular Gen Alpha creators to post about us in a paid influencer capacity, or even [to be] faces of the brand, we [could have done] that without equity,” Ho said. “I think giving equity means aligning long-term interests.”

Beyond content creation, the three creators will participate in product testing, concept development, and limited-edition launches. They will also curate their own product collections on Evereden’s site, appear at community events and pop-ups, and advise on brand voice and social strategy.

“This is not Influencer Marketing or brand ambassadorship,” Ho said. “It is brand-building with the next generation.”

Data Behind the Strategy

Evereden surveyed more than 7,000 Gen Alpha customers and parents to inform the initiative. The research found that Gen Alpha treats brand selection as a form of self-expression and connects more strongly with peer creators than with celebrity endorsements.

Ho cited those findings as central to the equity decision. “Gen Alpha really craves authenticity over hype,” she said. “They connect with people who feel like them: peers who are authentic, thoughtful, and part of their everyday world.”

Considerations for the Broader Market

According to Creator Economy expert Lindsey Gamble, the arrangement may represent one of the first instances of creators this young receiving ownership stakes in a company. He noted that Alix Earle held equity in Poppi ahead of its nearly $2 billion acquisition by PepsiCo, though that arrangement involved an adult creator.

Gamble noted that equity partnerships carry complexity that broad industry enthusiasm can obscure. “For established brands with multiple investors, giving up equity is not simple,” he said. “For early-stage companies offering equity only and not cash, getting creators to buy in can be a challenge, especially since most equity does not materialize into meaningful returns.”

In Evereden’s case, the brand reports revenues exceeding $100 million and is expanding its Sephora footprint, factors Gamble described as favorable conditions for the arrangement to benefit both the brand and its new equity-holding creators.