I’ve always loved discovering Australian brands that manage to combine fun, authenticity and innovation. Frank Body is one of those rare success stories that has grown into a global phenomenon.
Known for their coffee-based skincare and playful marketing style, this Melbourne-born brand has gone from humble start-up to being stocked in major retailers like Mecca, Sephora and Ulta.
Where it all began
Frank Body launched in 2013, when five friends from Melbourne created a single product that would change the direction of their careers. Co-founders Jess Hatzis and Bree Johnson, along with their small team, launched their Original Coffee Scrub with less than $10,000 in funding, and thanks to clever social media campaigns and an honest, jargon-free approach to skincare, the product quickly gained a cult following.
Stepping away from the standard trends in beauty marketing strategies, the Frank Body team built their brand around a conversational tone and body-positive messaging. They invited their audience to join their community, using inclusive language and positioning themselves as a brand that felt real and approachable. Within just a few years, Frank Body grew into a multimillion-dollar business and a staple in bathrooms in Australia and around the world.
The Products that put Frank Body on the Map
Within the beauty space, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of Frank Body’s Original Coffee Scrub. Launching with this hero product, it quickly gained cult status in Australia, and encouraged users to share social media posts of them using the scrub and adding the hashtags #letsbefrank and #thefrankeffect.
From there, the team has continued to expand their product range, including scrubs with specialist treatments, like the Glycolic Body Scrub, which pairs the physical exfoliation they’re famous for with high-quality chemical exfoliation, and their A-Beauty Scrub, which showcases Australian botanical ingredients like Kakadu plum, finger lime and eucalyptus. Paired with their Niacinamide Body Serum and the now iconic Firming Body Cream, Frank Body established themselves as a one-stop shop for body care.
Frank Body continued to expand their product range, evolving as the market did. They released a number of face products, including their Original Coffee Scrub formulated for the more gentle face skin (called the Original Face Scrub), and a Caffeinated Face Moisturiser to deliver gentle but effective results for dull or tired skin, and have since added more facial products to become a head-to-toe beauty brand that is loved and trusted by people around the world.
Frank Body’s Global Expansion
In just over 10 years, Frank Body have rocketed from a Melbourne-based start-up to an iconic global brand, selling millions of products in more than 140 countries. They’ve become a regular feature on shelves at major international beauty retailers, and a recent investment round valued the company at nearly AUD 100 million.
They’ve continued to be game-changers in the beauty marketing space, shifting their approach to focus on immersive content and experiences, investing in digital storytelling and creative activations that resonate with their audience.
Why Frank Body Stands Out
Frank Body’s success comes down to more than just viral marketing. Their playful tone, minimalist pastel designs, and straightforward messaging make skincare feel accessible to everyone. Their focus on building real connections with their audience and celebrating individuality, body confidence and authenticity has cemented Frank Body as a favourite brand for beauty lovers around the world.
Another departure from traditional beauty marketing, Frank avoids over-promising, instead letting the results do the talking. Their social media pages still feature real images of customers who have used and had positive results thanks to their products, surrounded by their now iconic pastel packaging and influencer-produced content. They have also continued their commitment to natural, vegan and cruelty-free formulations, aligning with the growing demand for sustainable and ethical beauty products.
Frank Body has grown from a small Melbourne start-up into a globally recognised beauty brand, but it has never lost its personality or values. By blending quality, fun and relatability, it has created products that people genuinely enjoy using while building a loyal worldwide community.
