Cymbiotika Taps Amelia Gray in Its Next Big Play for the Beauty Market
The fast-growing wellness brand is pairing celebrity appeal with science-led marketing as it expands its retail footprint. In an exclusive interview, Co-Founder and Chief Creative and Experiential Officer Durana Elmi discusses the strategy behind the campaign and how Cymbiotika plans to turn consumer attention into lasting growth.
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Beauty is becoming an increasingly important part of the wellness business, with consumers looking beyond topical products to the supplements they incorporate into their daily routines. Cymbiotika is pursuing that opportunity with a new campaign starring model Amelia Gray, using her fashion-world profile to introduce a broader audience to its Beauty Peptide Complex.
Titled “Hot Girls Sip Peptides,” the campaign arrives as Cymbiotika builds on more than 3,000% revenue growth over the past three years and an expansion into more than 11,000 retail doors nationwide, according to company-provided figures. For the San Diego-based brand, the launch represents an opportunity to bring its science-focused approach to a wider beauty audience while meeting consumers where they already shop.
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Turning Beauty Culture Into a Customer Acquisition Strategy
Cymbiotika’s partnership with Gray reflects a deliberate approach to celebrity marketing. Rather than choosing a spokesperson based on reach alone, the company wanted someone who already had a relationship with the brand. Gray was an existing customer, Elmi said, and her family also used Cymbiotika.
“The first thing I loved was that Amelia was already an avid user. Cymbiotika has been a part of her daily ritual,” Elmi said. “There was already a connection before there was a campaign.”
That connection gives the partnership a foundation beyond celebrity endorsement. The campaign uses Gray’s appeal to draw consumers in, then encourages them to look more closely at Beauty Peptide Complex, which is formulated to support hair, skin and nail health.
Elmi was involved in the creative process alongside Gray, her team and production company OBB. The campaign spans connected TV, YouTube, social media, paid media and in-person activations. A text-based “Hot Girl Hotline” offers another way for consumers to explore the ingredients and science behind the product.
The strategy brings together cultural relevance and product education, allowing Cymbiotika to introduce its beauty offering in a format designed to capture attention while giving consumers a path to learn more.
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Connecting Brand Awareness to Retail Growth
Cymbiotika has expanded into more than 11,000 retail locations, according to the company, giving consumers more opportunities to discover its products beyond its direct-to-consumer channels. The brand has entered major retail chains, including Target and Ulta Beauty, as it continues to grow its mainstream presence.
For the Amelia Gray campaign, that retail footprint creates a direct connection between discovery and purchase.
“It makes a campaign like this especially meaningful because someone can see our story with Amelia, become curious about the Beauty Peptide Complex and then find it at a store they already shop,” Elmi said.
The company has also refreshed its packaging using shopper feedback and input from retail partners, Elmi said. The updated design puts the brand’s recognizable packet shape, product benefits and flavors more prominently forward. In a crowded retail environment, packaging that communicates a product’s purpose clearly can help shoppers understand their options and make more informed choices.
The combination of marketing and distribution is central to Cymbiotika’s next stage. Social campaigns can introduce products to new audiences, while retail availability makes it easier for consumers to explore the brand in person. Together, those channels give Cymbiotika more ways to connect with shoppers as interest in beauty and wellness increasingly overlaps.
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From Cultural Relevance to Customer Loyalty
Cymbiotika’s partnership with Gray reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands use celebrity to grow. Korean skincare brand ANUA built its U.S. business before naming Kendall Jenner its first global ambassador, using an established consumer following as a foundation for its next stage of growth. Cymbiotika is taking a different route to a similar opportunity, pairing Gray’s existing relationship with the brand with an expanding retail footprint.
The company has also explored another form of celebrity involvement. In August, Cymbiotika brought creator Alix Earle into its business as an investor, giving her a financial stake in a brand she had used for years. Gray’s role is different, focusing on introducing Beauty Peptide Complex to a wider audience. Together, the partnerships illustrate how celebrity involvement can support distinct business objectives, from product discovery to investment.
For Cymbiotika, the long-term value of the Gray campaign lies in building relationships that extend beyond a single interaction. Elmi said the company plans to evaluate engagement, interest in the product and its science, purchases across online and retail channels, and repeat buying.
“Ultimately, I want that introduction to become a relationship with the brand,” Elmi said. “Do they try it? Do they enjoy it enough to come back? That’s where I see the lasting value of the partnership.”
The strategy reflects Cymbiotika’s broader approach to growth, bringing together product development, consumer education, retail expansion and cultural partnerships. As beauty and wellness continue to converge, the company is positioning itself to reach consumers across more parts of their daily routines. Gray’s campaign gives that ambition a new face, while Cymbiotika’s growing retail presence gives interested consumers more opportunities to make the brand part of their own.
Cymbiotika is available at Cymbiotika.com.
