Houston-based Drunk Elephant skin care sells for $845 million

Drunk Elephant Skin Care founder Tiffany Masterson, a mother of four who lived in West University, launched her Drunk Elephant with six core products in summer 2013. Drunk Elephant Skin Care founder Tiffany Masterson, a mother of four who lived in West University, launched her Drunk Elephant with six core products in summer 2013. Photo: Drunk Elephant Photo: Drunk Elephant Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Houston-based Drunk Elephant skin care sells for $845 million 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Sure, Houston is known for being the nation's energy capital. But, don't sleep on our beauty industry.

Case in point: The Houston-based Drunk Elephant skin care line, which has sold for $845 million to the Japanese beauty company Shiseido, according to Women's Wear Daily.

The 50-year-old Drunk Elephant founder Tiffany Masterson, will stay on with the brand under Shiseido as chief creative officer and president. The announcement of the sale comes after months of rumors.

"I couldn't be more excited that we've found someone who respects my vision and the brand identity and is willing to let us stay who we are," Masterson wrote today on Drunk Elephant's Instagram page.

She also said on Instagram that prices will not increase and the brand will remain cruelty free. The company was founded by Masterson in 2012 and launched in 2013 and has been one of the fastest-growing beauty brands on the market.

Drunk Elephant avoids what it calls the "suspicious six" — essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrance and dyes, and SLS.

Earlier this summer, Tatcha Beauty, the skin care line founded by Victoria Tsai of The Woodlands was bought by Unilever, the British-Dutch consumer goods company, for an estimated $500 million. Tatcha investor Janet Gurwitch is founder of Gurwitch Products, which produced Laura Mercier cosmetics. She sold Laura Mercier in 2006.

Yes, everything, is bigger in Texas, even beauty deals.