Today, Takealot announced a significant strategic partnership with Thirteen Lune, a prominent U.S. beauty discovery platform established by the esteemed beauty entrepreneur Nyakio Grieco. This move marks the first international venture for Thirteen Lune.
With this exclusive collaboration, Takealot aims to become the South African destination for a remarkable selection of premium global beauty brands, many of which will be available locally for the first time. This includes founder-led brands created by influential entrepreneurs, beauty professionals, and cultural icons. The launch signifies an important milestone in Takealot’s objective to become the premier beauty destination in South Africa, enabling customers to access globally coveted skincare, haircare, cosmetics, wellness, and fragrance products that have often been hard to find locally.
“This is far more than the launch of new beauty brands. It represents another important step in our ambition to build South Africa’s most trusted beauty destination. We are incredibly proud that Thirteen Lune selected Takealot as its exclusive South African partner – not simply because of our scale, but because of our shared belief that eCommerce can create opportunity, celebrate founder stories and make exceptional products accessible to more people. Together, we’re introducing some of the world’s most exciting beauty brands to South Africa while laying the foundations for a beauty ecosystem that will continue to grow for years to come.” – Ryan Ferreira, Head of Retail, Takealot
Founded in 2020 by Nyakio Grieco, Thirteen Lune has emerged as one of the most influential beauty discovery platforms globally. It champions innovative founder-led brands, celebrates diverse narratives, and is redefining modern prestige beauty. Under Nyakio’s guidance, Thirteen Lune has transitioned from a digital marketplace to a recognized retail platform, including a partnership with JCPenney that spans over 600 locations in the United States from 2021 to 2025, gaining a reputation for spotting tomorrow’s leading beauty brands.
For Grieco, whose Kenyan background has significantly influenced her entrepreneurial path and approach to beauty, the launch in South Africa carries a deep personal significance.
“Expanding Thirteen Lune internationally through South Africa is both an exciting business milestone and a deeply personal moment for me. My family’s roots are on the African continent, and returning to Africa through a partnership with Takealot feels incredibly meaningful. We were looking for more than a retailer – we were looking for a partner whose values aligned with ours. Takealot’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for local communities made them the clear choice to introduce Thirteen Lune to South African consumers.” – Nyakio Grieco, Founder & CEO, Thirteen Lune
The collaboration will unveil an expanding array of internationally revered beauty brands to South African consumers, covering skincare, makeup, haircare, fragrance, and wellness categories. The initial launch will feature globally recognized brands, including Relevant Beauty, with an announcement of the complete brand portfolio to come before the launch.
Rather than merely broadening its offerings, Takealot views this partnership as a vital move toward establishing the most comprehensive beauty ecosystem in South Africa. This ecosystem will combine exclusive global brands with reliable nationwide fulfilment, expert beauty content, and experiences, in addition to future prospects for fostering local beauty entrepreneurship.
Beauty has emerged as a critical growth area for Takealot, increasingly serving as a means to engage and attract customers. This category also presents opportunities to transcend conventional eCommerce, integrating digital discovery and convenience with content and community, as well as physical experiences that enhance the beauty experience.
“Beauty is an incredibly exciting category for Takealot and one where we have significant ambition. We want to play a leading role in shaping the future of beauty retail in South Africa – not only by giving customers access to the world’s most exciting brands, but by creating a destination where beauty can be discovered and experienced in entirely new ways. This partnership significantly strengthens our premium and luxury beauty proposition, while giving us even more opportunity to bring the category to life through content, creators, and experiences that extend beyond the screen. For us, this is about building something much bigger than an online beauty store. It’s about building a beauty destination.” – Karla Levick, Chief Marketing Officer, Takealot Group
