Face Foundrié: A Franchise with Style, Growth, and Some Strategic Silence?

Face Foundrié wants to be the Drybar of skincare; a modern, fast facial bar that trades luxury for convenience, with recurring memberships and a product line to match. It’s branded beautifully, expanding aggressively, and positioned to appeal to wellness-focused investors.

But before you buy into the polish, let’s look at what the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) actually reveals about real performance, risks, and redirections. Especially those that aren’t being shouted from the rooftops.

💰 Initial Investment (Item 7)

To open a Face Foundrié, the franchisor estimates you’ll need between $351,900 and $698,850. This includes the $50,000 franchise fee (discounted to $40,000 for multi-unit developers or qualifying veterans), plus costs for leasehold improvements, equipment, technology, opening inventory, marketing, and around $71,000 to $79,000 in working capital for your first 90 days.

This range reflects a retail buildout of 1,400 to 2,200 square feet, typically in lifestyle centers or upscale commercial retail zones. It assumes you’ll be leasing, not buying, and using standard vendors for furniture, signage, and required equipment like HydraFacial machines and cryotherapy systems.

Verdict: The estimate is transparent, thorough, and in line with other boutique wellness franchises.
Flag: ✅ Green

📊 Financial Performance (Item 19)

The 2025 FDD includes gross revenue data for 34 franchised Face Foundrié locations that were open and continuously operating during the full reporting period, which spans April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.

Fourteen additional franchised locations were opened during the year, but were excluded from the financial performance table because they were not open for the full period.

Here’s what the data shows for the 34 included units:

• The average gross revenue was $738,243.

• The median gross revenue was $691,057.

• The highest-performing location earned $1,754,928.

• The lowest-performing location earned $274,669.

• Sixteen of the 34 franchised locations (or 47%) earned more than the average.

It’s important to note that this performance data includes gross revenue only. No expense categories are disclosed in Item 19 for franchised outlets but are listed for some corporate outlets. While these omissions are common in franchise disclosure documents, they are still worth highlighting because many franchise buyers mistake gross revenue for actual profit.

Verdict: The financial disclosure is legally compliant, but less than fully transparent. It presents a wide range in unit performance; with over half of the franchisees earning less than the average in gross sales. Without operating cost data on franchised units, prospective buyers are left to guess at margins or depend solely on verbal assurances during validation.
Flag: 🟡 Yellow

🏢 System Growth & Turnover (Item 20)

By the end of 2024, Face Foundrié had 48 franchised units and 5 company-owned units open. That’s up from 30 franchised units at the beginning of the year but down from 6 company-owned units at the end of 2023. In short, the system gained 17 units during the year.

No franchised outlets were closed, terminated, or non-renewed in 2024.

In 2024, Face Foundrié closed 2 of its company-owned stores in Pennsylvania but opened 2 units in Texas. A third corporate store in Colorado was sold to a franchisee in December. Two additional corporate locations are planned for Texas in 2025.

Verdict: Franchised growth is strong. But the closures of corporate units, and the decision to offload one to a franchisee, raise important questions.
Flag: 🟡 Yellow

🚦 Reality Check: What the Flags Say

• Franchisee revenue performance is modest, not stellar. With an average just over $600K and no profit data disclosed, success will depend heavily on local rent, staffing, and whether you can outperform the baseline.

• The brand is growing, but corporate appears to be making some strategic shifts. Franchisees should ask why corporate locations closed in Pennsylvania and why another was sold.

• Startup costs are reasonable, clearly disclosed, and seem appropriate for the business model.

🧠 Due Diligence Tip: Start with These Questions

1. What does a high-performing unit look like in your market? Ask franchisees directly about their gross revenue, cost structure, breakeven timeline, and net income after fees.

2. What happened to the Pennsylvania corporate stores? Closures without explanation should prompt a deeper look.

3. Why was the Colorado store sold? Was it profitable? Was it underperforming? Did corporate shift strategy?

4. Can you handle minimum royalties and fixed fees in a low-performing unit? Even if you’re grossing $400K annually, you’ll still owe 7% royalty, 3% marketing, and $400 monthly in tech fees.

5. How long did it take franchisees to open and become profitable? Several locations have been open since 2021–2022. Their experience is a better indicator than what’s promised in a pitch deck. A good place to look is Item 19(B) Historic Sales Information in the 2025 FDD.

6. Are you confident in staff retention? Online reviews mention high esthetician turnover, low commissions, and front-line burnout. If you're not prepared to manage staffing aggressively, the business model could suffer.

This information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent professional counsel. All information presented herein is based on publicly available materials, including Face Foundrié’s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), industry sources, and third-party online claims as of the date of publication.

Franchise Reality Check™ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Face Foundrié Franchising L.L.C. or its affiliates. The opinions expressed in this report reflect a good faith analysis of the franchise opportunity and are not intended to defame, disparage, or misrepresent any individual or entity.

Prospective franchisees are strongly encouraged to consult a qualified franchise attorney, accountant, or advisor before entering into any franchise agreement. Results may vary widely, and past performance is not indicative of future success.