Hairstory is aiming to disrupt the way people think about washing their hair with the introduction of New Wash, a detergent-free cleanser that is formulated to wash, condition, detangle and repair hair using a proprietary blend of essential oils and naturally-derived saturated cleansers. The three-year-old brand, which also has a salon in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, has no regional distributors; instead it relies on ecommerce generated by its website, hairstory.com, as well as a rewards program catering to hairstylists. Here, Beauty Insider spoke to Eli Halliwell, Chairman & CEO, Hairstory, to learn more about the brand and its upcoming plans.

Beauty Insider: Tell us about Hairstory.

Eli Halliwell: Hairstory was created in July 2015; we launched our products for purchase that November. The business had two key sources of inspiration: first, the world of professional hair care was undergoing profound structural change and there was a huge opening for a new company to create an entirely new business model; second, consumers are embracing new, healthier beauty products and are ready for a new way to wash hair that was completely different from cleaning with shampoo.

We raised money from friends and family at the outset, but now that we are profitable, we are entirely self-funded.

BI: What makes your products unique?

EH: Our main product, New Wash, offers a completely new way to wash hair. Unlike most shampoos, the product doesn’t have any detergent or foam, and doesn’t strip hair or the scalp of their natural protective barriers. It’s very moisturizing and doesn’t require any conditioner. Additionally, unlike a co-wash, New Wash actually cleans hair.

BI: How many SKUs are offered?

EH: We have five SKUs, which are designed to work with New Wash, including Hair Balm (an air-dry product), Dressed Up (a blow dry cream) and Undressed (a texture spray). The fifth is the subscription version of New Wash, called the New Wash Club, which offers 20-oz pouches that are dispersed through a refillable metal canister. Almost half of our sales come from subscriptions of New Wash, which consumers can choose the frequency of and easily cancel at any time.

BI: How do you educate consumers about your brand?
EH: Hairdressers are our most powerful brand educators. Digital marketing and word of mouth have been tremendously effective, as well. We have more than 5,000 reviews (more than 3,300 for New Wash alone) and our customers are tremendously loyal. Our repeat purchase rates are very high.

BI: Tell us about your marketing/communication plans. How are you spreading the word?

EH: We will continue to focus on hairdressers and digital marketing. Analysis of our Google Trends shows a 160% increase in share of searches for “New Wash” in the past year alone, and we are already closing in on much more established brands. We’re also currently running a 30-Day Challenge to #TakeAShowerWithUs, encouraging the public to try out their New Wash hair-care product for the recommended 30 days to see the incredible difference and feeling in their hair from using a product with no detergent.

BI: What’s planned for 2018?

EH: Despite growing more than 300% in 2017, we expect 2018 to be another very big year for Hairstory. In 2017, we established Hairstory among the leading professional hair brands, expanded to Canada, UK, Europe and Australia, and achieved consistent profitability. In 2018, we plan to more than double again by defining and owning consumer mindshare for a “new way to wash hair” that is positioned between shampooing and co-washing.