GlossiHair

Expanding Glossier’s Brand into Haircare

Role: Brand Strategist, Product Designer, Marketing

Tools: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite

Timeline: 3 months

Project: Concept brand extension & go-to-market strategy

Disclaimer: None of these images belong to me; this is a personal project

overview

Glossier built a cult following by democratizing beauty with minimal, skin-first products. Yet despite loyal customers asking for haircare, Glossier has yet to expand into this category. I imagined GlossiHair as an extension of Glossier’s effortless aesthetic, but tailored to haircare.

The Concept: Your Hair, Glossier

Why: Despite years of customer requests and a loyal community begging for expansion, Glossier has stayed firmly in skincare and makeup territory. Meanwhile, the haircare industry is ripe for the same disruption Glossier brought to beauty.

Positioning: Glossier took an industry obsessed with transformation and directed the focus to celebrating real skin and real people. This is why Glossier is already set up to provide everyday haircare essentials for healthy, naturally beautiful hair.

The haircare industry is ripe for the same disruption Glossier brought to beauty. The global hair care market size was valued at $106.91 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $213.47 billion by 2032. Further, according to a survey I sent out to 40 avid Glossier customers:

  • 74% of Glossier customers also purchase premium haircare

  • 89% of survey respondents would try Glossier haircare products

After doing some more research, these are the current trends in the haircare and beauty industry:

research

clean ingredients

aesthetic packaging

scalp health

market analysis

product lineup

go-to-market strategy

what i learned

Before designing a single bottle, I needed to understand where GlossiHair could fit in an already crowded market.

The Key Players:

  • Uses bond-repair science, salon-grade, which feels intimidating for everyday users

  • Proves there's an appetite for premium, aesthetic haircare; their celebrity-focused marketing can create a disconnect with customers who do not see themselves represented by the brand. Glossier's community-first approach could capture this audience while feeling more accessible.

  • Honey-based, it’s single ingredient story limits range expansion

  • Crown Affair's aesthetic is closest to Glossier's minimalism, proving that the market exists. However, they lack Glossier's massive community and social media savvy. Their higher price points and more mature positioning leave room for a younger, more playful brand.

How GlossiHair Can Stand Out:

  • Community-first clean haircare at accessible premium prices ($24-38 range)

  • Science-backed haircare with playful branding

  • Minimal routine in a market drowning in 10-step systems

  • Authentic inclusivity that shows all hair types and textures

GlossiHair should feel premium enough to feel special, accessible enough to try, community-driven enough to trust, and simple enough to actually use.

Target Audience Deep Dive:

Primary: Glossier Fans (22-35 years old)

  • Already trust the brand with their skincare routine

  • Values authentic, unfiltered beauty content

  • Highly social media active and brand evangelistic

Secondary: Clean Beauty Seekers

  • Currently shopping at Sephora for "clean" alternatives

  • Frustrated by complicated haircare routines

  • Drawn to minimal aesthetics and honest marketing

The Hydrating Conditioner:

  • Silky, moisturizing formula that detangles and softens hair without weighing it down

  • Tames frizz, adds shine

  • In the iconic Glossier ‘You’ scent

The Comb:

  • Pink wide-tooth comb designed for wet hair detangling without breakage

  • Encourages volume and separation when fluffing out dry hair

  • Can be used for all hair types

The Hair Oil:

  • Adds shine without feeling greasy

  • Lightweight blend of argan, jojoba, and rosehip oils

  • Adds hydration, boosts shine, and tames frizz while preserving hair color

  • Has heat protectant so it can also be used as a styling aid

Phase 1: Building Anticipation Amongst The Community

Mysterious Instagram posts featuring hair close-ups

Teaser email campaign

Influencer seeding with existing Glossier brand partners

Phase 2: Announcing The Products

Exciting and aesthetic Instagram posts revealing the line

Announcment emails introducing the products, the first 1000 customers purchasing GlossiHair will recieve a free satin scrunchie

TikTok and Instagram Reels partnership with micro-influencers

Phase 3: The Experience

Every skincare/makeup purchase during the launch month will include a free GlossiHair sample trio with any order over $40, including a QR code for 20% off a full-size purchase

Pop-up "GlossiHair Bars" in NYC and LA, which will include:

  • The Texture Station: Try products on different hair texture swatches

  • Instagram-worthy space and a photobooth to share on social media with the tag #GlossiHair

  • Bag Customization: Get your product bag personalized with embroidered initials, with purchases made in pop-up shops

The Campaign Goals:

  • $15M revenue in first 90 days

  • 75K customers acquired (35% from existing Glossier base, 65% net new)

  • 40% product trial rate among the existing Glossier email list

  • 20% repeat purchase rate within 60 days

Brand loyalty: Digging into the data confirmed what I suspected: Glossier has created a loyal community that is excited to be led into new categories. With 89% of survey respondents saying they would try Glossier hair care, I learned that a strong brand doesn't need a revolutionary approach to haircare. They would try GlossiHair because they want to buy into Glossier’s existing philosophy and reputation. Glossier just needs to apply its unique lens when creating its own haircare line. The challenge wasn't convincing people to buy hair care; it was convincing them that Glossier's version would be worth the switch.

Restraint is a strategy: Designing the product lineup taught me the discipline of simplicity. It’s tempting to launch a complex 10-step routine, but that betrays the brand's "skin-first, minimal" ethos. Forcing myself to whittle the launch down to just four essentials: a shampoo, conditioner, oil, and hair mask reinforced that a good product strategy is often about what you don't launch.

Building trust through design: Translating the iconic skincare aesthetic into hair care bottles was a unique challenge. I learned that strictly maintaining visual DNA, such as the specific shade of pink and the minimal typography, is crucial to consumer confidence. When a customer picks up a bottle, they shouldn't just see shampoo; they should feel the same reliability they feel with their Balm Dotcom.

texture-embracing products

The Gentle Shampoo:

  • Cleanse without stripping

  • Contains hyaluronic acid, a humectant that draws moisture into the hair and scalp

  • Also contains niacinamide, which helps maintain the scalp's moisture barrier

  • In the iconic Glossier ‘You’ scent

The Hair Mask:

  • Weekly deep conditioning treatment

  • Clean ingredients focused on repair and moisture

  • Suitable for all hair types

  • In the iconic Glossier ‘You’ scent