Monday Haircare founder launches new hair brand

New Zealand-based beauty entrepreneur Jaimee Lupton, founder of Monday Haircare and Osāna Naturals, has launched her third haircare brand in the US exclusively with Walmart designed to be her most inclusive to date.

Calling ‘Being,’ the brand will be exclusive to US retailer Walmart, as it looks to become the first brand distributed in a mass retailer in the US that allows people with all hair textures, types, and needs “to buy from one brand, in one aisle, on one shelf, at an accessible price point,” as all products are under 7 US dollars.

In a statement, the haircare brand, which offers a collection of moisture-rich shampoos, conditioners, and treatments for all hair types, said it aims to provide targeted formulas to “finesse and de-stress your hair exactly as it is, rather than trying to make it something it’s not”.

Being products have been designed to address a wide range of consumer needs by offering customised formulations based on hair type, from curly and coarse to fine and flat. Each of the five product families are tailored to cater to hair types from 1a to 4c and features high-performing naturally derived active and ethically sourced ingredients that are gentle on hair and planet, certified cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny approved.

Team behind Monday Haircare and Osāna Naturals launches new inclusive haircare brand

The line is launched in response to consumers being overwhelmed or dissatisfied with their current hair care options, or simply being unclear about what products they should use to satisfy their needs. An independent consumer study, commissioned by the brand, showed more than half of the people surveyed could not identify their hair type. At the same time, 79 percent of respondents said it is difficult to find products tailored for their specific hair type and needs.

To ensure that it addresses all consumers, Being has been developed with trichologists, alongside an advisory board, which includes writer, beauty expert and ‘Texture Diaries’ founder Akili King, celebrity hairstylist Alyx Liu, journalist and founder/editor in chief of Cripple Media, Emily Flores, and beauty and lifestyle creator Shahd Batal. The brand has also tapped celebrity hairstylist and visual artist Sky Kim across its brand campaign and launch.

In addition, Being has also employed universal design applications in its packaging to ensure accessibility, such as a soft, easy-to-squeeze tube that’s ideal for one-handed use, as well as a lipped-lid design that makes it easier for individuals with limited dexterity to open the bottle. While high contrast labels, large typography, and tactile indicators on the bottles enhance accessibility for individuals with visual impairments and colour blindness. For being, true inclusivity means packaging that is created as consciously as its formulas.

Being launches exclusive at Walmart in the US

Lupton, founder of Being, said in a statement: “We know haircare isn’t one size fits all, and consumers deserve more than a blanket approach to products, which often ignores a myriad of hair types, textures and needs. With Being, we offer fun, effective, solution-based haircare for hair types 1a to 4c, all under 7 US dollars.

“And while we were conscious of price accessibility, we also focused on making our packaging more accessible, because we don’t want cost or usability to be hurdles for shoppers. At being, we want everyone to feel welcome, celebrated and seen.”

Being is the third brand to debut in the US by Lupton’s company Monday International Ltd. Her first brand, Monday Haircare launched in February 2020, to make premium-quality hair care more accessible. Four years later, Monday has won several beauty awards and is stocked with more than 100 retailers in 65,000 doors across almost 40 countries and is ranked as the number one haircare brand on TikTok. This was followed up by Osāna Naturals, a range of skin and hair care formulations featuring six functional fragrances, which landed in Target US and Walmart US in February of 2024.

Monday International Ltd. adds that it plans to add up to 10 new disruptive beauty and personal care brands, aimed at bringing a premium approach to beauty at an accessible price point, to market in Australasia, the US, and beyond by 2025, and the beauty vertical is project to reach 300 million US dollars in sales in 2024.