INTERVIEW #129 HAIRLUST
Based in: Copenhagen, Denmark
Founded in: 2017
Founded by: Sofie Tidemand, Rasmus Serup
Stores: Shipping worldwide, 12 online webshops, 1 international webshop, physical stores in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland
Price range: 10€ - 120€
Instagram: hairlust
Welcome Hairlust! Who are you and why did you start your brand?
The inspiration for Hairlust came from a personal experience shared by me, Rasmus Serup, and my co-founder, Sofie Tidemand, in our 20s. Both of us experienced the struggles of thinning hair and hair loss, challenges that anyone who's faced similar issues knows can be incredibly discouraging. As we searched for solutions, we noticed a significant gap in the market for high-quality clean hair care products that were not only effective but also sustainable and transparent.
With years of experience in the supplement industry, Sofie and I saw an opportunity to rethink hair care from the inside out. Our vision was to create nutritional supplements tailored specifically for hair health and make them easily accessible to consumers by selling D2C.
From the beginning, we were driven by a passion for innovation and a commitment to our customers. We wanted Hairlust to be more than just products—it had to be a source of knowledge, inspiration, and personalized support. Our goal was ambitious: to revolutionize hair care by addressing hair health holistically, from the inside out.
In 2017, we turned that vision into reality. Today, with the help of an incredible team, we’re proud to help people everywhere achieve healthier, stronger hair and feel confident in their own skin.
The beauty industry is huge! Why do you think there’s still a need for your brand and how would you say that you’re a force for change and just not another brand and product on the market?
The beauty industry is vast, but we believe there’s still a real need for a brand like Hairlust because we’re not just another product on the market. Our vision is to create hair care that goes beyond the look by embracing Scandinavian principles at the core of everything we do. We aim to be pioneers in both innovation and sustainability, leading the change for responsible production. Our goal isn’t just to provide effective products; we want our customers to feel proud of their hair, confident in their appearance, and empowered to tell their own stories through their hair. It’s about more than external aesthetics—it’s about self-determination. "Wear your hair proud and loud!"
Our holistic approach to hair care, driven by creativity, sustainability, and innovation, truly sets us apart. While many natural beauty brands opt for minimalist designs and natural tones, we embrace a playful, colorful aesthetic that radiates joy and inspiration. Our products are clean, certified organic, and vegan, with ingredients that offer a holistic solution that works from the inside out.
We’re proud to have recently received B-Corp certification, scoring as one of the highest-rated hair care brands for our commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Our dedication to high-quality, sustainable products, combined with our bold and colorful approach, allows us to create a brand that not only stands out but also challenges the status quo in the beauty industry. We are more than just another brand—we are a force for change in clean, innovative, and consciously crafted hair care.
Who are your products for? What does the typical consumer look like?
Hairlust primarily caters to women aged 25 to 45 who have a deep interest in sustainable, high-quality clean cosmetics. These women prioritize natural, vegan products and are passionate about finding hair care solutions that align with their ethical and environmental values. They seek products free from harmful chemicals, not only to promote their own health but also to contribute to a healthier planet.
Nevertheless, most of our products are unisex and can be enjoyed by anyone. We have customers of all ages.
What is your sustainability profile?
At Hairlust, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, from the sourcing of ingredients to the design of our packaging. We are proud to have most of our products certified by Ecocert Greenlife and labeled with the COSMOS Organic certification. This European certification guarantees that a significant portion of our products’ ingredients are natural, with a minimum of 95% of the plants being organically grown. For products with rinse-off formulas, at least 10% of the ingredients must be organic, ensuring they are free from harmful chemicals like parabens, synthetic fragrances, and GMOs.
Hairlust’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond our ingredients to our environmental impact. As members of Ecologi, we offset the carbon footprint of every team member and our business travel, and we’ve already compensated over 100 tons of CO2. We support numerous global sustainability projects, including renewable energy initiatives in Asia and rainforest preservation in South America.
In terms of packaging, we take a proactive approach by using recycled plastic (PCR) whenever possible and designing our packaging to be 100% recyclable. We partner with Plastic Change, a Danish environmental organization, to combat plastic pollution and promote a waste-free society, as well as Bower, an app that supports the correct disposal of our used products.
One of our latest achievements is our B Corp Certification, recognizing our efforts in social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. This certification evaluates our entire impact, ensuring that our business practices support a more sustainable and equitable economy.
Ultimately, we believe that sustainability and quality go hand in hand. By using organic, natural ingredients, offering eco-friendly packaging, and supporting global environmental initiatives, we’re committed to providing clean, effective, and sustainable hair care products that our customers can feel good about using.
We believe in hair care beyond the look!
Addressing the excesses and failures of current developments is a key challenge for our society. Establishing a sustainable development that would reconcile economic progress, social responsibility and maintain the natural balance of the planet is a project in which Hairlust is willing to be fully involved. The application of the principles of sustainable development in economic activity implies, however, taking responsibility in challenging the status quo in production processes and changing consumption practices. Recognising these challenges, Hairlust clearly shows its ambition to go further in sustainable development.
We believe in creating hair care that challenges the status quo and industry standards in creating clean, conscious, and effective hair care. At Hairlust, we have made a promise to create natural hair care without compromising on quality.
We want to make clean haircare an obvious choice while conserving the environment.
To stimulate processes for sustainable production and consumption, we follow our values governed by the principles of prevention and safety at all levels of the chain from production of raw materials to the distribution of finished products.
• Promoting the use of products from organic agriculture, and respecting biodiversity
• Using natural resources responsibly, and respecting the environment
• Using processing and manufacturing that are clean and respectful of human health and the environment
• Integrating and developing the concept of "Green Chemistry" and “Clean beauty”
Main efforts that are promoting our values:
• Making certified non-toxic organic products
• Making vegan products only
• Putting transparency and reliability on top of our agenda
• Test our products at independent third-party laboratories to ensure they meet our standards
• Certify our efforts by organisations like COSMOS Ecocert, Vegan Society, Allergy Certified, Ecologi, Bower, OEKO-TEX 100, FSC etc
• Develop clean products without harmful or unwanted chemicals, like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, allergenic and chemical fragrances, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs), aerosols and such.
• Investing in partnerships with impact-driven organisations like Plastic Change and Small Revolution
• Investing in climate projects and compensating for our CO2 emissions
• Using responsible and recycled packaging materials
• Seeking sustainable options in every strategy, including innovative material
• Running a recycling programme, rewarding consumers recycling our products
We do our absolute best to include sustainability into every process of our company. It’s our guarantee to everyone.
Whether it concerns the choice of partners, production decisions, shipping policies or internal matters, we believe that sustainability is the only way forward.
You have a wonderful design and your products are very appealing to the eye, what inspired you and what was important for you when designing the product?
Unlike many natural beauty brands that lean into muted, minimalist designs, we dare to be different. We embrace a playful, colorful aesthetic that sparks joy and inspiration while remaining functional. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do—our products are vegan, eco-friendly, and effective, with innovative ingredients that offer a comprehensive approach to hair care, nourishing both inside and out.
We’re also dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact. We carefully select materials, using PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic whenever possible, and avoiding plastic entirely where feasible—for example, one of our newest addition, the Hair Bars™, have plastic-free packaging. By combining a bold design with sustainable practices, we’ve created a brand that redefines natural cosmetics, making hair care both beautiful and environmentally conscious.
What have been and are the major challenges when it comes to starting your own brand and being a part of the beauty industry?
We’ve noticed that product popularity can fluctuate greatly—what’s trendy one year might fade into obscurity the next. That’s why we prioritize creating evergreen products that remain relevant year-round, avoiding the pitfalls of seasonality or short-lived trends. At the same time, we strive to innovate by developing unique products that fulfill needs customers didn’t even know they had—whether it’s a hair balm, styling stick, or scalp scrub. Some of these bold ideas resonate strongly with our audience, while others may only see brief success.
Expanding our product range both horizontally and vertically has proven essential to maintaining a stable revenue stream and reducing reliance on any single product. This stability not only makes us more resilient to changing trends but also gives us the freedom to invest in innovative ideas and continue pushing the boundaries of natural, clean hair care.
What has been and is the largest gain?
Since our founding, we've been dedicated to making the beauty industry more sustainable. We started by focusing on our home market in Denmark but have since expanded to 12 countries across Europe. In 2023 alone, we achieved over +50,000,000 in online sales and processed over 130,000 online orders through our direct-to-consumer webshops. We also saw more than 800,000 monthly website visitors across our country-specific sites and shipped over 700,000 Hairlust products to customers in 80+ countries. Being able to reach that many people with our values and products is a huge achievement for us and makes us eager to become better each day.
Some of our biggest achievements include launching new products, entering new markets, forming partnerships with leading beauty retailers like Sokos in Finland, expanding our team, winning prestigious awards such as the Danish and Dutch Beauty Awards, and earning B Corp certification. We've also introduced a recycling program, developed an advanced hair test, and consistently sought to integrate sustainability into our operations. As we continue to grow, our goal is to lead by example in promoting more transparent, ethical, and environmentally friendly practices throughout the beauty industry.
What do you think needs to change in the beauty industry to make it more sustainable?
To make the beauty industry more sustainable, a shift toward greater transparency, responsible sourcing, and long-term thinking is essential. Brands should focus on using high-quality, natural, and organic ingredients, ensuring they are not only effective but also environmentally friendly. The industry needs to move away from harmful chemicals, excessive plastic waste, and non-recyclable packaging, opting instead for eco-friendly, reusable, and recyclable materials like PCR plastic or glass.
Another crucial change is to prioritize the full lifecycle of products, from ethical ingredient sourcing to sustainable production methods. Beauty companies should be held accountable for their environmental impact, and certifications like B Corp and COSMOS Organic can help guide consumers toward more ethical choices.
At the same time, the industry needs to embrace a shift in how beauty is perceived—moving beyond surface-level aesthetics to foster inclusivity, self-confidence, and individuality. Sustainable beauty is not just about being environmentally conscious; it’s about educating and empowering consumers to make the right choices.
What can consumers who are interested in beauty and want to use good products think about to be even more sustainable in their beauty routine and practices?
To make their beauty routines more sustainable, consumers should consider products that not only deliver results but also align with their values. Opting for clean, natural, and organic ingredients, free from harmful chemicals, ensures healthier choices for both the body and the planet. Moreover, choosing brands that use recyclable, reusable, or recycled packaging helps reduce waste. Investing in high-quality, long-lasting products helps minimize waste and avoid overconsumption.
But sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s about embracing "beauty beyond the look." True beauty comes from feeling confident and celebrating your unique self. Our products not only care for your hair but empower you to express yourself with pride. It’s about feeling comfortable in your own skin, not just looking good on the outside.
What is the next step for you as a company?
Looking ahead, Hairlust is focused on continuous growth and innovation. We’re expanding our product range with some exciting new launches coming soon, such as our most recent and innovative launch of the Hair Bar™. Our goal is to offer a comprehensive line of products that cater to all hair types and needs—whether that’s through shampoos, conditioners, styling products, or accessories. We see endless possibilities and are just scratching the surface of what we can create.
A major part of our future vision is to keep evolving and improving across all aspects of our business. This includes developing even more sustainable products, optimizing our operations for greater efficiency, and reducing our environmental impact. We’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining the highest standards of quality for our customers.
Another key focus is expanding our global reach. We aim to make Hairlust more accessible to consumers around the world by strengthening our local presence, including through new retail partnerships in various markets.