HAIRSTORY is a New York-based haircare brand established in 2015 that challenges conventional washing routines through its flagship product, New Wash, a detergent-free cleansing cream. The company operates on the premise that healthier hair results from rethinking how hair is washed rather than adding more traditional products to a regimen.1 HAIRSTORY positions itself as a premium, alternative brand focused on ingredient consciousness and individualized hair needs.2

The brand describes its mission as helping individuals achieve their “healthiest, happiest hair” by avoiding the harsh foaming detergents typically found in traditional shampoos.

HAIRSTORY was founded in New York in 2015 by CEO Eli Halliwell. Rather than launching another standard shampoo line, the company was created to reconsider fundamental assumptions within the haircare industry.3

The brand’s origins are linked to the earlier Purely Perfect haircare concept initiated by Michael Gordon, founder of Bumble and bumble. Under Halliwell’s leadership, the business was reworked and rebranded as HAIRSTORY, featuring updated formulas, packaging, and a revised product philosophy.3

Halliwell built the business around two central tenets: rethinking how people clean their hair and giving hairstylists a meaningful role in e-commerce. This second objective led to the development of an affiliate-oriented model allowing stylists to benefit when clients purchase products online.4

The central premise of HAIRSTORY is that traditional shampoo is not necessarily the optimal method for washing hair. Conventional shampoos typically rely on detergents and surfactants to create foam, an approach the brand argues can strip away natural oils alongside dirt and excess sebum.

As an alternative, HAIRSTORY offers New Wash, a cleansing cream formulated to cleanse, condition, detangle, and nourish hair simultaneously.5 This system aims to replace the traditional multi-step sequence of shampooing, rinsing, conditioning, and rinsing again with a simplified routine using only New Wash and water.

This philosophy serves as the foundation of the brand identity rather than merely a product feature. The name Hairstory reflects this positioning, treating hair as an individual attribute rather than something to be forced into a universal standard. The brand emphasizes concepts such as:

• Individuality: Acknowledging that different hair requires different solutions.
• Natural texture: Enhancing rather than transforming natural hair patterns.
• Simplicity: Reducing the number of steps in a haircare routine.
• Rejection of convention: Challenging the assumption that effective cleansing requires foam.
• Professional expertise: Integrating hairstylists into the commercial ecosystem.19

New Wash

New Wash is the brand’s signature product and primary intellectual property. It is described as a detergent-free cleansing cream designed to remove oil, dirt, and buildup while preserving the hair’s natural lipid barrier.6 The formulation utilizes gentle cleansing ingredients, including essential oils and fatty alcohols, which attach to unwanted residue so it can be rinsed away without the use of conventional foaming agents.8

The intended result is hair that feels softer, smoother, shinier, and more naturally textured, potentially allowing users to extend the time between washes.9 Current variants include:

• New Wash Original: For all hair types
• New Wash Rich: For dry and thick hair
• New Wash Deep: For fine and oily hair
• New Wash Fragrance Free
• New Wash Original Purple

Refill formats and larger sizes are also available.7

Expanded Ecosystem

While New Wash remains the centerpiece, HAIRSTORY has expanded into a broader system encompassing cleansers, scalp care, bond repair, color care, styling products, and accessories.10 Key products include:

• Pre-Wash: A detergent-free micellar scalp rinse containing prebiotics, designed to address buildup before cleansing.11
• Hair Balm: A moisturizing air-dry lotion intended to smooth and define natural waves and curls.18
• Primer: A smoothing and moisturizing protection mist for prepping hair.12
• Undressed: A salt-free texturizing spray with UV protection that adds texture while maintaining moisture.13
• Powder: A non-aerosol volumizing dry shampoo for refreshing hair between washes.24
• Bond Serum: A leave-in treatment for repairing and protecting damaged hair.14
• Lift: A heat-activated volumizing spray.15
• Wax: A medium-hold styling wax.16
• Dressed Up: A heat-protectant blow-dry lotion.17

These products reinforce the original New Wash thesis; for example, Powder extends time between washes, and styling products support less complicated routines.

HAIRSTORY markets its offerings as methods and routines rather than isolated items. The New Wash Method combines cleansing with specific styling and treatment products tailored to hair type, with distinct routines provided for dry, oily, damaged, flat, gray, and color-treated hair.20 This approach encourages consumers to determine their individual “hair story” through tools such as product-selection quizzes that assess hair type, desired results, and specific concerns.19

HAIRSTORY operates primarily through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model. Customers can purchase products directly via the brand’s website, utilizing options such as subscriptions and refill formats.23 Uniquely, the brand integrates professional hairstylists into its sales structure, combining traditional salon relationships with modern e-commerce to allow hairdressers to earn from client purchases.23

The brand targets consumers interested in premium, alternative haircare who find conventional shampoo routines too harsh or unsuitable. Its market position sits at the intersection of professional salon care, premium beauty, and ingredient-conscious personal care, distinguishing it from mass-market shampoo companies.25

HAIRSTORY is positioned at the premium end of the haircare market. On the U.S. site, New Wash Original is listed at $48 for 8 oz, while products like Hair Balm and Undressed are priced in the high-$30 range.25 This pricing strategy reinforces its status as a specialized system rather than a commodity cleanser. The brand’s strongest differentiator is the proposition that the conventional shampoo category itself is flawed, encouraging consumers to rethink washing entirely rather than simply switching brands.

Sustainability is integral to the HAIRSTORY identity. The company emphasizes the use of recyclable refill pouches to reduce dependence on conventional plastic bottles, stating that this shift has reduced plastic consumption by more than 87%.22 Selected formulas are marketed with attributes such as biodegradable, vegan, and Leaping Bunny certified.21 The sustainability strategy encompasses reduced packaging, refill systems, recyclable materials, ingredient-conscious formulations, and environmental donations.

HAIRSTORY’s claims represent brand positioning rather than universal scientific conclusions. While the brand contrasts New Wash with traditional shampoos regarding oil stripping,26 individual hair and scalp needs vary significantly. Those with very oily hair, heavy product buildup, or specific scalp conditions may still require conventional cleansing approaches. Additionally, the premium price point makes the routine significantly more expensive than standard shampoo, and the lack of foam may initially feel unusual to consumers accustomed to traditional lathering agents.

1. Our Story | Hairstory
2. Hairstory | LinkedIn
3. A Hair-raising Tale by Hairstory: Don’t Shampoo, but Do Wash — SunHee [sunny chae] Grinnell
4. HD New Wash Method LP | Hairstory
5. Collections | Hairstory
6. Refills | Hairstory
7. Hair Balm | Hairstory
8. Styling Upsell | Hairstory
9. Hompage Product Collection | Hairstory
10. Derick Ooi Tze Wei – Hairstory International Founder | Brandmine
11. The Bumble & bumble Flagship Is Closed. The Rest Is Hairstory.
12. Hairstory Founders’ Next Act: Hand And Body Wash Without Detergent
13. Hairstory: A Hair-Care Brand That Doesn’t Make Shampoo – Fashionista
14. Use Products Great For Your Hair and Our Planet with Hairstory | Beauty Launchpad
15. Eli Halliwell of Hairstory: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO | by Candice Georgiadis | Authority Magazine | Medium
16. THIS CONVERSATION IS DETERGENT FREE: CRUDE + HAIRSTORY DISCUSS THE NEW – CRUDE Personal Care
17. Products | Hairstory
18. Hair Balm | Hairstory
19. Our Story | Hairstory
20. New Wash Method | Hairstory
21. Our Story | Hairstory
22. Sustainability | Hairstory
23. Hairstory – 15 Products | Ulta Beauty
24. Powder Hairstory – 1 Products | Ulta Beauty
25. Sparked | New & Emerging Beauty Brands | Ulta Beauty
26. Hairstory | LinkedIn