Gisou Will get in on Hair Restore with First Serum – WWD
Gisou is in development mode.
Since closing a Collection B funding spherical led by Eurazeo final yr, the honey-infused hair care model has launched new iterations of its cult-favorite lip oil and hair fragrance, doubled its Sephora at Kohl’s door depend from 400 to 800 and is now introducing its first hair restore product.
Retailing for $45, the Honey Infused Hair Restore Serum incorporates the model’s highest focus of encapsulated honey — Gisou’s core ingredient — in addition to hydrating meadowfoam oil and keraguard, a plant-based advanced that provides warmth safety and strengthens strands.
“That is our first product that’s centered on restore,” stated Negin Mirsalehi, who cofounded Gisou in 2015 along with her companion, Maurits Stibbe. The model’s debut inventory conserving unit was its Honey Infused Hair Oil, which tackles frizz and boosts shine. Whereas hair care remains to be the primary driver of the enterprise, Gisou has steadily expanded into physique care, lip and facial skincare.
“We don’t launch many merchandise — we kind of let honey information us to what make sense,” stated Mirsalehi, who first gained prominence within the early 2010s as a magnificence and style influencer and hails from an extended line of beekeepers.
“We solely go into merchandise the place the honey will actually make a distinction,” Stibbs added.
Although Mirsalehi and Stibbs didn’t touch upon gross sales expectations for the serum launch, trade sources estimate the Honey Infused Hair Serum might do $10 million in first-year retail gross sales.
North America — the place the model is in additional than 500 Sephora doorways and 800-plus Sephora at Kohl’s doorways — generates half of the model’s enterprise. Within the Center East, there are 60 factors of sale, and Gisou is bought in 100 Mecca outposts in Australia and New Zealand.
“The U.S. is our most vital market proper now — it’s one the place we resonate very nicely,” stated Stibbs, noting the model’s hair fragrance is its fastest-growing sku within the U.S.
South America, Southeast Asia and India could possibly be on the horizon for the model, however the focus is on “constructing via the markets we’re in proper now, fairly than increasing,” Mirsalehi stated.
“It’s straightforward to develop into new markets, but it surely’s vital for us to deal with being profitable the place we’re — creating a greater expertise in shops, getting extra [associates] educated inside shops, there’s nonetheless a lot to do in our present markets,” Stibbe stated.
In April, Gisou hosted its first Los Angeles pop-up to commemorate the launch of its lip oil at Sephora; in June, the model opened its second bee backyard in Amsterdam — the place Gisou relies — helmed by Mirsalehi’s sister and Gisou beekeeper in chief, Negar Mirsalehi.
“A variety of manufacturers at present have honey-infused merchandise — it’s a highly regarded and occurring ingredient — however our [family beekeeping] story isn’t solely an important advertising and marketing device, it’s a real story and I do assume that units us aside, too,” stated Negin Mirsalehi, who often meets the Gisou group members on the bee backyard and uploads instructional beekeeping content material to the model’s Instagram, which counts 781,000 followers.
The model can also be eyeing a possible foray into stand-alone retail down the road.
“That’s one thing we’re wanting into and really feel tremendous enthusiastic about — after doing these pop-ups, you’re feeling such as you’re prepared for the following step,” Mirsalehi stated.
