When former beauty executive Evelyn Wang stopped dyeing her gray hair in 2015, she didn’t think it would lead to launching a hair care brand. But as she began to fully embrace her silver locks, she noticed a white spot, she said.
“I just took my (hair color) out, which weakened my regrown hair, so I was looking for products that would work for me,” said Wang, who has worked in high-profile beauty positions at L’Oréal Paris, Milani, Neutrogena and the Estée Lauder Companies. “There were a few older formulas and there was a purple shampoo brand that people recommended I buy – it was the same brand that people use at dog shows for white dogs. At that point, I thought, ‘There are a lot of people with gray hair, but there’s nothing on the market (for them).”
As Wang explained, caring for gray hair – often colloquially referred to as silver hair – requires special formulas. As hair turns gray, it loses melanin, making hair follicles more sensitive to heat and UV damage. “(Gray hair) is also more porous, so moisture can penetrate more easily, but the hair has a harder time retaining that moisture. This can lead to dryness, frizz and texture issues,” she told Glossy.
In 2019, Wang began researching and developing her own products, which led to the launch this week of The Silverist, a haircare brand for people with gray hair.
On Wednesday, Silverist launched exclusively on its e-commerce site with three hero products, all priced at $32. They include the Lustrous Rituals Buildable Tone Shampoo, which the brand describes as a “non-violet, sulfate-free shampoo that allows for gradual color correction.” There’s also the Smooth Harmony Shine-Infusing Conditioner, which promises to “deliver the silky shine and smoothness that silver hair craves.” And the Holistic Benefits Leave-in Hair Serum is said to “offer the brand’s highest heat protection while also conditioning, hydrating, detangling, smoothing, adding shine, volumizing, softening, and giving hair a healthy look.”
As a new brand targeting graying hair, Silverist competes with brands like SEEN and Oribe, both of which have released collections in the category. But Wang says the brand’s unique selling point is its ingredients. Each formula contains a blend of saccharides designed to protect hair from heat. It also contains amla seed oil, karanja seed oil and sunflower seed oil, all of which help nourish gray strands and the scalp, adding shine and softness, Wang said.
The brand will announce its launch through its social media channels. Additionally, Wang will spread education and useful information about gray hair through TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Lives. Wang said prior to the launch, the live strategy proved successful, with over 9,000 consumers participating in her live chats.
Additionally, Wang plans to tap women over 40 with gray hair for future campaigns, photoshoots and influencer giveaways. Although Silverist’s products are unisex, Wang says one of the brand’s core missions is to highlight the normal, but often stigmatized, aging process women experience.
Brands are increasingly paying attention to Generation X and older generations. On August 15, Dove launched “Beauty Never Gets Old,” a 360-degree campaign that focuses on women over 60. And in May, clean beauty brand Merit hired longtime Vogue creative director Grace Coddington (83) for a campaign to announce the latest shade of its Satin Signature Lipstick.
According to previous Glossy reports, the purchasing power of consumers over 40 is steadily increasing. A 2024 Capital One Shopping Survey found that in the 12 months ending March 2024, 85% of Generation X consumers shopped online. And 9.52% of Generation Xers said they shop online at least once a week.
As for Silverist’s next move, Wang says expanding into retail channels is the ideal next step. “I’m exploring beauty specialty retail first and then potentially expanding to other channels.”
