Sponsored
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-Dec 6, 2020
This NY-based brand is disrupting the largest haircare segment, one flake at a time.
Just under 3 years ago, Jupiter’s Co-Founders Ross Goodhart and Robbie Salter found themselves in a rather relatable situation. They, like nearly 75% of the world’s population, were flaking. From dandruff, that is.
1. Ross, a former investor turned product developer, and Robbie, a former media consultant, each experienced scalp discomfort most of their entire lives – the former getting flakes more regularly, and the latter more seasonally – yet hadn’t found a solution that aligned with their lifestyles. “We were both spending $30-$40 per bottle on clean skincare, $100+ on a fragrance, and $20-$30 on styling products,” says Goodhart, “yet our dandruff shampoos were the same gross ones we’ve all used since childhood. It just didn’t make any sense.”
After doing some preliminary market research, chatting with friends, and even running an online test of a fictitious brand with the same value proposition as to what they were envisioning, they decided the opportunity was ripe: introduce a line of gender-neutral, clean, vegan and color-safe scalp care products made for the elevated, modern consumer. Enter Jupiter.
Jupiter’s formulation process did not come easy. It took nearly 2 years (and countless iterations) of R&D with some of the most well-respected names in dermatology and product development to really nail down the perfect formulas. They not only needed to work, but they needed to smell good and look good too.
For one, the dandruff care industry is overseen by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which lays out the rules for how medicated products are formulated. This point in particular was critical, given formulas without medicated ingredients (known as active ingredients) don’t have the same level of efficacy as those without (known as cosmetic products). Jupiter, for example, uses the active ingredient Zinc Pyrithione, clinically proven over non-active ingredients to be effective in the treatment of dandruff.
Secondly, the two founders were committed to swapping out the harsher, irritating ingredients commonly found in drugstore/mass market products. For instance, they knew how important it was to design products free from toxic lathering agents and preservatives (all Jupiter products are sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free), but honing in on the right ingredients that delivered the ideal consistency proved challenging.
And finally, the scent. It’s not uncommon for a beauty brand to use the word ‘fragrance’ in the ingredients section of their products. Look out! What most of us don’t know is that it’s often where less desirable inclusions (like those Parabens mentioned above) are tucked in so they’re not picked up when a consumer scans a bottle. Instead, Jupiter opted for natural ingredients that have therapeutic properties like rosemary, lavender, vanilla, bergamot, and sandalwood. It’s what gives their products their much-loved spa-like aroma.
Despite the hurdles, what Jupiter has developed is truly noteworthy. The launch line-up consists of 5 liquid products – some medicated, and some purely cosmetic – plus an exfoliating (and heavenly) scalp brush. And while the line is focused on supporting those with scalp discomfort like flaking, redness, scaling or general irritation, they’re simply wonderful products anyone looking for healthier, shinier hair can use.
The response thus far? Well, customers seem to agree that they’re head and shoulders above the competition.
