Jaimee Lupton, the visionary founder behind Monday Haircare, is continuing to revolutionise the beauty industry with her innovative approach to luxury and accessibility.
Speaking exclusively with Retail Beauty, while her beautiful three-month-old daughter, Noa, slept upstairs, Jaimee introduced us to her latest brand launch, Châlon Paris, a premium hand and body care range with long-lasting scent.
“The success of Monday Haircare has spiralled into creating these other brands,” she explained. Jaimee emphasised the core philosophy behind Monday Haircare, which aims to democratise beauty. “Our focus was on democratising beauty. You can buy our products for $10, making high-quality haircare accessible to everyone,” she said. “This approach has helped us create other brands because they see what we do.”
Since its 2020 launch, Monday Haircare is set to achieve $300 million in sales by 2024, selling 50,000 bottles daily—35 per minute—across 50,000 stores in 33 countries.
When discussing the inspiration for Châlon Paris, Jaimee shared her passion for fragrance. “The art of fragrance was key. We partnered with a French perfumist, Andre, to create luxurious scents like mandarin and basil. We wanted to bring high-street brand quality to the mass market,” she said.
The development of Châlon Paris was not without its challenges. “We’ve faced many challenges,” Jaimee admitted. “But thanks to the scale of Monday Haircare, we’ve built our own laboratory and factory in China. This vertical integration gives us control and streamlines our processes.”
One of the standout features of Châlon Paris is its incorporation of cutting-edge technologies. “We developed HaloScent technology, which releases fragrance over time, making the scent last longer,” Jaimee explained. “This unique technology sets us apart in the market.”
Jaimee also highlighted the importance of data in product development. “We analyse what’s selling well in specialty and mass markets. Florals and sandalwood are popular, so we elevate these scents in our products,” she said. “We look at data to see which scents are trending, and then we create our own elevated versions of those fragrances.”
Effective marketing and strategic positioning are crucial for the success of her brands. “Price choice and effective marketing are crucial,” Jaimee noted. “We’ve leveraged platforms like TikTok to highlight our beautiful scents and engage with consumers. It’s important for us to have a strong TikTok presence to showcase our brand.”
Reflecting on the launch of Monday Haircare during the pandemic, Jaimee shared the challenges and unexpected success. “We launched the first week of Covid-19. It was nerve-wracking, but we were floored by the positive reception. Monday Haircare was the first to disrupt the haircare space with its millennial packaging and trend-led approach,” she recounted.
Sustainability is a core value for Jaimee and her brands. “All our brands have recycled elements in their packaging. Our vertical integration ensures no waste in our raw materials. We prioritise working conditions and high standards in our factories,” she said. “It’s always a non-negotiable for us to have recycled elements in our packaging. We also ensure our raw materials come from sustainable sources.”
Jaimee detailed how this approach has translated into tangible results. “Because we are vertically integrated, we can make sure all our raw materials have no waste. We have recycled elements in all our brands. It’s interesting to see how sustainability can be integrated seamlessly.”
Our conversation also touched on the brand’s presence in major retail stores. “We’re exclusive with certain retailers for a period, and it’s always a discussion on how to maintain that exclusivity while expanding our reach. Partnering with Woolworths for the launch of Châlon Paris has been significant for us,” Jaimee explained.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Jaimee offers valuable advice. “Just start,” she advised. “Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Gather people who have lived in your future and be nimble. Changes will happen, and you need to adapt. Originally, I struggled with last-minute changes, but now I embrace them as part of the entrepreneurial journey.”
Jaimee’s team plays a significant role in the success of her ventures. “We have over 12 brands in the pipeline, with four in the market by the end of July. It’s crucial to have passionate beauty people on the team. Our superpower is developing brands that consumers actually want because our team is that consumer,” she emphasised. “We’ve built a great group of women, mainly women, who are passionate about beauty and are dedicated to developing brands that resonate with our customers.”
With the successful launch of Monday Haircare and the promising future of Châlon Paris, Jaimee continues to redefine the beauty industry, proving that high-quality, luxurious products can be both affordable and accessible to everyone. “We’re trying to do it again with these new brands,” she said. “Monday Haircare was our unicorn, and now we’re ready to see what happens next.”
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