Misti Haircare x Actives

After building brands for others for more than 20 years, often as a single parent and sole provider, Misti Watson reached a point of depletion. The pressure to deliver for clients while raising two daughters felt unsustainable, so she finally turned towards an idea she had carried quietly for years. In 2024, she took the leap to create a brand of her own, and 14 months of determined work later, she launched Misti Haircare x Actives.

- Misti Watson

Haircare inspired by skincare with mood-boosting fragrance... Where did the idea come from?

I'm a mom of two teenage daughters, and beauty became something in which we found shared joy. The skincare sector was vibrant, with accessibly priced brands using powerful active ingredients. Haircare, by contrast, felt stagnant. Shelves were lined with the same brands, often garish in packaging and heavy in claims. There was a clear opportunity for haircare to catch up.

I'd always had a good head of hair but struggled with my skin, and active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide brought relief. I began to explore how these actives could benefit hair, and the idea for a haircare range inspired by skincare products crystallised.

Building brands has been my entire career, and I knew there was room for a more considered, accessible luxury haircare brand: formulas powered by hardworking actives, scented with sophisticated fine fragrances, and packaged in a way that feels calming and functional.

What did the early days look like?