Hair-care brand Aveda is betting big on its newest launch thanks to help from its community of hair pros.
“Our products come to life in the hands of the hairdresser,” Shane Wolf, Estée Lauder Companies president of Aveda and hair care, told Glossy. “When we come together with this group of hairdressers, called our advisory panel, magic happens.”
By tapping into ELC’s in-house R&D team and Aveda’s expansive network of hairstylists, many of which work within the 6,000 partner salons that carry Aveda, Wolf and his team are able to plan, develop and test its new launches in a more effective way. “The best possible outcome is from that synergy,” Wolf said.
For example, for its new Miraculous Oil High-Shine Hair Concentrate, out today, the team was able to make stylist-approved tweaks and hone in on a strong education strategy. Wolf told Glossy that stylist feedback, which comes throughout the development process, helped the team to dial up the strength of the aroma while also expanding use case education.
Miraculous Oil High-Shine Hair Concentrate is a styling product meant to tame frizz and boost shine on every hair type and texture. Aveda’s team told Glossy that ELC plans on this launch quickly becoming a bestseller for the company.
Priced at $42 for 1.7 ounces, the new offering competes with longtime consumer favorites and buzzy new offerings in similar sizes. For example, Moroccan Oil charges $35 for a same-size treatment oil, and L’Oréal-owned Kérastase sells its 1.52 ounce Glaze Drops for $36, while newer brand Rōz sells its buzzy 2-ounce Styling Oil for $45.
The success of this launch is important for Aveda. As previously reported by Glossy, parent company ELC reported a 10% decline in net sales during its May earnings meeting. Within the FY 2025 Q3 results, the company reported that “hair care net sales decreased 10%, primarily driven by Aveda, reflecting continued softness in the Company’s salon and freestanding stores channels.” The beauty conglomerate plans to lay off up to 7,000 employees amid a larger profit recovery and growth plan.
Aveda has around 6,000 salons in the U.S. contracted to carry its line and 63 Aveda Institute cosmetology schools. Aveda was founded in 1978 by Minneapolis-based hairstylist Horst Rechelbacher. ELC purchased the brand in 1997 for $300 million.
Wolf rejoined the ELC team in July after two decades. He was the executive director of global marketing for Aveda between 1999 and 2004, where he worked closely with its founder, before spending 18 years with Estée Lauder Companies, most recently as the global president of U.S. professional products. In this role, he led strategy for Matrix, Biolage, Redken, Pureology, L’Oréal Technique and more brands.
Wolf’s return to Aveda offers a refreshed, professional-first perspective for the brand. He is one of only a small percentage of professional hairstylists turned beauty execs currently leading a top hair-care company. Among that minority are Beachwaver’s Sarah Potempa and It’s a 10’s Carolyn Aronson, both of whom lead their companies as CEO.
However, while stylists are important for Aveda, the company isn’t leaning away from core tenets of a strong campaign, like ethical sourcing or clinical trials. For example, the new formula is clinically proven to deliver 195% more shine, two times smoother hair and 24 hours of frizz control. These claims will be used across marketing materials like web and email correspondences.
The new formula is also vegan, certified by Leaping Bunny, and uses fair-trade ingredients with transparent sourcing practices. To promote these qualities, Aveda hosted a brand trip for stylists to visit Willamette Valley, Oregon where Aveda sources its daikon seed oil from cooperative farms. The formula also includes tsubaki seed oil harvested from Jeju Island in Korea. Many stylists began posting about the product weeks ago to drum up excitement online.
It’s part of a long list of events Aveda hosts or participates in within the stylist community. For example, next month the company will host its 21st annual Aveda Congress event in Minneapolis, a four-day gathering of salon pros to network and learn techniques, marketing strategies and more. A general admission ticket is $699. Prior affiliation with Aveda is not required.
“I honestly don’t know how brands that wish to grow in the hair space can even imagine doing so without the salon professional at the core of everything they do,” Wolf said. “Hairdressers are the most powerful built-in advocates in the beauty space. … When a salon stylist uses a product, it’s either a direct or implied endorsement every time, and [we as consumers] trust that endorsement.”
