The Strands Hair Care team. Photo Credit: Strands Hair Care
Eric Delapenha ’13 had planned to become a doctor. Instead, he became an expert in the biology of hair.
Always intrigued with the intersection of biology and technology, Delapenha veered away from medical school into the innovative world of biotechnology, specifically the science of hair care. As CEO and founder of Strands Hair Care and The Hair Lab by Strands, Delapenha blends individual results with mass marketing.
Traditional hair care is a guessing game, he says, with most people not knowing the unique ingredients they should seek out to address their particular concerns. The Strands concept is simple: Each person’s scalp and hair are different, so each person has unique needs that can be addressed through individually crafted shampoos and conditioners. Based on a physiological analysis of hair and sebum samples sent to the Strands’ lab in California, a unique formulation is crafted to meet specific hair needs, such as combatting dryness or frizz. The resulting formulation is then shipped to customers, and the company promises that customers will see better hair results within a month of use.
“There are very few...innovations in hair testing and formulations,” he says. “There really isn’t anyone analyzing hair biology today. What becomes harder in establishing a company like Strands, is the more unique you are, the harder and more expensive it is to educate the consumer when you’re the first. We’re fortunately in a position now where it’s running on all cylinders. Strands is the first company to introduce consumer hair testing and created the ‘test, learn, and customize’ concept. That was the inspiration for creating Strands.”
Hair samples submitted to Strands are subjected to 85 points of analysis, from the condition of the cuticle of the hair, to the protein composition, sebum, and porosity of the strands, with chemists, stylists, and bioengineers involved in developing each customer’s unique blend. Strands’ online-only business has taken off, thanks to social media sites like TikTok and to the support of influencers drawn to the unique formulations that address everything from dandruff to split ends.
An array of products from The Hair Lab by Strands. Photo Credit: Strands Hair Care
Delapenha’s other business, The Hair Lab by Strands, is now available in 2,800 Walmart stores. It’s Strands, but on a massive scale. Using a hand-held tester in select stores, shoppers can quickly analyze 26 different aspects of their hair to find their best formulation among the products on the shelves at the store. By adding need-specific “doses” into shampoo and conditioner bases, shoppers can customize their formulations at home.
“We’re able to give everyone access to customized hair care based on their hair’s biology—not assumptions or guesswork—at prices that don’t leave anybody out,” he promises.
Today, Delapenha’s focus is on innovation and increasing distribution.
“How do we address unmet needs in the market?” he says. “There’s an actual true need and market opportunity. In research and development, every week we are looking at pricing and costs so we can see if we can keep it affordable and efficacious.”
There’s a worldwide market for this kind of specialized hair care, he says. “In the next five years, we’re rapidly growing our hair care products by expanding distribution. We’re eyeing some very lucrative partnerships.”
A selection of Strands Hair Care products. Photo Credit: Strands Hair Care
“There is an incredible amount of room for growth. That’s just for hair in the United States. We really do see a strong need for customized hair, skin, and body needs,” he said.
Hair care is a crowded field, he says. “The ease with which people start companies is accelerating—setting up a website with a few clicks, putting the beautiful, sexy branding on it, and making it seem new and innovative. It’s been very easy to set up a new brand in a crowded space, but there are very few brands customizing efficacious products. There’s a lot of brands that can pop up a quiz that drives users to standardized products in their line or offers slightly tweaked formulations, but it’s not through individual hair strand analysis.”
“Things that get me really excited are…pushing the envelope on innovation,” he says. “There’s a moment that you build towards—the moment that always stands out—when you and the team have put thousands of hours into this, and you start to see your first shoppers flowing in, and you begin to get feedback from customers.”