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Introduction
Haircare might be the most creator-driven category in all of beauty. A single before-and-after clip can sell out a product overnight. The brands that understand this have built empires on it. The names that dominate creator feeds are not always the biggest legacy labels either, since some of the loudest belong to influencers who launched their own lines. Follow the mentions and you follow the money.
Here are the haircare brands creators talk about most, the data behind them, plus how they win.
The brands
Here are the haircare brands most mentioned by influencers, with what each is known for. Rankings shift, so treat this as a snapshot.
| Brand | Known for | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Olaplex | Bond-building repair | Often #1 by earned media value |
| K18 | Biotech bond repair | Dominates hair-repair conversation |
| Redken | Salon credibility | Long-running top-three brand |
| Gisou | Honey-infused, creator-founded | Negin Mirsalehi's brand |
| Ouai | Hair oil, styling | Jen Atkin's brand |
| amika | Colourful, Gen Z prestige | Strong share at Ulta and Sephora |
Sources: WWD via CreatorIQ, BeautyMatter, RetailBoss. Rankings reported, vary by period and method.
Why haircare is big on social
Haircare did not become a creator powerhouse by accident. The category is almost perfectly built for social content.
- Visible results. Before-and-after clips and routine demos show product impact in seconds.
- Creator founders. Brands like Gisou and Ouai launched from influencers with built-in audiences.
- Specific claims. A clear benefit like bond repair gives creators something concrete to show.
- TikTok-native. The category lives on TikTok, where demos and reviews spread fast.
The earned media angle
The clearest way to see who is winning is earned media value, the estimated worth of a brand's organic mentions and engagement. The numbers are striking.
According to CreatorIQ data reported by WWD, Olaplex, K18 and Redken have traded the number-one haircare spot for three consecutive years. In one strong month, Olaplex alone reportedly pulled around $13.4 million in earned media value from roughly 1,600 creator mentions, averaging about 2.6 posts per creator. That is buzz the brand did not pay for directly, generated by creators choosing to feature it. EMV figures are estimates and vary by analytics firm, though the pattern is consistent: in haircare, organic creator mentions are the main event.
How brands win
The brands at the top of these rankings share a playbook. It is one any haircare brand can study.
They give creators something specific and visible to talk about, since a demonstrable claim like repair or shine produces far more authentic content than a vague promise. They show up where the category lives, mainly TikTok. Many got there early. They mix big-name creators with a long tail of micro voices, so a launch feels both aspirational and genuine. And the creator-founded brands prove the ultimate version: when the founder is the influencer, the marketing and the product are inseparable. The lesson is to make your product easy and rewarding for creators to feature.
How to use this with Flinque
Topping an EMV chart looks like magic, though underneath it is a deliberate roster of the right creators talking about a demo-friendly product. The brands here did not get lucky. They found creators whose audiences matched and gave them something worth posting.
Flinque helps you build that roster. You can search 10M+ verified creators by niche, including haircare and beauty, benchmark engagement to find genuinely active audiences, then run a fake follower check before you partner. Study the brands winning on mentions, then go find the creators who can do the same for you.
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Try Flinque free →Common questions
Which haircare brands do influencers mention most?+
A familiar set leads the category. By earned media value, Olaplex, K18 and Redken have traded the top spot for three consecutive years, per CreatorIQ data. Olaplex in particular reportedly drew around $13.4 million in earned media value in a single month from roughly 1,600 creator mentions. Other heavily mentioned brands include Gisou, Ouai, Kérastase, amika, Color Wow and Moroccanoil.
Why do influencers love these haircare brands?+
Because the results are visible and the content performs. Haircare lends itself to before-and-after videos, routine demos and repair stories that earn high engagement. Several top brands also have creator-founder roots, like Negin Mirsalehi's Gisou and Jen Atkin's Ouai, which brings a built-in audience. Brands like K18 give creators a clear, specific claim around bond repair that is easy to demonstrate and discuss.
What is EMV in haircare marketing?+
EMV (earned media value) estimates the worth of a brand's organic social mentions, impressions and engagement. It is the standard way the beauty industry measures influencer impact, since it captures buzz that brands did not directly pay for. Olaplex topping the haircare EMV ranking, for example, reflects huge volumes of creator content rather than ad spend. Figures are estimates from analytics firms like CreatorIQ and vary by methodology.
How did Olaplex become so big on social?+
Largely by being early and letting creators lead. Olaplex was one of the first beauty brands on TikTok back in 2020, which propelled its popularity with Gen Z just as the platform exploded. Its bond-building products gave influencers a clear, demonstrable benefit to show, fuelling endless before-and-after content. That mix of early-mover advantage and demo-friendly products kept it near the top of creator mentions for years.
How can a haircare brand get more influencer mentions?+
Give creators something specific and visible to talk about, then find the right partners. A clear product claim that shows on camera, like repair or shine, generates more authentic content than a vague benefit. Pair that with a mix of larger and micro creators whose audiences match your buyer, then be present where the category lives, mainly TikTok. The brands that win make their products easy and rewarding for creators to feature.
Continue reading
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