Raincry founder Feisal Qureshi didn’t want to create just another beauty product piggybacking on the blazing CBD trend.
After launching his luxury hair products line in March 2017 at Saks Fifth Avenue with six stockkeeping units, all hair brushes, the brand experienced almost immediate retail traction. It expanded from Saks Fifth Avenue to Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Cos Bar, Dermstore, Space NK and more, and to 26 SKUs in two and a half years, including the recent addition of wet haircare products. Now, it’s entering the cannabis beauty segment with the CBD Repair collection, but Qureshi insists it isn’t because of the buzz. He’s convinced by the science behind CBD, that it’s a winning haircare ingredient.
“We first started using plant stem cells, which showed great results, and we were pleased with what we were seeing, but we were also looking for a way to enhance those results. Our chemistry team is in Canada and, long before the Farm Bill passed, they suggested adding CBD as a compliment to plant stem cells to help treat scalp and hair vitality,” recounts Qureshi. “We blind-tested samples with and without CBD and, unanimously, the CBD products outperformed.”
Even with scientific data, Qureshi was hesitant to put a CBD label on his brand, emphasizing, “I would prefer Raincry to be seen as an innovator rather than just riding a trend. However, we couldn’t deny the testing results, so we decided to move forward with the launch. The stipulation was that the line’s positioning had to be ‘a great line of products that happen to have CBD in them.’ So, CBD is taking second billing, not the star. [It’s] there for those that are looking for CBD haircare, but not in your face. That subtlety is what has attracted many of our retail partners.”
“I would prefer Raincry to be seen as an innovator rather than just riding a trend. However, we couldn’t deny the testing results, so we decided to move forward with the launch.”
The CBD range is being dispersed across Raincry’s distribution network of high-profile retailers, which includes Revolve, Hudson’s Bay, Net-a-Porter and Anthropologie as well as the stores previously listed. Raincry’s prices range from $33 to $38 for wet products and $50 to $115 for brushes. The Regenerating Shampoo in the CBD Repair line is priced at $35, and the Repairing Conditioner and Rebuild Bond Repair treatment are $38.
Raincry’s retail reach is a dream scenario for most indie beauty brands. Qureshi reasons Raincry’s focus on the hair brush niche was important to its distribution push, and he credits George Konnari, VP of sales and marketing, for creating programs that supported retailers one store at a time. Qureshi says, “At first, it was tough. With the brushes, we were presenting white space. Our argument was that retailers were selling plenty of makeup brushes, but never looked at hair brushes the same way. We had some convincing to do and, more importantly, [had to] demonstrate a consumer appetite.”
Qureshi continues, “It helped that the brushes were European-made, hand-crafted, packaged, and much better quality and performance than most other hair brushes. Everywhere there were low-end, disposable-quality brushes, and one very expensive brush brand, but most retailers admitted that they were previously unable to offer a full assortment of hair brushes in that Goldilocks zone where we wanted to live. So, I think that it really made sense to them.”
“To create a luxury brand and do it right, it takes considerably more time and capital than you can imagine.”
Securing capital was another hurdle. “To create a luxury brand and do it right, it takes considerably more time and capital than you can imagine. Initially, we spent well over a year developing a business plan, financial models and assembling a strong management team,” says Qureshi. “We got to a point that we had checked all the boxes, but there really wasn’t anywhere to go and raise capital…Nobody understood what we had already created. We hit the ground knocking on doors every day for many years and lived off the idea of you ‘only need one yes’ until some groups finally stepped up.”
The idea of only needing one yes is actually at the center of how Raincry came to be. A hairstylist and former salon owner, Qureshi ran across an older gentleman that most hairstylists and salon owners would usher out because he didn’t look like a slick salesman, but Qureshi didn’t judge his appearance and was open to checking out his goods. He recounts, “He came from a small village in France, and would routinely travel back and pick up all kinds of luxurious, ornate French hair products. Some of his products were these amazing boar bristle styling brushes. I tried a few, and they quickly became an essential item in my kit.”
Eventually, the brush salesman retired, but Qureshi still valued his brushes. He attempted to track down the origins of his brush business in France, but learned a fire had destroyed its molds and drawings. Unable to find a quality replacement, Qureshi set out to create it himself. “Our first prototypes were crude. I wasn’t a brush maker, but I was confident that as a stylist I knew how a good brush should perform. Adjustments were made, and later prototypes were sent to stylist friends for feedback and recommendations,” he says. “We got to a point where unanimously everyone agreed that they were the best brushes they’ve used and, soon, we were being asked to develop other products, particularly wet products.”
Today, as Raincry pushes into CBD products, Qureshi hopes people pay attention to how the products feel, not just look. “I’ve always said that we are not in the beauty business. We are in the business of helping people feel better about themselves. How we do that is through the products or services we provide,” he says. “Once you understand that, you can remove the shackles of status quo or trends and really start creating products that are truly remarkable and innovative.”
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