Crown Affair Wellness Hair Brand: Why It’s So Cool And What It Means Other Than No Harmful Ingredients

The British innovative brand Crown Affair is almost femtech: it was created by women for women using new ideas and promotional technologies. Be sure to include it in your wish list.

About the brand

It is an all-female company founded by a CEO with an unconventional career path – Diana Cross has worked in fashion journalism and has worked with leading publications, including Into The Gloss. A new leader in hair care, Crown Affair is nothing like its big competitors. He has no competitors at all. And that's the point. The brand forges its own path with limited products, an emphasis on ritual, inclusive viewpoints, and a community mindset.

The brand's website begins with the words: "We are a new brand that moves slowly, uses only the best materials, and creates timeless tools to restore the health of your hair."

Crown Affair Values

Crown Affair is not just a new brand – it represents new values. Philosophy – better less, but better. The brand does not have shampoos or conditioners. You use your usual traditional hair washes, but periodically treat yourself to what the brand was created for: a homely relaxation ritual. 

Only two products – a mask and hair oil. Plus three brushes, two combs, two types of silk hair ties. Brush cleaner with nylon bristles. And a gift kit, a collaboration with Jennifer Behr, a New York luxury atelier of luxurious handmade hair accessories.

Products

The Renewal Mask is simply gorgeous – in consistency, aroma and composition: moisturizing tsubaki seed oil and yuzu fruit extract smooth and strengthen the most damaged hair, restoring it from the inside. It should be applied generously, using a wide-toothed comb for even distribution over the strands. The mask ritual takes 5 to 15 minutes. Don't forget to take deep breaths to enjoy the signature scent with top notes of Italian bergamot, yuzu and lemongrass and a base of labdanum resin, vanilla absolute and woody notes.

An oil with the same signature scent is no less chic, but works differently: stays on, provides thermal protection and extra hydration and nourishment, tames frizz, and fights split ends and hair loss. And adds shine, of course. The oil is universal, the dosage depends on the length, density and porosity of the hair. “We worked with chemists for 2 years to develop this oil, and I will no longer agree to anything else," says Crown Affair founder and CEO Diane Cohen. “It completely changes the way you dry your hair and makes it softer and more flexible. And, of course, it protects when I use the styler.” 

About the ingredients: "Just like you never hear us ‘tame' or ‘fix' when it comes to hair, you'll never find harmful substances in our products!" No List consists of 30 (!) Items, including talc and chemical SPF.

Brushes and combs

We almost forgot that combing with the right tool can change your hair for the better. In addition to the obvious purpose, brushing the scalp stimulates the follicles and blood flow, and therefore hair growth, plus makes them shiny and strong. And this is also a moment to pause and take a deep breath.

There are three brushes: with nylon bristles, boar bristles and mixed. All wooden, handmade. Each has a specially designed air cushion to protect the scalp. The short boar bristles distribute the oil throughout the strands, preventing them from drying out and breaking, and giving beauty. Longer nylon bristles gently stimulate skin to add volume at the crown. Each brush gently detangles hair and prevents static electricity.

Beautiful combs with sparse teeth with rounded tips are also made by hand – from vegetable cellulose. In applying the mask, they give a new gesture – combing the hair for deep penetration of beneficial substances. And serve for daily detangling, midday refreshment and scalp massage.

Both those and others will change your ideas about combs.

“Everyone laughs because I always brush my hair during calls from our Zoom team,” Diana says. But it's also a ritual. Such a pleasant refreshment for the hair – like a face spray during the day.

Marketing

In a category primarily focused on professional lines and sales excellence, Crown Affair has not only created a new universe focused on grooming and creating luxurious everyday rituals at home, but also new marketing.

“Hair is something women talk about a lot. You sit with your girlfriends and they're like, “Oh, you've got a scrunchie. Where is she from? Is this a new trend? Or you say to someone: “This hair oil has changed my life”, “This mask really makes my hair thicker”, etc.

“To build a sustainable brand, you need to spend time on real conversations — by phone, email or in person,” Cohen says. “Real conversations with someone or a group of people about their hair, their rituals and what inspires them these days is the way we built a break-even business in one, such a difficult year for the whole world.”

Through its word-of-mouth strategy, Crown Affair has simplified customer service. The brand is launching its third season of Seedlings, with groups of 100 women providing ongoing feedback via Zoom and a private group on Linkedin. A related project called Guides is a new way the brand hopes to spread even more information about itself this spring. Redefining the standard sales-based affiliate model, reps are focusing on the amount of time they can spend interacting with customers on their website, phone, or Zoom. They talk about general procedures, Crown Affair products, or just about anything the customer likes.

The company needed to develop a strategy for how to achieve success without paid advertising and grow at any cost. And she did.

In general, Crown Affair is a love letter to those who seek to change their attitude to their hair, appreciate their natural beauty and, most importantly, take care of them.