JVN strengthens product portfolio and targets UK growth under new owner

JVN, the inclusive haircare brand from hair stylist, entrepreneur and Netflix star, Jonathan Van Ness, has expanded its product portfolio and has its sights set on further growth in the UK under its new owner Windsong Global.

The brand has added a new Intense Hydration Mask to its Nurture product range, and is promising key activations this summer with retail partner SpaceNK to support its continued growth and penetration in the "strong-performing" UK market.

Van Ness, who rose to prominence as a star of hit Netflix show Queer Eye, launched JVN in the US with the former Amyris Inc group in 2021. It was then launched in the UK in partnership with SpaceNK in March 2022.

The range is based around the hero ingredient of hemisqualane, which is more commonly found in skincare. It is arranged into lines based around hair concern, rather than hair type, and is open to all regardless of ethnicity, age or gender. The Nuture line is focused on added hydration, while Undamage is for stressed hair, and Embody is designed to deliver added volume.

The revamped Nurture range with new  Intense Hydration Mask mask

Last year the brand was purchased by Windsong Global, which is also known for its investments in fellow beauty brands Revive and This Works, after Amyris Inc was placed into a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Amyris's other flagship brand, the Biossance squalane-based skincare brand, was sold to the UK's THG.

Describing plans for the brand, JVN president and global beauty executive with expertise in strategy, retail and operations, Teresa Lo, said: “It’s a business-as-usual approach but with emphasis on acceleration. We are lasering in on delivering effective, accessible, and conscious formulas that today’s consumers want and deserve whilst strategically embedding the brand in a competitive landscape. Our key priority is to double down efforts with our retail partners to provide a launchpad that really boosts the brand’s momentum in-market."

Van Ness said there was a particular opportunity to expand in the UK: “There is a real appetite for JVN Hair here – our products, our stylists, our community – are symbiotically working together to create loyalty. When we launched in 2022, science-backed sustainable haircare really resonated with people as much as our message to see all beauty, serve all beauty and honour the uniqueness in each of us. I can’t wait to see what we achieve next starting with the launch of our Nurture Intense Hydration Mask.”

Launching on 27 May in SpaceNK (£29), Nurture Intense Hydration Mask promises to instantly hydrate, restore smoothness and nourish split ends. As with the full range, it is formulated around hero ingredient hemisqualane – which is a natural alternative to silicone with a string of hair health benefits – and is suitable for all hair types. The mask joins the newly reformulated Nurture shampoo and conditioner in the collection.

Van Ness is planning personal appearances in-store at branches of SpaceNK this summer.