Bushbalm’s hair removal products disrupt the personal care aisle
Bushbalm, a skin care line focused on pre- and post- hair bikini line removal, is disrupting the space with its first major retail partnership with Ulta Beauty.
The Canadian brand selected for the Sparked at Ulta Beauty program will have its products positioned within the store’s revamped shaving section, making its intimate skin care and hair removal products accessible to a wider audience.
DSN spoke to David Gaylord, CEO of the brand, about the expansion and the future of Bushbalm.
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DSN: How did the partnership with Ulta Beauty come to fruition?
DG: The Ulta Beauty partnership came together after more than a year of discussions. We met with several teams to pitch our brand and the overall growth in the hair removal category. Our digital growth proved consumers are demanding higher quality ingredients in this category and convinced Ulta Beauty to bring us into 990 stores, as well as the Sparked Program by Ulta Beauty.
DSN: How has the brand grown and continued to innovate the skin care/post- hair removal category within the last year?
DG: In the last year Bushbalm, has grown significantly and launched several new products, most notably the Hydrogel Vajacial Mask. This product is the first of its kind to be sold directly to consumers, as it's traditionally a professional service. At Bushbalm, we see a future where hair removal and bikini line skin care is much more advanced than shaving creams and razors. We see this category expanding innovation to include masks, chemical exfoliants, and even skin tools. What you currently see at a drugstore will change drastically in the next two to three years.
DSN: What makes Bushbalm unique compared to other brands on the market?
DG: Bushbalm was founded to bring new innovations to the razor burn, ingrown hair and post-wax irritation market. Many products in this category have alcohol-based formulas, which are very harsh on the skin. With new innovations, the category was ripe for disruption. Our plant-derived formulas give consumers a new outlet to solve some of their most frustrating hair removal related concerns with clean ingredients.
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DSN: Does the brand plan to roll out any exclusive items at Ulta Beauty in the future?
DG: Since we launched a select four SKU's in 990 stores with Ulta Beauty, we have a significant amount of growth with our current product assortment. This year we are looking to grow sales significantly with Ulta Beauty, which we can then expand our assortment overall. Since we are exclusive with Ulta Beauty we will work with their team on strategies to introduce new products into the category.
DSN: What new launches does the brand have planned for the next year?
DG: Later this year Bushbalm will be launching several new products, including a limited- edition scent to our signature Ingrown Hair Oil, as well as several new products focused on hair removal irritation. Expect to see at least four product launches before the end of 2023, as we aim to expand the overall category of hair removal and solidify ourselves as the leading experts.