Yorkshire based Nut and Noggin takes on multinationals

Say farewell to the plastic bottles of conventional haircare products and packaging.

Rachel Clark, ex Red Bull marketer, has turned her attention to reinvigorating the shampoo category in the UK with the introduction of Nut and Noggin.

The company’s new haircare and beauty line was introduced in November 2019 online and exclusively at Selfridges and selfridges.com.

With fast growth throughout 2020, it now has its sights set on the £480million shampoo market in the UK.

Nut and Noggin, a name dreamt up because the brand gives back to mental health charities and is therefore ‘all about looking after our heads’, comprises plastic free shampoo bars and soap boxed in joyfully-designed, recyclable packaging.

Clark says that by blending great design with high quality product, the brand has started to chime a chord with customers.

She comments, “Faced with a wall of plastic shampoo bottles both on supermarket shelves and at the hair salon, we set out to create an option that would be plastic free, whilst not compromising on efficacy for the consumer. When we did the research, we found that customers were being ‘guilted’ into trying sustainable packs, with dreary, dated packaging, and we wanted to help them make the switch to zero plastic by offering a product that created a feeling of joy, with a formulation that worked for soft, shiny hair.”

All Nut and Noggin’s products are sulphate free and give back to mental health charities with every sale.

Clark adds: “Self-care is such an important part of everyone’s new lifestyle, we wanted to integrate that into the everyday need for shampoo. Our pledge to give back with every sale has also helped us to spread the word.

“Hair and Beauty brands can come across as incredibly serious to consumers. Not everyone wants to feel like brands are totally inaccessible to them. We wanted to create moments of joy and self care in everyday life.”

The Nut and Noggin brand concept was the brainchild of Rachel and Elisabetta Giordana, an Italian illustrator and designer who has worked on other disruptive UK brands like Clipper Teas, Dorset Cereals and Charlie Binghams.

Nut and Noggin also has input from Beauty Editor Katy Young, who has worked on Elle and Bazaar magazine in the UK for over 20 years.

“Together, they saw the opportunity to combine sustainable packaging with bright colours and bold design to reach a customer who cares about the environment and expects a quality product, but also one who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.”

From concept to store shelves and website launch, Nut and Noggin took 18 months to create.

Explains Rachel, “We launched the brand following customer feedback that shampoo bars often left customers with ‘scarecrow’ feeling hair. Our research pointed at the inclusion of sulphates - or SLS - as the culprit. Used to create a high foaming lather, this often dries the hair and scalp and can really irritate skin.

“Our formulation uses a coconut based, mild cleansing agent that still foams but suits more sensitive scalps. It also means the hair isn’t stripped of its natural oils and customers rave about their locks feeling fuller, thicker and stronger. This, combined with plastic free packaging and being featured in British Vogue, Grazia and Red magazine has really helped us to grow.”

Retailers like Selfridges responded to the recycled cardboard, 'Instagram friendly' pack, which resembles a taller bottle shape, designed to stand out on shelf.

Nut and Noggin is initially being sold direct to consumers through its own website at nutandnoggin.com and through the world’s favourite retailer, Selfridges and Selfridges.com.

“Having direct customer relationships allows us to move quickly and create products that customers want. With the demand for more sustainable, mission driven and direct to consumer brands growing, we’re looking forward to the years ahead”.