Botanical Beauty: Reverie's Natural Haircare Products
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Wellness
Botanical Beauty: Reverie’s Natural Haircare Products
June 22, 2016

Many of today’s most cult-loved natural beauty brands are centered around a couple of core, sell-out products. Reverie, a botanical haircare line based in California, is one of those brands. Started by hair stylist Garrett Markenson in 2009, the brand’s leave-in conditioner, called MILK, is a favorite among editors and industry pros for its ability to leave hair virgin-soft without the use of chemicals. CAKE, a tonic for the scalp that helps hair grow stronger and longer, is another hero product with a loyal following. We could go on. Of Reverie’s 7 (soon to be 9)-item line, there isn’t one that feels worthy of pass—which is probably why Markenson sells them all as a complete set to hungry fans. We caught up with the natural-beauty guru to talk about how Reverie started and what’s coming next. XXJKE
Rip & Tan: What inspired you to start the brand?
Garrett Markenson: I created Reverie after almost 10 years of doing hair and wanting to work with botanical products that perform. I wanted to tell a story and create a tribe. Haircare is years behind skincare and it has been my mission to create innovative, luxury products without compromising the integrity of our formulations or sacrificing quality of ingredients to keep up with trends.
Rip & Tan: What is your background?
GM: My foundation is in art and design. After studying abroad in Florence, Italy, I came back to Los Angeles and started my career at the Vidal Sassoon Academy. I now own a salon in North LA, and work at Suite Caroline in New York as well.
Rip & Tan: How do you develop new products? What specifically is your process?
GM: Every product has its own story and creative direction. I like to collaborate with other artists and hairdressers. It starts with being an active listener to what clients really want. When I’m working with the lab, I share a visual scent story. For example, CAKE and RAKE are inspired by a scent of a woman in an Italian cathedral; the blends I’ve created pay tribute to the wet cement and pure incense experienced in old world places of worship, along with the complex nostalgia of rose. This blend for me is warm and grounding. I look forward to using it daily as much as I look forward to enjoying my morning coffee.
We are passionately invested in producing a finished product that will perform, while also being completely free of any toxic chemicals and endocrine disruptors.
Rip & Tan: If you could put one of your products in the hands of every woman, what would it be and why?
GM: Our MILK anti-frizz leave-in treatment! Everyone should have this product. It is award winning for a reason. It’s safe for all hair types and does what it says. It’s very easy to use and includes 16 essential oils that combine to form the most heavenly scent.
Rip & Tan: What don’t most people know about working with botanical ingredients?
GM: I think there is a common misconception that botanical ingredients aren’t as effective as chemicals, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Essential oils are ancient.
Often times when you support a small botanical brand your impact reaches further that you can imagine. We work with small farms who depend on our business, just as much as we depend on their harvest. Some of our essential oils are sourced from farms owned by 3rd, 4th or 5th generation families.
Rip & Tan: What new products or events/collaborations do you have coming up?
GM: Our newest product is actually launching this week! EVER Recovery Hair Oil. A beautiful addition to round out our line. We also have a hairdresser’s scissor we collaborated with Mitzutani of Japan to produce which will launch next month. The scissor is called “KURO” and is of course, all black.
Photos: Brittany Wood