Bethenny Frankel is betting big on the booming business of hair.
The reality star-turned-entrepreneur-turned-supermodel snack guru has acquired a stake in DpHue, the at-home hair color and care brand founded by Donna Pohlad in 2011. The financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Frankel has also entered the C-suite as chief brand officer. In this position, she will work closely with Pohlad across all aspects of the business — product innovation, creator partnerships, audience engagement and distribution — bringing something she calls “the Bethenny effect of communication, connection and clarification.”
“I’m reshaping, remarketing and remessaging the brand,” she told WWD in an exclusive interview. “That’s what I do. I don’t know how to do anything halfway. If I’m going to put my name behind something, I’m thinking about every aspect of how consumers experience the brand — from the messaging to the marketing to the products themselves.”
While this is a first-of-its-kind investment for the former “Real Housewives of New York” personality, she’s been an active member of the beauty mecca for years, garnering a no-nonsense reputation from sharing candid product reviews online. At the same time, she’s been prudent when pursuing partnerships. “I’ve made a lot of brands viral and moved millions of dollars in product, but I get offered everything. Fortunately or unfortunately, I can’t market or promote something I don’t genuinely like, and I need partners who allow me to express myself in my own way,” she said.
Frankel and Pohlad were introduced through DpHue’s investor, Prelude Growth Partners. The timing was kismet, given that Frankel had already been on her own hair health journey, seeking viable DIY color solutions in place of salon visits. “I took months to try the products,” she said. “Hair color is a tough category — it’s not like tasting chicken salad. You have to be able to show the people exactly what the product does. Before I signed, I had my grays touched up by a colorist, and that same night, they were already peeking through. I called DpHue and said, ‘I’m in.’ I told them it’s a crowded category, but we’ll break through because the products are so much better than what people think of when they hear at-home color, and there are several spectacular hero products that deserve a lot more attention.”
Speaking with WWD, Pohlad said DpHue is looking forward to leveraging Frankel’s star power and consumer intuition to expedite growth in all channels within the next 18 months. “She has such a great feel for what women need and what resonates. Her experience as a true entrepreneur makes her a perfect fit. She knows what it takes and has that incredible ability to connect with people,” Pohlad continued. “We’re already in an acceleration mode, and her voice will add fuel to accelerate the things we’re already working on.”
With Frankel’s strategic and financial involvement and a new global retail distribution launch on the horizon, DpHue is projecting a 32 to 40 percent increase in year-over-year net sales. The brand currently operates in all doors at Ulta Beauty, as well as online at Ulta.com, Amazon and TikTok Shop. Over the last three years, DpHue has more than doubled its business in Ulta and Amazon, specifically, as the at-home color market has swelled 3 to 5 percent annually.
With its distribution channels in a good spot, Frankel is focused on building the brand’s voice. “It’s a superb brand with excellent sales, distribution and quality. It just needs a stronger voice,” she noted. “Someone needs to help people understand why it’s worth it, what makes the products special and where to start.”
