The Top 10 Hair Care Brands on Social Media in December

In hair care, competition is stiff at the top — at least, online.

Data from CreatorIQ shows that when it comes to the category’s top brands by earned media value — a metric measuring the value of a brand’s mentions, impressions, likes and other social engagement — the same three brands have traded off occupying the number-one spot for three consecutive years, since January 2022.

Those are: Olaplex, K18 and Redken.

It was Olaplex that topped the ranking for the month of December, though, nabbing $13.4 million EMV via 1,600 creator mentions during the month, averaging 2.6 posts per creator.

The brand benefited mainly from buzz via TikTok, which tracks: Olaplex was one of the first beauty brands to take to the platform in 2020, a move that propelled its popularity among Gen Z. (The “Olaplex bun,” a slicked-back bun achieved using the brand’s reparative masks, was among the earliest-coined TikTok trends, emerging at the start of 2022 not long after “clean girl makeup.”)

Instagram is still a top EMV driver for other high-performing brands, though.

For instance, Gen Z-loved hair accessory brand, Emi Jay, ranked number eight by EMV during December, marking its debut appearance in the top 10.

Best known for its assortment of patterned claw clips, the brand is steadily building its 2023-launched hair care arm, too, which now entails a slick stick, a hair oil and a mask. While the brand “has found momentum on TikTok, Emi Jay mainly saw a boost from Instagram — particularly via lifestyle creators who praised its effectiveness against frizz and static,” said Alex Rawitz, director of research and insights at CreatorIQ.

Other top brands included Kérastase, whose respective day and night serums have gone viral for purported hair growth and repair benefits, as well as honey-infused Gisou.

The top 10 hair care brands by EMV in December, per CreatorIQ.