For many indie beauty brands, the founder’s personal story is a key element of brand identity and a powerful tool for building consumer trust and loyalty. In a crowded market space like hair care, where product efficacy and innovation are often matched across competitors, origin narratives help indie brands carve out distinct positioning and foster authentic connections with niche audiences.
This month’s Indie Insights column explores how founder-driven storytelling influences brand development and consumer engagement. CosmeticsDesign US spoke with Kyara Mascolo, co-founder of TIGI and the creative force behind iconic brands such as Bed Head, S-Factor, and Catwalk, about her newest venture, Freakin’ Genius.
Launched this summer with a 27-product lineup of shampoos, conditioners, stylers, and pro kits, Freakin’ Genius pairs high-performance formulations with vibrant packaging and playful fragrance profiles. Mascolo shared how her personal journey informs the new brand’s mission and how authenticity, individuality, and humor are woven into its identity.
CDU: What inspired you to launch Freakin’ Genius, and how did your personal journey shape the brand’s mission and values?
Kyara Mascolo (KM): I really missed hair products. I kept buying stuff that didn’t do what it promised - boring packaging, no personality, and the fragrances were just as uninspired.
I wanted something that actually worked but also made you feel something - joy, confidence, playfulness. That’s what sparked Freakin’ Genius.
On a deeper level, the brand is rooted in my personal values. I’m a Proud Supporter because of my daughter. She came out to me at 18, and while I’m incredibly proud of her, I also hate that “coming out” is even a thing.
People should never have to explain who they are. Freakin’ Genius is about celebrating individuality - loud, soft, bold, weird, quiet - whatever makes you you.
And humor has always been part of that for me. Back in my Bed Head days, the creativity and irreverence shaped how I see product development. I once gave some product to a neighbor who had a bit of a “grumpy old lady” reputation.
My motto is “kill them with kindness,” so I thought, why not? She later told me that she and her husband - who was dying of cancer - read the bottles and laughed and laughed. That moment stuck with me.
It reminded me that something as small as a shampoo label can bring a little light to someone’s day. I wanted to touch people in an emotional way.
So yeah, we want high-performing formulas - but more than that, Freakin’ Genius is about putting fun, kindness, and freedom into everything we do. That’s the mission.
CDU: In what ways have you used your founder story as a strategic tool to introduce Freakin Genius to consumers and differentiate the brand in the saturated hair care market?
KM: Honestly, Freakin’ Genius is still so new that the brand story is unfolding in real time. But at the core, it’s about being true to yourself, trusting your instincts, and having fun doing what you love.
That’s our point of difference - in a world chasing formulas and trends, just being unapologetically you is more than enough. When we started Bed Head, it was the same thing - we made products that gave stylists the tools to create whatever look felt right for the person in their chair.
Freakin’ Genius is that same kind of freedom, just reimagined for today.
CDU: What specific aspects of your story resonate most with your community, and how do you decide which elements to share publicly through marketing or branding channels?
KM: What seems to resonate most with our community is the unapologetic honesty behind the brand. It’s not about trying to be perfect or polished - it’s about being real.
Whether that’s sharing how frustrating it was to find hair products that actually worked and had personality, or talking openly about being a proud supporter of my daughter and the LGBTQ+ community - it all matters.
People connect with brands that feel human & real.
When it comes to what we share publicly, we ask one simple question: Does this feel true? If it’s honest, if it makes someone feel seen, or if it just brings a little joy - we’ll share it.
Some parts of the story are deeply personal, so we’re thoughtful about timing and tone. But in the end, we built Freakin’ Genius to reflect life: messy, beautiful, bold, real, and a little rebellious.
We like to bring humor to everything we do, life is difficult enough.
CDU: Can you share an example of a moment when your personal narrative directly impacted brand engagement, product development, or consumer loyalty?
KM: A record exec texted me on my birthday and wrote, “U.R. Queen!” And that’s exactly how the names of two of our products were born.
Sometimes inspiration hits in the most unexpected and perfect way.
CDU: How do you balance storytelling authenticity with the need to build a scalable brand, especially as you grow and potentially expand your reach beyond niche audiences?
KM: For us, it starts with staying rooted in why we created the brand in the first place - and just keeping it real. Our story is evolving, and we want our customers and team to be part of that.
We never take ourselves too seriously. These are hair products, not heart surgery - they should be fun, functional, and really fabulous. We call it funertainment!
CDU: What advice would you offer to other indie beauty founders who are still developing or refining their origin story as part of their brand identity?
KM: Stay true to who you are. Your brand should be an extension of you, not a copy of someone else.
Don’t waste your energy watching your competitors - stay in your lane, do you and make it loud & proud!
