The Hair Care Brands That Dominate AI Search

by · WWD
Olaplex and AmikaCourtesy of brands

Hair care is a highly concentrated category when it comes to AI visibility, new data shows.

An analysis of the results of 300 hair care-specific prompts and fan-out queries run through ChatGPT by digital agency Avenue Z in June showed that the top five brands accounted for 49 percent of total hair care visibility.

Olaplex came out as the number-one brand, surfacing in 31 percent of prompts and tracking just a few points ahead of Redken, which surfaced in 29 percent. Prompts run through the AI chatbot included searches for the top hair care products for fighting humidity in the summer; the best dry shampoos for keeping hair fresh between washes; product recommendations for low-porosity hair and more.

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“Editorial authority is still the primary fuel for AI visibility in hair care,” said Whitney Hart, chief strategy officer at Avenue Z, adding that consistent reviews and recommendations from beauty outlets are “the backbone of how AI systems learn which products to trust and surface first.”

Retail presence matters, too.

“When a brand is well positioned at Sephora, Ulta and other key retailers, with strong product detail pages and good consumer ratings and reviews, AI systems treat that as a powerful signal that the brand is both widely available and actively chosen by real shoppers,” Hart said.

Beyond retail and media presence, Hart said that a robust content ecosystem via a brand’s owned channels is another key pillar for boosting AI visibility.