Launch Date: June 2022
Geography: New York City, New York
Founder: Olivia Bae, Founder + CEO
Executive Team: Hyeri Sung, CFO
2026 Full Year Projected Revenue: $2M - $5M, according to industry estimates
Primary Category: Haircare
Other Category: Tools/Devices
Funding: Friends and Family
Primary Distribution Channel: Mass
Other Distribution Channels:
Key Retail Partner: Walmart
2026 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 700
Inspired by my mother’s 30-year career as a hairstylist and entrepreneur, Perseve Hair was created to bring together generational salon expertise and Korean innovation in a way the haircare aisle had not seen before. While K-beauty was reshaping skincare globally, haircare felt left behind. We created Perseve Hair to change that, bringing the ingredient focus, innovation, and results-driven philosophy of K-beauty to haircare. Every product is crafted in South Korea and designed to deliver elevated, salon-inspired performance at an accessible price point, raising the standard for what mass haircare can look and feel like.
Insights: Olivia Bae, Founder + CEO
Why now and why you?
Haircare is K-beauty’s next major category, and Perseve Hair was built for this moment. As consumers become more ingredient-conscious, results-driven, and open to global beauty innovation, Korean haircare is gaining real traction in the US. Perseve Hair stands out because it is rooted in real salon expertise, inspired by my mother’s 30-year career as a hairstylist, and brought to life through Korean innovation. As one of the first K-beauty haircare brands to launch at mass retail, we are making luxury Korean innovation more accessible while helping define what the future of haircare can look like.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Perseve Hair’s competitive advantage comes from blending Korean innovation with formulas shaped by pro hairstylists. Our products are crafted in South Korea and rooted in the ingredient-focused, results-driven philosophy that made K-beauty so influential, while being developed with real performance, versatility, and inclusivity in mind. That allows us to create elevated, high-performing haircare designed to work across a range of hair types and textures. Just as importantly, we bring that level of quality and innovation to the everyday consumer at an accessible price point, with a modern, chic brand experience that stands out on shelf and in the shower.
What’s your proudest accomplishment to date?
Launching nationwide at Walmart as one of the first K-beauty haircare brands on shelf is what I’m most proud of. It represents more than a retail milestone. It reflects a real shift in the haircare aisle and the kind of brands consumers are looking for. With Perseve Hair, we’ve been able to bring luxury Korean innovation, cultural depth, and a more elevated point of view to mass retail while staying true to the brand from the start.
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?
I wish someone had told me to slow down enough to really take it all in. For so long, I was so focused on the next milestone, the next problem, the next thing to figure out, that I did not always stop to fully appreciate the moment I was in. Looking back, I wish I had documented more of the journey and romanticized even the hard parts a little more. Time moves so quickly when you are building, and some of the moments you think you will never forget end up passing in a blur.
What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?
I would tell myself to trust my point of view earlier and not to get so distracted by the noise. Building a brand comes with a lot of opinions, but not every voice deserves equal weight. I’d also tell myself to take in more of the journey. So much of it moves faster than you think, and it’s easy to rush from one milestone to the next without really letting anything land.
What does success look like in the next 3-5 years?
Expanding Perseve Hair with intention, from new product offerings to broader retail distribution, while helping push K-beauty haircare into a bigger conversation at mass. We want to keep building beyond Walmart with the right retail partners, grow brand awareness in a way that feels culturally relevant, and continue showing that Korean innovation belongs in the everyday haircare aisle. Just as importantly, success means creating the kind of brand people genuinely feel connected to, with hero products, strong community, and a clear point of view that can grow with them over time.
What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked?
What feels overhyped is how easily “K-beauty” gets used as a catchall. As the category grows, the label can sometimes be applied in ways that feel more trend-driven than truly rooted in what makes Korean beauty so influential in the first place. What feels overlooked is authenticity, not just in where something is made, but in the depth of connection to the culture, innovation, and philosophy behind it. There is a big difference between being inspired by K-beauty and meaningfully building within it, and I think that distinction matters more as the space continues to grow.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve?
I think the industry needs to evolve beyond chasing trends so quickly and focus more on building brands with real depth, staying power, and a clear point of view. There is so much noise, and consumers are more discerning than ever. They want products that actually perform, but they also want authenticity, cultural relevance, and a reason to believe in the brand behind them. I also think the industry has room to become more inclusive in how it defines innovation, whose perspectives get amplified, and what kinds of brands are given space to scale. The future feels less about more launches for the sake of newness and more about thoughtful products, stronger storytelling, and brands that create genuine connection.
If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?
I’d want the kind of support system that helps a brand like Perseve Hair reach its full potential faster. The right people can bring more than capital. They bring perspective, pattern recognition, and the ability to help you navigate growth with a lot more clarity. Building as a founder can be incredibly isolating, so having trusted partners who truly understand the vision and know how to help scale it would change everything.