BeautyTalks with Lynn Powers, MASAMI CEO/Founder

What was the inspiration behind the name MASAMI?

MASAMI was inspired by Masahiro, our Co-Founder, James’ husband who is from northeastern Japan and who found our hero ingredient, Mekabu. It also means truly beautiful in Japanese.

Tell us more about Mekabu! 

Mekabu is a Japanese ocean botanical that is harvested from the bay by local fisherman, dried and powered down for our formulas by a family owned seaweed company. Mekabu is extremely nutrient dense and acts like a sponge, bringing massive levels of botanical hydration to your hair.

How did MASAMI come to be?

James had worked on the formulations for about ten years but it wasn’t until he and I met that it became a reality. My skill is in branding, marketing and commercializing the business. We created MASAMI in 2018 and it took us about 18 months to get everything ready to launch. We launched in February 2020 at New York Fashion Week.

“…we set up the MASAMI Institute to give back to ocean education and research in northeastern Japan, where we get our hero ingredient.”

Could you share a hair care secret with us? 

Don’t use ponytail holders – they do a lot of damage and breakage to hair. Instead, try kanzashi sticks, much gentler.

In what ways is MASAMI involved in sustainability?

We launched large size sustainable bottles with refill pouches in 2021 to migrate away from plastic. We are carbon and plastic neutral through Impact Collective. And we set up the MASAMI Institute to give back to ocean education and research in northeastern Japan, where we get our hero ingredient.

How does MASAMI source their ingredients?

We work with a family-owned seaweed company to source our Mekabu powder ethically. Our chemist in Chicago makes her own organic aloe. And she sources the rest of our ingredients (vegan/cruelty free).

What is your go-to MASAMI product and why?

Our shampoo. It’s low foaming and luxurious so you only need a little. Many people say they don’t wash their hair as often once they started using MASAMI shampoo.

“Many of our customers say they see results immediately.”

What helped you find the right products/ingredients for your hair?

Most people don’t realize that if their hair is frizzy, unmanageable or dull, it’s usually because it’s not hydrated. My hair is pretty fine so hydrating products typically would leave my hair looking flat and greasy. Because we use a powder vs. an extract in MASAMI, our formulas deliver hydration – but weightlessly. 

How quickly do you see results after using MASAMI products?

Many of our customers say they see results immediately. But if your hair has been exposed to a lot of chemicals, sometimes it can take a week or two to get used to a natural formulation.

 Do you see MASAMI expanding into new products? 

Absolutely, we are currently working on a hair mask that will be amazing.

 Besides MASAMI, what are you passionate about? 

Making products that are good for you and good for the environment (like my other business, Isle de Nature) and also supporting other female founders.

What’s next for MASAMI?

We just launched the Conscious Beauty Collective, a pop-up of 30+ indie beauty and wellness brands. It started in San Francisco at the Stonestown Galleria (4/1-6/30) and is moving to Boston at the Natick Mall on 9/1. This is keeping us pretty busy for now!