My hair story began with years of dog-eared ponytails.

They were innocent and cute, but had a hard expiration at age 8. By middle school, I desperately wanted trendy bangs. To my horror, I discovered that my hair had an impressive display of natural curl where my sleek new bangs should have been. My so-called friends promptly nicknamed me “Puffball” and jump-started my search for straighteners.

Come high school, I decided to start highlighting my hair as it began to turn mousy brown. Although sometimes I looked like the glorious sun had blessed my locks with its rays, other times I was forced to wear hats just to leave the house. Notably, I was mistaken for a local in Stockholm after an especially harsh chemical treatment from a no-name salon in Manhattan.

I traded my super-bleached poufs for an all-business bob at Harvard Business School where I started to think that maybe I could pay it forward and prevent hair drama for future generations. I started taking notes.

Long-haired story short, I have lived all over the country and have continued adapting to new hair mistakes. And I have never found the right products to smooth my way. I created Gemmist because I saw a real need for no-nonsense shampoos and conditioners recommended for each individual’s hair based on real data and science--and not on whimsical recommendations and pretty bottles.

And I wanted to create a brand for women that truly delivers on its promises. I guess you could say I’m in this to provide products that have your back and don’t call you “Puffball.”