# Function of Beauty **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/function-of-beauty **Vertical:** Consumer Lifestyle & Wellness **Subcategory:** Personalized Beauty **Tier:** Growth **Website:** functionofbeauty.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Algorithm-driven personalized haircare brand available at Target and CVS across thousands of US store locations; pioneered mass-market hair customization at accessible price points, expanding personalized beauty from premium DTC to mainstream retail. ## Company Overview Function of Beauty is a New York-based personalized haircare brand founded in 2015 by Zahir Dossa and Hien Nguyen. The company uses a proprietary algorithm and quiz-based system to formulate custom shampoo, conditioner, and hair treatment products from a matrix of active ingredients, fragrances, and color dyes. Products are manufactured to order and shipped directly to consumers with their name on the bottle.\n\nFunction of Beauty differentiated from Prose by targeting a broader, more price-sensitive consumer segment and aggressively expanding into mass retail. The brand entered Target in 2020 and later CVS, growing to thousands of store locations nationwide. This retail-first expansion made personalized haircare accessible at drugstore price points rather than premium DTC-only tiers. The company has also launched personalized skincare and bodycare lines.\n\nThe brand faced market headwinds in 2024 as consumer interest in personalized beauty matured, but it retains its position as the most widely distributed customized haircare brand in the US. Function of Beauty has raised over $150 million in venture funding and continues to iterate on its personalization engine with AI-driven ingredient recommendations and expanded formula options. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How is Function of Beauty different from standard haircare brands? Function of Beauty formulates each product to order based on a customer quiz covering hair type, goals, fragrance preferences, and color. Each bottle is labeled with the customer's name and unique formula code. ### Where can you buy Function of Beauty? Function of Beauty sells through its own DTC website and in Target, CVS, and international retailers, making it the most broadly distributed personalized haircare brand in the US. ### Does Function of Beauty offer products beyond haircare? Yes — the company has expanded its personalization platform to cover skincare and body care in addition to its core shampoo and conditioner range. ### Who founded Function of Beauty? Function of Beauty was founded in 2015 by Zahir Dossa and Hien Nguyen, MIT graduates who applied algorithmic personalization to haircare — launching as a direct-to-consumer startup before expanding to retail partnerships with Target and CVS. ### How many formula variations can Function of Beauty produce? Function of Beauty's personalization algorithm generates trillions of possible formula combinations across its hair type, texture, porosity, scalp condition, and goal parameters — each produced to order at the company's manufacturing facility. ### What is Function of Beauty's skincare line? Function of Beauty expanded into personalized skincare in 2021, applying the same quiz-based custom formulation model to moisturizers, serums, and cleansers — with formulas tailored to skin type, concerns, and preferred textures in the same DTC subscription format as its haircare. ### How does the Function of Beauty subscription work? Subscribers receive their personalized shampoo and conditioner (and optional additional products) at a cadence matching their usage — typically every 1-3 months — with the flexibility to adjust their formula online as their hair changes seasonally or with lifestyle changes. ### What certifications does Function of Beauty hold? Function of Beauty products are PETA-certified cruelty-free, vegan (on most formulas), and free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde — meeting the clean beauty criteria that a growing segment of the haircare market prioritizes. ### How does Function of Beauty's personalization system work? Function of Beauty's online quiz collects information about hair type, scalp condition, hair goals (hydration, volume, frizz control, curl definition), color treatment status, and lifestyle factors. The algorithm selects from hundreds of active ingredients and formulates a custom shampoo, conditioner, and treatment product made-to-order with the customer's name on the bottle. ### Where can Function of Beauty products be purchased? Function of Beauty is available through its DTC website and in retail stores including Target and CVS, where it brought personalized haircare to mass-market price points. The retail presence made personalized formulations accessible to a broader demographic than premium DTC subscription brands typically reach. ### How does Function of Beauty compare to Prose? Both Function of Beauty and Prose offer algorithm-driven custom haircare, but they target different market segments. Prose positions as premium DTC with higher price points and emphasizes clean, botanical ingredient sourcing. Function of Beauty targets broader accessibility with lower price points and mass retail distribution, plus a wider range of product customization variables. ### Does Function of Beauty offer skincare in addition to haircare? Function of Beauty has expanded beyond haircare into personalized body care and skincare products, applying the same algorithm-driven formulation approach to body wash and skincare products. The expansion follows the broader personalized beauty trend of applying customization logic across multiple beauty categories. ### How much does Function of Beauty cost? Function of Beauty's custom shampoo and conditioner typically cost between $25 and $40 each for standard bottle sizes, with pricing varying by formula complexity and retail channel. Retail pricing at Target and CVS is generally lower than DTC pricing, and the DTC channel offers subscription discounts for recurring orders. ## Tags b2c, platform, north-america, scaleup, retailtech, ai-powered --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*