Interview with Founder of Robe Haircare, Lauren Mackellar

It's our pleasure to introduce you to the founder of Robe haircare, Lauren Mckellar. With over 15 years of industry experience as a hair stylist, in 2020 Lauren set out to fill the gap she saw in the haircare industry; creating products that are packed with active ingredients that are proven to deliver results without the harmful chemicals that can cause more harm than good. 

In this conversation, Lauren shares the inspiration behind her haircare brand, how her cancer diagnosis and hair loss fueled her passion, and the significant role hair plays in personal style.

Tell us a bit about yourself! Where did you grow up, what did you study, and what path — both professional and personal — brought you to where you are today?  

I grew up in Alexandra, a small country town in north-east Victoria. My childhood was wholesome and fun, but from a young age, I always knew I wanted to do something big with my life – although I wasn’t sure exactly what.

I also felt really drawn towards doing something that could help people. I loved psychology and science subjects, so I began a course in Behavioral Neuroscience after finishing Year 12.  When that experience didn’t feel as exciting as I had hoped, I made the decision to defer my course so that I could get some life experience outside of studying.

One of my mum’s friends was a hairdresser, and I’d grown up hearing all these stories about her life and career abroad – so I thought maybe I should start an apprenticeship, to learn something new while my studies were on hold. I figured it could give me the life experience I’d been craving – and at the end of it I’d have a qualification I could take anywhere.

I didn’t have a natural talent with hair but in hindsight, I see so many similarities between psychology and hairdressing – so I think it makes a lot of sense that I ended up doing hair.

I loved the challenge of trying to learn a skill that I felt so out of my comfort zone and along the way I realised how much impact I was having by helping people feel great about themselves.

Being able to talk and listen to so many different people was the only aspect of hairdressing that came easily to me. Along the way, I realised that part of the reason I’d had trouble learning the technical skills in hairdressing was because I felt they were so outdated, and they didn’t inspire me at all. 

I preferred the aesthetic of ‘less is more’, and began developing my signature style of very natural, effortless, and un-done hair. 

My clients preferred it too, but as a young hairdresser I was often told that I should be upselling more products and services . I genuinely felt like the hair looked better when it was less ‘done.’  

What led you to want to create a haircare brand?  

During my time as an editorial stylist, I’d found a product I really liked using but noticed it contained silicones and other harsh ingredients that aren’t great for the hair or scalp.

I distinctly remember chatting with Zoe (Foster Blake) one day while I had her at the basin rinsing out a colour and she had just launched Go-To. I told her my idea that I’d love to one day make products that really worked but weren’t full of the nasty filler ingredients that so many products contained.

She backed me on my dream from the very start, and I think her encouragement had a huge impact on me fulfilling my dream of developing Robe all these years later.

I’d also personally struggled with stress-related hair loss for a few years by that point – and out of desperation, I had been trying natural alternatives and seeing really positive results.

I’d tried everything else and realised I needed something more than the standard offering of hair products that were available at the time.

I’d even tried Rogaine and all of the other related treatments,  but felt so embarrassed about them so I would hide them in the back of my bathroom cabinet. I felt so ashamed that I was a 25-year-old girl using products for male-pattern baldness.

I realised through sharing my vulnerability that so many other women had been through similar experiences or knew of someone else who had too.

It wasn’t just stress that was causing hair loss, it was post-partum, hormone changes, medications and health issues too – and it was really common.

I was Inspired by the encouragement I had from people like Zoe, and with the drive to do something that would help people.  I realised developing my own haircare range was something that I just had to do.

You started formulating the brand in 2020 and then found out you had cancer, needed to go through chemotherapy and would lose your hair. How did this impact how you built the brand, its formulas and brand messaging? 

When I received my diagnosis, I’d had to stop hairdressing immediately and begin treatment – so my whole life took a complete 180-degree turn.

I was so grateful that I had already begun the formulation and development process with Robe, because it gave me purpose every day that was outside of doctor appointments and treatment.  

When I lost my hair after my radiation, the nurses told me that I needed to expect my hair loss to be permanent, because the intensity of the treatment I’d needed would have permanent damage  to my hair follicles.

Luckily, I had The Tonic already finished – so I began using it on my scalp as I began my 12 months of chemo.

I can be extremely stubborn, and being told my hair would not grow back only made me more determined to prove them wrong. Even though I knew the formula was amazing, in the back of my mind I was preparing myself for what life could be like without hair.

During that time, I really felt the depths of how much our hair really influences how we feel about ourselves.

I felt so grateful that I had essentially overcome all of the major health obstacles I’d faced – but I also desperately wanted my hair back. Experiencing extreme hair loss is a traumatic experience that feels confronting because it’s something that’s happening out of your control.

Without having gone through that experience, I wouldn’t have been able to confidently and wholeheartedly put my hand on my heart to say that my products really work in the toughest of conditions. It also helped me to know  how empowering it feels when you have a product in your hands that can help you take back the control over your hair loss.  

I wasn’t just a hairdresser that was creating their own line – I was someone who had experienced hair loss, and now really knew the depth of how important our hair really is to us.

As terrible as my cancer diagnosis was, the experience made me realise how important it was that I bring the brand to life - in order to help other people who might be going through something similar.

Robe is formulated with plant based active ingredients, why did you choose these and what should people know about the ingredients that are in their haircare?  

People are becoming more interested and educated to understand what’s in the products they buy, and I’m so happy about it.

There are a lot of ingredients that can do more harm than good to the hair and scalp and are chosen due to low cost.  Higher quality ingredients cost more but are kinder to the hair.

Things like SLS, parabens and silicones can cause irritation and sensitivity to the scalp, and while I was hairdressing, I saw first-hand how a buildup of these ingredients can really affect the health of the hair.

During the formulation process and through my own experimenting with natural ingredients,  I learnt about natural alternatives that are more effective AND better for the hair –so my goal was for ROBE to set a new standard for cleaner haircare across the board.

How have you found breaking into the haircare industry? What have been the key challenges and learnings you have faced?  

The support I have had for Robe really has been incredible. I think this has happened  because Robe is so different from other brands.

I have been so grateful that so many of the friendships I made while working have now evolved into partnerships – so many of my old teammate’s salons now stock ROBE.

From my own experience in the industry, I know how competitive the market is, and that the brands they choose to stock on their shelves are selected very carefully – there are no favours made, that’s for sure.

So, to have ROBE chosen to be in so many top-tier salons around Australia, in the hands of the most talented stylists in the industry, makes me feel so proud.

As someone who is so new to business, I tend to ask a lot of people who have more experience than I do for their advice.

I remember being told that I should consider finding ways to reduce the cost of my packaging and formulas, and that it was going to be difficult to find customers that were willing to buy a product that was for long-term benefit.

It was a perfect lesson of realising that people can only give advice that’s based on their own personal experience, and that I also need to trust my own instincts for what I believe will work.

I respected the fact that maybe it was a risky move – because Robe was going to be the first luxury active haircare brand – but I’m so glad in that instance that I walked away deciding to not take that advice and to keep everything exactly the way it was.

What are key habits we should put into practice if we want to focus on growing healthy hair? 

Avoiding products that contain harmful ingredients, and limiting the use of heated styling tools as often as possible will go a long way in keeping your hair scalp healthy and thriving.

Other things I truly believe in are relieving stress and tension in the scalp – to encourage blood flow to nourish the follicles.

That’s one of the reasons why The Tonic works so well – along with the powerful formula, the action of applying it to the scalp and massaging it in will kickstart the actives and help to increase scalp circulation too.

The scalp is an extension of the skin on our face – so I think of The Tonic as being the final step of my skincare routine.

From your point of view as a hair stylist, how does hair play a role in personal style? 

In my opinion, our hair is probably the truest reflection of someone’s personal style. Hair is an extension of our identity, and where clothes and fashion can be a decision that is re-made again each day – our hairstyle stays pretty consistent each day until we decide to change it up with a new cut or colour.

We have so much emotional connection to it too – which is why we can spend so long deliberating over drastic changes, and why we feel like we want to cut our hair off after going through something big in our lives.

So, how someone chooses to wear their hair can really say so much about their personal style, and who they are.

Robe’s packaging has a beautiful minimalist aesthetic, how does this resonate with your own style, and further, how would you describe your personal style?  

When I was designing the packaging for Robe, I knew it had to be functional (after years of working with so many brands and feeling frustrated with certain packaging styles) but I was also very sure that it had to align and enhance the luxurious experience of using the product too.

I am someone who gravitates towards practicality but I’m also very tactile – I love how you can feel the quality of something through its texture and finish – which is why I made the bottles matte white with the soft plush finish.

I am also a minimalist, and a lover of a clean aesthetic. The simplicity of the black and white packaging was a no-brainer to me, because it felt like it is a true reflection of the confidence I have in the formulas.

The ingredients, and their performance, are the star features in my eyes – and I didn’t want anything to distract from that.

My personal style has evolved over the last three years, but the things that I will always gravitate towards are feeling comfortable, polished, and with a casually tailored and French aesthetic.

Being a hairstylist for so long meant that I was always wearing black every day, but I’m starting to really gravitate towards introducing more of an earthy colour palette into my wardrobe – neutrals, deep greens, reds, and gold.

What are five wardrobe essentials you couldn’t live without? 

1. A loosely tailored suit.

I bought a brown houndstooth two-piece suit set from Camilla and Marc back when Robe was launching, because I needed something to wear to meetings – and it has become one of my best purchases because it is just so versatile!

I especially love wearing the jacket with a white t-shirt, jeans and sneakers when I want to feel a little more put-together, but still feel comfortable and relaxed.

2. A little black dress for all occasions.

I have a black Alexander Wang t-shirt dress that I have had since before I moved to LA, which I will never ever let go of. It has taken me on so many fun nights out all over the world and helped me out of many wardrobe-crises!

3. A pair of statement heels.

My gold bow Loeffler Randall heels that I wore as bridesmaid to Olympia Valance’s wedding have a special place in my heart because It was my first big social outing after losing my hair. I was so nervous about walking down the aisle without hair because my surgery scar would be so visible – but it is such a special memory for me now! And these heels have been so good to me because they work so well with everything from denim to dresses.

4. A statement jacket.

I found an amazing A-line Acne jacket in Tokio 7 (the second-hand store in NY) and I’ve repaired its lining multiple times from wearing it so much. It has a shiny finish, and the shape is so unique - I get asked about it every time I wear it.

5. A take-everywhere bag.

My Celine bucket bag is so practical for during the day because it has a cross-body strap,  but also makes everything look a bit more polished at night too.

Apart from Robe, what else would we find in your bathroom that you absolutely love?  

Fragrances.

I have an entire shelf that is dedicated to fragrances – Olympia and I both have our birthdays in January, and every year we go together and choose a new fragrance that we both love, to be our scent for the year ahead.

This year’s fragrance is L’au Papier by Diptyque, but I am quite sentimental when it comes to fragrance, so I also like to find new scents for when I’m entering new chapters or at milestone events in my life -so I have quite the collection!

My love for the ritual of applying fragrance was the reason why I decided to make The Robe fragrance.

The fragrance took me such a long time to perfect, but everyone who tested the samples fell in love with it instantly . It can be worn year round and in any situation. Naturally, my ROBE fragrance sits front and centre on my scent shelf.