AQUIS

About AQUIS

AQUIS operates within the beauty and haircare sector, focusing on a science-backed approach to hair health. The company was established in 1990 by Britta Cox, who was later joined by her husband, Suveen Sahib. Cox's journey began out of a personal frustration with the time-consuming and damaging process of drying long hair with conventional cotton towels. Her background in the ski industry exposed her to performance fabrics designed to wick moisture away from the body, sparking the idea to apply similar technology to haircare. This led her to collaborate with a Japanese company that invented these wicking fibers to develop a towel specifically for hair.

The core of AQUIS's business is a direct-to-consumer model, primarily through its own website and select online retailers like Sephora, with a smaller presence in physical stores. The company's initial and most recognized products are its hair towels and turbans, made from a proprietary fabric called Aquitex. This material, a unique weave of ultra-fine fibers, is engineered to wick water from hair significantly faster and more gently than traditional towels. The key benefit is minimizing "hygral fatigue," the stress and damage caused to hair when it swells and stretches while wet. By reducing drying time by up to 50%, the products help to lessen frizz, breakage, and maintain hair's natural strength and shine. The turban features a patented shape with a button loop to keep it securely in place.

Observing that customers reported healthier hair simply from using the towels, the founders delved deeper into the science. This scientific exploration, spearheaded by Suveen Sahib, whose background is in engineering and biomimetics, led to the expansion of the business. The company launched the AQUIS Prime system, which included a pre-wash spray, a rebalancing hair wash, and a leave-in conditioner, all designed to work with the towels to protect hair's integrity. This research also became the foundation for a sister company, K18 Hair, which focuses on biotech-driven hair repair treatments. In February 2025, it was reported that Unilever, which acquired K18, would close AQUIS in the United States, though the brand would continue to be available in Asia.