Shae Thompson, 29, from Crosby, has turned childhood hair struggles into a thriving TikTok business with her Grip slick back hair brush. The product, launched in April, has gained celebrity endorsements from Molly-Mae Hague and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, along with thousands of sales and TikTok followers.
Childhood experiences spark business idea
Thompson, who is of mixed heritage, said she grew up feeling the hair industry didn't cater to hair types like hers. She recalled an experience with a friend who had "super easy blonde hair" and commented on Thompson's brush, saying it looked like a dog brush.
Thompson told the ECHO: "When I was younger I had a disgusting brown wooden brush, but it was just something that I had to carry through life." She added: "It really struck me that this has been so neglected by the hair industry. It's crazy that this is still a product that nobody's thought to revolutionise or make pretty or commercially make it something that we all want to be using."
Product development and launch
Thompson spent over 12 months developing the brush, mixing different materials to perfect the bristles for all hair types. She said: "I wanted to have the type of brush, even if you have the easiest hair or the most challenging, thick hair type, the outcome was the same."
After a year of testing, she began selling the Grip brush on TikTok Shop in April. Before launch, she sent about 100 brushes to "normal people" rather than influencers, which led to a viral moment with over 100,000 views in one day.
Reflecting on success
Thompson said the response confirmed demand for the product. Reflecting on her journey, she said: "I think I would like to tell my younger self just not to compromise, and you don't have to compromise if you want to find something that is perfect for your hair type, find it, and if it's not there, create it."
