Cashing In On The Dragon's Loss, Hair Syrup Became One Of TikTok's Biggest Success Stories—Here's Why

When it comes to TikTok beauty brands, they're increasingly becoming a dime a dozen. However, some really do take off and grow, earning rave reviews and record sales. Case in point: Hair Syrup, the brand which featured on Dragons' Den and has a legion of fans. But should you invest in the brand? Here's what you need to know, from a beauty editor who's not easily impressed.

The Hair Syrup story

Founder Lucie Macleod has been vocal about her journey with Hair Syrup. Started in her family home when she was at university, Macleod created a number of oils for hair health after struggling to find anything to fix her own heat and bleach-damaged hair. After initially selling on Etsy, Hair Syrup grew and grew, largely with the help of its viral social media status.

Despite experiencing several setbacks—including rejection from the 'Dragons' on Dragons' Den—the success of the brand has catapulted, and its reputation as one of TikTok's biggest success stories often precedes it. The brand tells me Hair Syrup is now a top-three 'small and medium haircare' business on TikTok, with over 325k products sold on the platform alone, and has even experienced 700% sales growth on certain products via TikTok Shop in the last few years. What's more, the brand's profile went from 300k TikTok followers at the start of 2025 to over 400k in just six months.

With a predicted sales turnover of £6.5m in 2026, brand reps tell me global domination is next, with expansion plans for the US and Australia in the works.

What are Hair Syrup oils like to use?

With all this said, it's obvious Hair Syrup has garnered plenty of attention, both on social media and in the press. But how exactly do the products work, and are they really as good as everyone says?

Hair Syrup was born from the idea that pre-wash hair oils were key to hair and scalp health. It's worth mentioning that hair oiling is, of course, a 5000-year-old tradition with Ayurvedic roots, meaning that while it's gaining attention from brands like Hair Syrup, it has been around for thousands of years and is not new.

The brand first launched with its pre-wash products, which are still its most popular today. These oils combine all-natural fruit, nut and plant oils such as sweet almond, orange and macadamia, and are designed to be massaged into the scalp and smoothed into hair when it's dry, before shampooing out, one to four hours later. There are different formulations, from the now-viral 'Rapunzel,' designed to help you achieve your longest, fullest hair dreams and 'Vitamin C Me,' which is made for damaged hair to soften, protect and nourish. All oils promise to leave hair shinier, glossier and more hydrated. The brand has since expanded into leave-in oils, 'buttercreams,' and hair accessories.

Fans on social media and in online reviews have claimed in their thousands that Hair Syrup has been responsible for saving their damaged hair, helping it grow longer, and with increased fullness. The pre-wash oils have garnered such a cult following that I couldn't help but buy into the hype. However, because of my job as a beauty editor, I am sceptical. So, what did I think when I put these viral oils to the test? Are they worthy of the increasing attention? Let's find out...

It's hard for me to comment on claims fans have made in terms of long-term health and growth as a new-time user of Hair Syrup. What I can say is that with continued use, I do believe these could contribute towards healthier strands on the whole. I am sceptical that any topical, non-medicated hair product can make hair grow faster; however, healthier hair indeed equals less breakage, and less breakage means stronger growth. I also think anything that encourages you to use nourishing ingredients on hair and focus on scalp health can only be beneficial to your routine, particularly for less than £20.

I did get a sense of instant gratification: my hair looked shinier and softer each time I used any of the oils, and the scents linger, which I found impressive. I would warn anyone with bleached blonde hair to approach the 'Rapunzel' formula with caution, though; the brand has a disclaimer on their website about this, and I did notice my hair colour was a little less vibrant after using it, but not hugely so. Hair Syrup recommends doing a strand test first.

You can buy Hair Syrup direct from their website, as well as on retailers such as Boots and Beauty Bay.