Olaplex and Redken Lead Hair Care Visibility in AI Search

Hair care is a highly concentrated category when it comes to AI search visibility, according to new research.

An analysis of 300 hair care-specific prompts and fan-out queries run through ChatGPT by digital agency Avenue Z showed that the top five brands accounted for 49 percent of total category visibility.

Olaplex emerged as the top-ranked brand, appearing in 31 percent of prompts, closely followed by Redken at 29 percent. Queries tested on the AI chatbot covered seasonal concern searches—such as humidity-fighting products for summer and top-rated dry shampoos—as well as targeted texture queries like recommendations for low-porosity hair, a growing focus area as scalp care brands bet on salon stylists and expert endorsements to build consumer trust.

“Editorial authority is still the primary fuel for AI visibility in hair care,” said Whitney Hart, chief strategy officer at Avenue Z, noting that consistent reviews and recommendations from beauty publications serve as “the backbone of how AI systems learn which products to trust and surface first.”

Retail presence plays a equally critical role in AI recommendation algorithms.

“When a brand is well positioned at Sephora, Ulta, and other key retailers, with strong product detail pages and good consumer ratings and reviews, AI systems treat that as a powerful signal that the brand is both widely available and actively chosen by real shoppers,” Hart explained.

Beyond editorial coverage and retail footprint, Hart emphasized that a robust content ecosystem across a brand’s owned digital channels remains a core pillar for sustaining AI search performance.