Actress, producer, author—her new memoir Unfinished has rave reviews— and now beauty entrepreneur with the debut of her new sustainable hair-care brand Anomaly, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is not only sitting on top of the world, but also trying to make it a better place.
You’ve said your relationship with your hair is very personal. What’s your earliest hair memory?
“Where I’m from in India, we make a big deal about our first haircut. In many regions of the country, before a child is a year old, their hair is shaved off to remove baby hair so that new, thick, luscious hair can grow. It’s actually a ceremonious festival called Mundan, and it was done to me. I was born bald, and my grandmother was really freaked out about me having no hair or having thin hair because Indian hair should be voluptuous, so my aunt shaved my hair three times. Her logic was that when you shave it, the hair comes back thicker. Maybe that’s why I have so much of it.”
How often do you actually do your own hair?
“Out of 365 days, I probably have my hair done almost 320 days. It’s part of my job. It’s not the most convenient part of it, but it comes with the territory. That means my hair is treated with hot products and blow-dried every single day, and having seen the damage that does, I leaned into wanting to take care of it and protect it as much as I could so it could survive all of that.”
But you wash and condition it yourself?
“I’m actually someone who loves washing my hair every day. My hair gets oily and grimy—I hate the feeling of too much product in my hair—and I love that clean, fresh feeling. I feel really good when I can put my hands through my hair. But my routine is pretty simple—I wash, condition and alternate a few times a week with a hair mask. That’s why Anomaly is not a professional line with all the complicated products. It’s just really simple—eight essentials you can use on a regular basis.”
Let’s talk about Anomaly. What inspired you to launch your own brand?
“I had been thinking about creating a hair-care brand for some time, and I’ve also had the honor of serving as an ambassador for a few iconic hair brands like Pantene. I think ultimately what I was looking for personally didn’t exist: a sustainable brand stripped of all unnecessary packaging that has incredible formulas and smells great, and most importantly, gives you great hair days. So I thought, why not create it!”
Why was the sustainability factor so important to you?
“I’ve always been conscious of the environment and I recognize the importance of everyone doing their part to leave the world better off than when we found it. Historically, the beauty industry has been a big contributor to the amount of waste generated each year, which is why I wanted to prioritize eliminating some of it. Our bottles are made of 100- percent recycled trash and infinitely recyclable aluminum, we are diverting this waste from our landfills and oceans, and they can then be recycled again after use. The plastic walls of our bottles are literally as thin as they can possibly be, and our formulas are not only good for you, but they are also good to the planet. We spend the least amount possible on the packaging so we can spend the maximum amount on formulas— and we’re affordable! Every product is $6. We haven’t had to sacrifice on quality, price or the planet.”
I love that the shampoos and conditioners aren’t sets, but rather individuals that can be mixed and matched. Is this the result of your own routine?
“I have always mixed and matched my shampoo and conditioner, and I typically have multiple in my shower at one time. Right now I have the entire Anomaly line in my shower. Sometimes my hair is extra-dry, so I not only need a good wash, but also an extra-nourishing conditioner or mask. Sometimes I’ve washed my hair every day that week, so all I need is a gentle cleanse. Or, if I am coming from a shoot and I have a ton of product in my hair, I need a deep cleanse. This line mimics how I personally care for my hair: nothing is one-size-fits-all for me, so I wanted to mimic that approach and create a menu of products that allows people to address exactly what they need when they need it, versus being locked into a cookie-cutter regimen.”
Which combination is your personal favorite?
“Oh, I use everything, but my go-to on most days is the Hydrating Shampoo and Smoothing Conditioner, and then I add the Deep Conditioning Mask a few days a week. My husband likes the charcoal Clarifying Shampoo.”
What about the name Anomaly? What inspired it?
“I’m so glad you asked. The name is very special to me. Anomaly means a deviation from the standard, that’s the dictionary meaning. But who decides what is standard? Who decides what is normal? There is no definition of what is normal or abnormal, and there shouldn’t be. I think each and every one of us is an anomaly, and we’re unique and special and need to be treated that way. I’m not a fan of tags, labels, stereotypes and all of that. Anomaly as a name was poetic and beautiful to me, and that’s what I wanted the brand to be.”
What other projects are you looking forward to this year?
“This has been a tremendous year so far: I have released two movies, shot two movies, published a memoir, and launched a brand. Right now I am shooting for a TV series called Citadel on Amazon, and I have a bunch of other projects in the pipeline. I’m definitely keeping busy.”
