Inside Maria Nila’s Swedish Hair Laboratory
As the cult Scandi haircare brand debut a Liberty exclusive: we take a look behind the scenes
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Inside Maria Nila’s Swedish Hair Laboratory
As the cult Scandi haircare brand debut a Liberty exclusive: we take a look behind the scenes
By: Team Liberty
Not many beauty empires begin in a garage, but Swedish hair care brand Maria Nila is anything but ordinary.
Founded in southern Sweden in 1999, the brand was born out of founder, Anna Wikstrom’s, desire to build a professional haircare brand that did things differently. Now, more than 25 years later the brand has built a cult following for its 100% vegan collections of highly efficacious shampoos, conditioners masks and much more. Still run by the founding family, it works with an ethos of creativity, curiosity and kindness.
Who better, then, to contribute to The Collector’s Edit? In honour of our 150th anniversary, we invited the most extraordinary names in beauty to collaborate on special edition items in honour of this monumental anniversary – with a new launch dropping every month for the rest of 2025. Think of these as beauty artefacts of the future, treasured items you will want to use, love and keep forever.
For the latest addition, Maria Nila reimagines their iconic Head & Hair Heal to feature an equally iconic Liberty print on the packaging as an exclusive limited edition. Ahead of the launch, Liberty headed to Maria Nila’s HQ in Sweden and sat down with Cia Dahl, creative director, and Hedda Mirow, marketing director, to get a glimpse behind the scenes.
Can you tell us about the brand: the history and the journey to where you are today?
Hedda: Our story goes back to the Sámi woman Maria Nila in northern Sweden, rooted in care for nature, wildlife, and community. In 1999, her great-granddaughter Ann and her husband Ulf founded the brand with those same values. Today, we offer high-quality, vegan hair care in over 45 countries.
The brand is still family run, why is that important for you?
HM: Being family-owned means our passion and care run deep - from how we create our products to how we treat our team and partners. Many of our people and salon partners have been with us from the beginning, and that sense of family is at the heart of everything we do.
What would you say is the ethos behind Maria Nila’s products?
Cia: Our mission is to innovate beauty towards a friendlier world for nature, wildlife and humanity. We create high quality, professional, vegan, CO2-compensated products that care for hair and the planet. Plus, we’re a B Corp company. Customers love our distinctive packaging, scents, and results - all without compromising on performance.
You have a factory and lab in Sweden, why is it important to you to do your production close to home?
CD: Our factory is near where Ann and Ulf started in their garage. With everything - from formulation to packaging - in-house, we ensure quality and fast innovation, all proudly made in Sweden.
How would you describe Scandi-taste when it comes to beauty – and how does that come through in your products?
CD: Scandinavian beauty is functional and minimalistic. Our products solve multiple problems and are effective and simple to use. We balance clean design with bold colours and clear naming, making the range easy to navigate and tailored to individual needs.
Maria Nila
Head and Hair Heal Shampoo 350ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
Head and Hair Heal Conditioner 300ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
Structure Repair Leave In Cream 200ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
Colour Refresh Bright Red 300ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
True Soft Argan Oil 100ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
Styling Spray 400ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Maria Nila
Volume Spray 300ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
How do you think being based in Stockholm influences the brand?
HM: Despite being a small town, Stockholm houses so many interesting brands and entrepreneurs - from beauty to fashion, interior and technology. I think this gives a very interesting cross pollination between industries and you can truly see how trends appear and vanish faster than any other place. This requires brands (and ourselves) to be very attentive to our surroundings as the city is always in the search of the next big or small thing.
Talk us through Maria Nila's hero products: the innovations behind them and what makes them unique?
HM: Our Head & Hair Heal duo is a consistent bestseller. Launched in 2016, it was designed to treat multiple scalp and hair concerns - like dandruff, hair loss, and itchiness - in one product. Nearly a decade later, it’s still a global favourite.
Are there any innovations you’re particularly proud of as a brand?
CD: Our Colour Refresh line, launched in 2014, offers semi-permanent, easy-to-use colour at home. Its playful nature and instant results helped us grow on social media and introduced the brand to a wider audience.
For you personally, where do you find inspiration?
HM: Inspiration for me always comes in combinations! It can be as easy as walking by someone on the street who reminds me of a scent. I’m the most inspired when there’s a lot going on. When life is full, creativity flows. I find it in the everyday moments that spark connections.
CD: Inspiration is everywhere - old and new, people and objects, music and lyrics. Once we start to explore the world as a whole, we can make new connections and find inspiration to create something unique.
Can you talk us through the collaboration products? Why did you choose these items?
CD: Head & Hair Heal is our most beloved product, with Liberty customers but especially by those with scalp concerns, so we wanted to give the Heal community some extra love with a Liberty exclusive duo!
How did the collaboration come about?
HM: After launching in Liberty in July 2024 and a successful pop-up, we quickly became a one of the best-selling haircare brands! We’ve really loved working with the Liberty team and the Liberty customer has truly showed support for us so, doing a cobranded product felt like the perfect next steps to further give our communities what they want - quality, craftmanship and creativity in a perfect blend.
What was the process you went through to bring everything to life?
HM: I think it all starts with a great passion for quality and creativity. Our communities appreciate thoughtful craftsmanship, so collaborating felt very aligned.
CD: Digging into the archives of the Liberty fabrics, I found so many interesting colours, patterns and expressions. One pattern caught my eyes with its beautiful pink toned pastel flowers that would go perfectly with our Heal collection. It was however on a deep brown surface which I found a bit heavy for our brand. By curating the colours, we created a new beautiful pattern that truly merged the worlds from both brands, which I am so happy about! The end result is an exclusive edition of our most beloved product in a truly iconic and unique Liberty costume.
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