CINCINNATTI, Ohio — Procter & Gamble is turning heads and rewriting the shampoo playbook with the launch of Gemz, a first-of-its-kind water-activated, dissolvable shampoo and conditioner that combines sustainability, personalization, and performance in a compact, clutter-free format.
Fourteen years in development, Gemz offers a new take on haircare with hexagon-shaped “nuggets” that dissolve into a rich lather when wet. According to the brand, each Gem delivers eight times more active ingredients than traditional liquid formulas, giving users high-impact results in a single, travel-friendly dose.
“The Gemz name is inspired by the product’s purity, the rainbow of beautiful choices, and the inspiration of uniqueness in every person’s beauty,” Robert Reiss, brand VP, North America Hair & Disruptive Innovation at P&G, told Happi. “Gemz is a rare product to use: no filler or additives, giving you pure active ingredients. It’s a rainbow of transformation in the palm of your hand. With Gemz, you get super-concentrated hair care, for flawless locks every day of the week, because each Gemz is as unique as you are.”
The brand is targeting Gen Z consumers seeking more flexibility in their beauty routines — and fewer bottles in their bathrooms. With interchangeable formulas lightly scented and packed with performance-driven ingredients like bis-aminopropyl dimethicone for softness and polyquaternium-76 for conditioning, Gemz encourages users to mix, match and customize their wash day based on hair type, goals, and lifestyle.
Beyond performance, sustainability is core to the Gemz brand. The dissolvables eliminate single-use plastic, and the hookable pouch packaging keeps the shower tidy while reducing clutter. P&G has also partnered with TerraCycle to offer free, at-home recycling of the product’s outer materials.
The product has already shown strong consumer appeal:
- 89% of users said Gemz extended time between washes
- 85% found that one Gem provided the perfect dose
“The clutter-free, no-bottle format is a game-changer for both aesthetics and functionality,” said John Scarachilli, director, Procter & Gamble, Hair Care, Scientific Communications, R&D. “With Gemz, you’re eliminating bulky bottles, leftover product waste and that mess of half-used containers – replacing them with compact, pre-portioned doses that are easy to store and even easier to use.”
Gemz is now available at Target, retailing for $7.99 (five-count shampoo or conditioner) and $14.99 (11-count variety pack with both). A 360-degree marketing campaign will drive awareness across TikTok, Instagram, and in-store channels, leveraging influencers to demystify the format and showcase the “magical” wash day experience.
