As Skala Brasil continues its rapid expansion across the U.S., beauty supply owners are seeing firsthand the growing demand for the brand’s accessible, high-performing hair care products. Known for its inclusive approach and strong social media presence, Skala is bridging the gap between digital buzz and in-store sales. We spoke with David Mohammed, Head of US Sales, to learn how the brand is supporting retailers, connecting with consumers, and building momentum in today’s evolving beauty landscape.
Can you introduce yourself and share about your role as Head of US Sales for Skala Brasil? What does your day-to-day look like?
As Head of US Sales for Skala Brasil, I lead our commercial strategy across key national retailers, distributors, beauty supply stores, and emerging channels throughout the United States. My role is focused on building long-term partnerships, identifying growth opportunities, and ensuring our retail partners have the right assortment, marketing support, and merchandising tools to maximize sales. No two days are the same. One day I’m working with a national retailer on a new product launch, and the next I’m meeting with distributors or independent beauty supply owners to understand what’s happening at store level. Everything we do starts with one goal: helping our partners grow their business while making high-quality Brazilian hair care accessible to more consumers.
What led you into a career in sales, and what continues to keep you passionate about sales within the beauty industry?
My passion for sales really started at home. Growing up, my mother sold beauty products through Avon, and as a young child I had the opportunity to attend sales meetings, conventions, and training events with her. Watching her build relationships with customers, demonstrate products, and genuinely help people find solutions left a lasting impression on me. I can still remember bringing beauty products to school and enthusiastically promoting them to anyone who would listen. Looking back, those experiences planted the seeds for my career. Another thing that attracted me to sales was the opportunity to control my own success. Working in commission-based sales taught me that I could essentially write my own paycheck. The harder I worked, the more relationships I built, and the more value I created for my customers, the greater the rewards. That entrepreneurial mindset has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to motivate me every day. As my career progressed, I had the opportunity to work with the Motions hair care brand, which was a defining moment professionally. It taught me that successful selling goes far beyond simply placing products on a shelf. I learned how to truly understand the consumer, support retailers, develop effective merchandising strategies, and execute 360-degree marketing programs that create demand and drive traffic into beauty supply stores. That experience helped shape my career in consumer packaged goods and reinforced my passion for the beauty industry. What continues to inspire me today is helping retailers grow their businesses while introducing consumers to products that genuinely make a difference. The beauty industry is constantly evolving, driven by innovation, changing consumer behaviors, and the influence of digital and social media. That fast-paced environment, combined with the opportunity to build lasting partnerships, is what keeps me passionate about what I do.
What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career that shapes how you approach working with retailers today?
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is to listen before you sell. The strongest retail partnerships begin with understanding a retailer’s business, their customers, and the challenges they’re facing. Every retailer has different goals, competitive pressures, and financial realities, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Throughout my career, I’ve learned the importance of being diplomatic, especially when navigating difficult situations. Whether the challenge is margin pressure, competitive pricing, inventory issues, or finding ways to grow the category, I’ve found that taking a step back, listening carefully, and understanding the retailer’s perspective often leads to the best outcome. These challenges are real, and it’s our responsibility as partners to help solve them—not simply sell through them. I believe the best business relationships are built on trust, transparency, and a willingness to find common ground. Sometimes that means getting creative with promotions, introducing new products, adjusting assortments, or developing programs that create value for both the retailer and the manufacturer. When both sides are willing to collaborate, there’s almost always a path forward. At the end of the day, my philosophy is simple: when beauty supply stores succeed, manufacturers succeed. Long-term partnerships are built by solving problems together, not just closing the next sale.
What’s a moment in your career that really shaped how you understand the beauty supply business?
Early in my career, I had the opportunity to work with one of the most successful brands in the textured hair care category, and one lesson has stayed with me ever since: show up and follow up. Success in the beauty supply business isn’t built from behind a desk. It’s built by walking into stores, visiting every neighborhood, building genuine relationships with store owners, and consistently following through on your commitments. Those experiences taught me that every store has its own customer base, challenges, and opportunities, and that the best partnerships are built through trust and consistency. Spending time in independent beauty supply stores also gave me a grassroots understanding of how consumers discover products and what motivates them to make a purchase. I saw firsthand how store owners and employees can become true advocates for a brand when they believe in the product, understand its benefits, and see the results with their customers. I also learned that great products don’t sell themselves. Success comes from the combination of education, merchandising, social media, product knowledge, marketing, and retailer engagement. When those elements come together, they create consumer demand and long-term loyalty. That early experience shaped the way I approach every retail partnership today. I still believe the fundamentals are the same: show up, follow up, listen, and always look for ways to help your retail partners grow their business.
Skala Brasil has built a strong identity around accessibility and inclusivity. From a sales perspective, how does that translate on the ground with U.S. retailers?
At Skala Brasil, one of our core beliefs is that beauty is not a privilege, it’s a universal right. That philosophy drives everything we do, from product development to pricing and how we support our retail partners. For us, accessibility means making high-quality Brazilian hair care available to everyone—not just a select few. We believe consumers shouldn’t have to choose between performance and affordability. Skala delivers salon-inspired formulas at an accessible price point, making premium hair care available to families and communities across the country. Inclusivity is equally important. Our products are designed for a wide range of hair textures and needs, whether someone has straight, wavy, curly, or coily hair. We celebrate the diversity of beauty and create solutions that allow every consumer to find products that work for them. From a retailer’s perspective, that translates into a brand with broad consumer appeal, strong value, and high repeat purchase potential. Skala helps retailers attract new shoppers, build customer loyalty, and create an affordable Brazilian hair care destination that consumers trust. Ultimately, our mission is simple: make exceptional hair care accessible to everyone while helping our retail partners grow their business. For retailers, that means stronger value, broader consumer appeal, and excellent repeat purchase potential.
For beauty supply owners who are new to the brand, what is the Skala story they should be sharing with their customers?
The story begins with trust. Skala Brasil has been one of Brazil’s most trusted hair care brands for more than 30 years and is the #1 hair care brand in Brazil. While we’re still relatively new to many consumers in the U.S., our products have a long history of delivering results in one of the world’s largest and most diverse hair care markets. Brazil is the third-largest hair care market in the world, with consumers representing every hair texture from straight and wavy to curly and coily. Our formulas have been developed and refined to perform across this diverse range of hair types, which is why they’re trusted by millions of consumers every day. That’s the story beauty supply owners should be sharing with their customers: if you’re looking for solutions for dryness, frizz, curls, hydration, or damaged hair, Skala offers proven Brazilian formulas that deliver exceptional performance without the premium price tag. Another key differentiator is versatility. Many of our products can be used as deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners, co-washes, or styling treatments, giving consumers more value from every purchase. At the end of the day, Skala brings together everything today’s shopper is looking for; trusted Brazilian expertise, proven performance, multifunctional formulas, and outstanding value. We’re making Brazilian beauty accessible to everyone without compromising on quality.
Skala has built strong momentum on social media. How are you seeing that digital buzz translate into real demand and sell-through at the store level?
The connection is stronger than ever. Social media is arguably the number one driver of brand awareness in 2026, and Skala is a great example of how authentic consumer engagement can build a brand. One of the biggest reasons for our momentum in the U.S. wasn’t a large advertising campaign—it was organic. Consumers and influencers traveling to Brazil discovered Skala on vacation, fell in love with the products and their performance, and began sharing their experiences on social media. Those authentic reviews created tremendous curiosity and demand back home in the U.S. As that content went viral, importers and distributors recognized the opportunity and began bringing Skala into the country. That grassroots momentum helped introduce the brand to American consumers and laid the foundation for the growth we’re seeing today. Now we’re seeing the next phase of that journey. Consumers walk into beauty supply stores asking for Skala by name because they’ve already seen it on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. The digital buzz creates awareness, but it’s the product performance that drives repeat purchases and long-term loyalty. For retailers, that’s incredibly powerful. Social media is creating demand before the customer even walks through the door. Our responsibility is to make sure our retail partners have the right assortment, inventory, merchandising, and education in place so they can capture those sales when consumers come looking for the brand.
What are your top merchandising recommendations for beauty supply owners to help Skala products stand out and move quickly?
Merchandising is something I’m extremely passionate about because I truly believe great merchandising drives sales. Even the best product can underperform if consumers can’t easily find it or understand what it’s designed to do. My first recommendation is to create a dedicated Brazilian Hair Care destination or a branded Skala section within the store in the texture haircare section. When consumers see the assortment together, it builds credibility for the brand, encourages discovery, and increases basket size. It transforms Skala from being just another product on the shelf into a destination shoppers want to explore. The second recommendation is to merchandise by hair need rather than simply by product type. Skala’s portfolio naturally fits this approach with solutions centered around hydration, nourishment, and repair. When consumers can quickly identify the products that address their specific hair concerns, it simplifies the shopping experience and increases conversion. Education is equally important. Clear signage, shelf talkers, and knowledgeable store associates help consumers understand the benefits of each collection and confidently choose the right products.
And finally, always keep your best sellers in stock. Nothing builds loyalty faster than consistently having the products customers come back for. The exciting part is that we’re already putting this vision into action. We’re working with our retail partners to launch a national merchandising program in key markets that will help beauty supply owners create dedicated Brazilian Hair Care destinations within their stores. Our goal is to provide the merchandising tools, branding, and support needed to elevate the shopping experience and ultimately drive higher sales for our retail partners. We’re excited about what’s ahead, so stay tuned as we roll out this program across the country.
How does Skala support its retail partners when it comes to education, promotions, and driving traffic into stores?
We view our retailers as true partners. We provide educational materials, merchandising solutions, promotional programs, digital assets, product training, and collaborative marketing initiatives designed to help stores increase both traffic and basket size. Our objective isn’t simply to place products on shelves, it’s to help retailers build a destination that consumers return to again and again.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about Skala Brasil’s growth in the U.S., and what can retailers expect next from the brand?
We’re just getting started. The U.S. market presents tremendous opportunity for Brazilian beauty, and Skala is well positioned to lead that growth through innovation, consumer engagement, and strategic retail partnerships. Retailers can expect exciting new product launches, continued investment in marketing, stronger merchandising support, and expanded educational initiatives designed to help stores capture incremental sales. Our commitment remains the same: delivering high-quality Brazilian hair care, exceptional value, and sustainable growth for every retail partner we work with.
