How Dianna Cohen Built Crown Affair Into a Sephora Haircare Favorite With a Dry Shampoo

Dianna Cohen, founder of Crown Affair, reveals how a simple moment—using translucent powder as a dry shampoo during a long office day—sparked a $9 million-funded haircare brand now sold in every Sephora globally. What began as a personal obsession with hair care rituals evolved into a cult favorite, driven not by clean beauty trends, but by a radical focus on time as the ultimate luxury. Cohen argues that 'clean' and 'sustainable' aren’t brand pillars—they’re product promises. Instead, Crown Affair’s ethos centers on elegance, performance, and intuitive design, proven by its best-selling dry shampoo that won Allure’s Best of Beauty twice and was used by Mark Townsend on Dakota Johnson. Despite her success, Cohen remains deeply hands-on, building community through Substack engagement and a new podcast, 'Take Your Time,' reflecting her belief that creativity thrives when you slow down. Her journey underscores a counterintuitive truth: in a world obsessed with growth at all costs, sustainable success comes from intentional, scrappy execution and authentic connection. Cohen’s story dismantles the myth that you need massive funding or influencer armies to build a brand. She grew Crown Affair through grassroots word-of-mouth, strategic retail placement, and a founder-led presence that feels personal, not performative. Her advice? Test products on your skin, research the founder’s story, and understand your hair’s needs before buying.