Interview: Shelby Wild of California Naturals

Shelby Wild is a former Vogue stylist turned entrepreneur whose journey into haircare began after moving to New York City, where she became disillusioned by the inflated promises and prices of prestige beauty. Motivated by a desire for simplicity, transparency, and a growing interest in herbalism, she began crafting her own haircare formulations in her tiny East Village kitchen. The result was Playa Beauty, a minimalist, clean haircare brand that quickly achieved cult status and earned shelf space at Sephora and Net-a-Porter.

Following Playa’s acquisition by Forma Brands in 2020, Wild relocated to California in search of sun, space, and a more direct connection with her community. In 2023, she launched California Naturals: a line of clean, effective hair and body care products for the whole family, priced under $10 and made with nourishing ingredients like avocado butter and coconut milk. With its beachy, inclusive aesthetic and accessible pricing, the brand secured exclusive distribution at Target and attracted high-profile collaborators, including Tony Hawk as Chief Culture Officer and, more recently, Owen Wilson as Chief Shampoo Officer.

Today, Shelby continues to lead California Naturals with the same vision that sparked its creation: clean, high-performance formulas with broad appeal, all rooted in the laid-back, eco-conscious spirit of the California coast.

We recently caught up with Shelby, who shared the story behind the brand, her go-to products, and who she’s eyeing for a dream collab.

What inspired you to create California Naturals?

After selling my first brand, Playa, I took some time to reflect on what I really wanted to build next. I kept coming back to the messages we received from customers over the years asking for more affordable options — products they could use every day, not just on special occasions. I also became a mom in 2020 and realized I didn’t have products in our home that felt safe, effective, and enjoyable for the whole family. California Naturals was born from that desire to make clean, high-quality formulas that are accessible to everyone, without the greenwashing I saw growing up in Mississippi.

What product makes the best introduction to the brand?

Our Glow Oil Body Wash is a great place to start. It foams like a traditional wash but leaves behind this really beautiful moisture barrier. I created it because I never have time to moisturize, and this product makes your skin look like you just got back from vacation, even if you’ve just been running errands.

What has been the biggest highlight?

Finding an old journal entry from 2015 where I wrote about the idea for California Naturals was a really special moment. But launching the brand with Owen Wilson as our Chief Shampoo Officer was definitely a highlight. He embodies “West Coast cool” in the best way, and he genuinely loves the products.

What advice would you give to those wanting to launch their own beauty business?

The first ten years of my career were all trial and error. I didn’t know what a P&L was, I’d never managed an employee, and I was literally handing my chemist ingredients from my pantry with notes on post-its. So, my advice is, don’t be afraid to start. Learn by doing and trust your instincts.

What’s next for California Naturals?

2025 is a big year for us — our second year in business! We’re focused on building national brand awareness and scaling into new retailers like CVS and Ulta. We also have some exciting product expansions and marketing campaigns in the works.

What does your daily beauty routine look like?

I design our products with real life in mind, especially busy mornings. I use our Glow Oil Body Wash because it saves me from needing lotion. I wash my hair with our Moisture line, which my daughter also loves because of the green color. Everything in my routine has to be fast, functional, and feel good.

What are three beauty products you cannot live without?

California Naturals Glow Oil Body Wash for sure — it was designed out of pure necessity. I test everything with my daughter, and if it doesn’t work for both of us, it doesn’t launch. The Mara Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil and Biba de Sousa Plant Serum with Peptides (which I use with the Rhode Glazing Milk!) are also holy grails for me.

What’s the biggest haircare lesson you’ve learned?

You don’t need silicones to have healthy, shiny hair. Once I stopped using them and built a better surfactant system, everything changed.

What person or brand would you love to collaborate with?

Miley Cyrus would be fun! I would also love to do a collab with Vita Coco and create a limited-edition version of our Coconut Daily line with them 😉

What’s not getting the attention it deserves in the beauty industry right now?

Clean, affordable beauty at mass. There’s been so much focus on prestige clean beauty, but I wanted to create something with Sephora-level quality that you could find on the shelves of Target or CVS. Ingredient transparency and safe formulas shouldn’t just be for the top shelf.

California Naturals is currently available exclusively in the US, with products sold at Ulta Beauty and Target, as well as online at thecalifornianaturals.com.