Founded in 2025 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Tuya, Girl was created for women who refuse to separate their love of beauty from their love of the outdoors. Built by hairstylist Darby Brown, Tuya, Girl introduces a pre-shampoo hair oil designed to protect and restore hair exposed to sun, wind, salt, dry air, and high-altitude living. It’s haircare made to move—crafted for women who are constantly in motion.
Darby brings more than 20 years of experience behind the chair, including serving as a creative director at one of North America’s top salons. Over two decades, she listened closely to the women in her chair—the mountains they climbed, the waves they chased, the places they traveled, and the goals they reached. They were strong, capable, athletic, and independent. But when it came to beauty, many felt unseen.
In Colorado especially, Darby noticed a gap. Active, outdoorsy women were navigating extreme elements daily, yet the beauty aisle rarely reflected their lifestyle. Many brands claimed to be clean, but ingredient lists told a different story. Stylists often assumed these women wouldn’t invest in products or follow through with recommendations. Darby knew better. They would listen. They just needed something that made sense—something aligned with their values and their pace of life. Tuya, Girl was built to fill that gap.
Created to Fit Her Life
Tuya, Girl’s pre-shampoo hair oil is not about adding more steps or high-maintenance routines. It’s about supporting hair through real life. Whether skiing, surfing, hiking, traveling, or simply living in dry, sun-heavy climates, the formula is designed to strengthen and protect without complication. It fits her lifestyle instead of asking her to change it.
The brand speaks directly to a demographic long overlooked in traditional beauty marketing. These women want healthy hair. They care about ingredients. They value simplicity. And they want to see themselves represented in the brands they choose.
Packaging as Part of the Journey
For Darby, packaging had to serve a purpose beyond aesthetics. Function came first. The paper tube format protects the bottle inside, allowing it to be tossed into a backpack, ski bag, beach tote, or carry-on without worry. It adds an extra layer of protection against leakage and breakage, making it practical for real adventure.
At the same time, the tube aligns with the brand’s values. It feels intentional, elevated, and grounded in nature. Clean yet organic. Luxurious yet practical.
Darby initially explored traditional boxes and multiple packaging vendors, but ultimately chose Paper Tube Co. for its fully in-house process and U.S.-based production. The ability to work with one attentive, collaborative partner made the process seamless and aligned with her vision.
Design Inspired by Landscape and Spirit
The branding, developed with Made Moxie as designer, Sass Photo, and Nomad Stylist as creative director, draws deeply from nature. The tube design is inspired by mountains, open skies, and the botanicals within the formula. The primary logo—a fusion of plant and sun—features a woman whose hair forms the cardinal directions of a compass. To Darby, she feels like a sun goddess, representing the energy of the women the brand was created for.
The color palette is grounded in sunbaked tones: muted corals, terracottas, and worn blues reminiscent of canyon hikes, desert skies, and ocean air. The shapes are organic and imperfect, bringing a lived-in, human quality to the design. Intentional but effortless.
Inside the tube, an easy, adventure-ready how-to is woven into the design, reinforcing that self-care doesn’t stop when you step outside. The packaging feels like a meaningful travel souvenir—something collected, not just purchased. A reminder that adventure and self-care are not opposites here. They belong together.
Looking Ahead
Darby envisions Tuya, Girl living in spaces that don’t traditionally overlap. Perhaps one day it will sit on shelves at beauty retailers like Sephora and in adventure-driven spaces like REI. Because women should not have to separate their love of beauty from their love of the outdoors. They are both.
Long term, she sees thoughtful expansion—new products designed for women who live fully and move often, partnerships with salons and boutiques that understand this lifestyle, and a brand that remains honest and reflective of the women it serves.
At its core, Tuya, Girl is a natural evolution of Darby’s career. After years of holding space for women in her salon chair—hearing their highs, heartbreaks, reinventions, and dreams—this brand feels like a love letter to them. A continuation of connection, just in a new form.
A Word from Tuya, Girl
“The customer service I received from the Paper Tube team was truly unmatched. From start to finish, everything felt personal, collaborative, and thoughtfully handled. It made the entire process seamless and gave me confidence in every decision along the way.”
