After the success of their first business venture, which was a line of popular and safe sunscreens, longtime friends Trey Vilcoq and Kevin Brodwick came up with the idea for BRIXY, an eco-friendly line of shampoos, conditioners, and body washes. The brand takes an innovative approaching to packaging by opting for bars instead of plastic bottles, and its products are free from palm oil, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, and synthetic scents and colorants.

Vegan and Cruelty-Free Certified by Leaping Bunny, their bars are convenient for travel or the gym, and available in several fun scents including Coconut Vanilla, Citrus, and Mint Eucalyptus. BRIXY also donates 1% of sales to support its own nonprofit organization ECOEVO, whose mission is to replenish the planet to safeguard against climate change and bring back the beauty of natural habitats.

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“I’ve been in the natural products world for over 15 years and absolutely love it,” says Vilcoq, CEO of BRIXY. “Prior to BRIXY, I was a vital member of building another brand, Thinkbaby & Thinksport. The mission we had at Think was identifying consumer product categories that contained harmful chemicals, like BPA in baby bottles and oxybenzone in sunscreen, and creating safe alternatives. The Think sunscreens in particular gained a loyal following culminating in the company getting acquired in 2020. Once we knew the brand was in good hands, we set about on our next chapter. With BRIXY, we’re united in our motivation to address the disposable plastic crisis. Did you know that less than 6% of the plastic that is created gets recycled?”

We chatted with Vilcoq who shared the inspiration behind the brand, their most popular offerings, future plans, and more.

When was BRIXY founded and what does the name mean?

We just celebrated our one-year anniversary! Our BRIXY shampoo, conditioner, and body bars hit the market in May 2022. Prior to launch, our team worked around the clock for over a year developing exceptional product formulations and creating our bright, fun, and on-trend branding in order to hit the market running. 

As for the name, choosing a brand name these days can be quite the ordeal when navigating prior use and trademarks. Our brainstorming sessions generated hundreds of options. We ultimately landed on BRIXY because our hair and skincare products are in bar format, and the name BRIXY is a cute play on our products being like “tiny bricks.” We’ve received an immense amount of positive feedback on the brand name and packaging so I know we made the right choice. 

Tell us more about your products and what makes them special.

Well, I’ll start by explaining that our BRIXY beauty bars are part of the waterless beauty, plastic-free movement, which is really taking off! Our shampoos, conditioners, and body washes are solid bars, not water-based liquids that come in plastic bottles. However, being plastic-free and more sustainable is just one aspect of what makes them special. The formulations are packed with gentle cleansers and super hydrators so they deliver a luxuriously sudsy experience and exceptional results. The formulations include naturally effective hero ingredients like shea butter, argan oil, cacao seed butter, and provitamin B with none of the harmful chemicals.

BRIXY bars also last a long time—at least 2 to 3x as long as an 8oz plastic bottle—so you are spending less money and consuming fewer resources as you go about your clean routine. By delivering great performance, premium ingredients, and sustainability, it’s a win for you and our planet!   

What inspired you to join BRIXY?

I’m part of the founding team for BRIXY so I’ve been involved since day one. I had all this experience with natural products and body care, in particular, I wanted to put to good use. My “founders moment” was going through yet another plastic bottle of shampoo, placing it in the recycling bin, and then learning it likely would not get recycled after all. What if exceptional hair and skin care didn’t come in a plastic bottle?   

Do you have a hero product? What’s your favorite?

We’re getting so many positive reviews on all our products. If I had to pick one, I’d say our Coconut Vanilla Conditioner Bar. Our conditioner bars are a highly differentiated product and leave your hair soft, shiny, and smooth. Plus, people are raving about the Coconut Vanilla scent. I’ll point out that our scents are simple and subtle. We list all our ingredients right on the ingredient deck, not using the catch-all “fragrance” or “parfum” where harmful and irritating ingredients are often hidden.  

Where are your products sold?

We’re thrilled with the retail partnerships we’ve formed in our first year! You can find BRIXY bars at leading health & natural retailers across the country including all Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market locations. We have a Retail Locator on our website, where you can find a store near you. People can also purchase on gobrixy.com, Amazon, and a growing number of online destinations such as Vitacost, iHerb, and Flip. 

What's next for the brand?

We are rapidly expanding the number of retailers carrying BRIXY beauty bars. In fact, our products just landed in all Whole Foods Market locations on May 15. In addition to expansion with retailers, we have a healthy pipeline of new products in the works. We’re incredibly fortunate to have an incredible team of advisors helping BRIXY who are especially passionate about new product development. 

For more information, visit BRIXY’s website. Follow on Instagram: @gobrixy

[Images courtesy of BRIXY]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk