# Smthelse ## Facts | | | |---|---| | Founded | 2026 | | Origin | Netherlands | | Headquarters | Rotterdam | | Owner | Hair Couture B.V. | | Status | Active | | Distribution | Multi-channel | | Website | https://www.smthelse.com/ | Smthelse (styled SMTHELSE) is a haircare brand co-created by the Spanish model and actor Jon Kortajarena and launched in September 2026 [7]. It was developed together with the haircare company Hair Couture, and the company that trades under the Smthelse name, Hair Couture B.V., is registered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands [6]. The name is an abbreviation of "something else". The range is small: shampoo, conditioner, a mask, styling and finishing products, all scented with a shared fragrance called Famara by the French perfumer Patrice Revillard. According to the company, every product is vegan and free from sulfates, silicones and colorants. Launch coverage focused on concentrated formulas said to use far less water than conventional haircare. ## Origin & founders Kortajarena, who was born in Bilbao, grew up in his mother's hair salon in Spain. FashionUnited names her as Nuria Redruello. The brand's own story keeps returning to that salon: it says he watched his mother change the way clients felt about themselves, and learned there that hair was about confidence as much as appearance. His later career took him through some two decades of runway shows and campaigns. FashionUnited lists work for Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Dolce&Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Zara and Tom Ford, and notes that Tom Ford cast him in his directorial debut, A Single Man (2009). Smthelse presents itself as the product of those years, spent "backstage at the world's most important fashion shows" and alongside leading stylists. The brand describes the line as "co-created" by Kortajarena [5]. FashionUnited reports that he developed it in collaboration with Hair Couture, which supplied the haircare expertise. ## History & milestones The groundwork predates the public launch by about a year. An EU trademark application for SMTHELSE was filed on 20 August 2025 under Jon Cortajarena, the founder's legal name. The mark was registered on 19 January 2026 and has also been registered in Mexico and the United States [7]. The launch itself was staged in steps. Vogue's October 2026 print issue, VEIN Magazine and Fucking Young previewed the brand in mid-September 2026, and an official announcement followed. FashionUnited published its launch report on 23 September. At that point the website was live, but the product range, prices and points of sale had not been announced; visitors were instead invited to register by email for a first "limited edition" release. The Spanish magazine Neo2 covered the launch the following day. By early November 2026 the web shop listed the core care products and offered Famara Hair Perfume for pre-order. The shop runs in English, Spanish, French, Dutch and German. ## Ownership The brand's legal notice identifies Hair Couture B.V., based in Rotterdam, as the company "also trading under the name SMTHELSE" [6]. Whether Hair Couture owns the brand outright, or shares or licenses it with Kortajarena, has not been publicly stated. The brand calls the line co-created, while FashionUnited notes that the trademark was filed in the founder's own name [7]. The same split shapes how the brand's nationality is described. On its legal notice, Smthelse is run by a Dutch company with its seat in Rotterdam. Launch coverage, including FashionUnited's Madrid-datelined report and Neo2, frames it as the personal venture of a Spanish founder [8]. Spain is the founder's nationality; no Spanish company seat has been stated. ## Philosophy & positioning Smthelse treats its name as a statement. "SMTHELSE means something else," the brand says, describing itself as "a deliberate break from the codes that luxury, beauty and identity are usually written in." Its homepage opens with the line "The world doesn't need more beauty products. It needs better ones." [1] Kortajarena told FashionUnited that if a new product is going to be made, it "must truly deserve to exist." In practice, the company says this means fewer products, concentrated formulas and a range made for all hair types "without gender boundaries". Asked in its FAQ whether it is a men's or women's brand, it answers "Neither." Smthelse calls itself a "modern, conscious luxury haircare brand" and confirms that it sees itself as affordable luxury, bringing "professional-level performance" within reach. Its stated values include individuality over perfection and "elegance instead of noise". According to the company, the products are sold through its own website and through selected salons and luxury retailers [5]. ## Products & innovation The care line centres on Pure Hydrate, a shampoo, conditioner and once-a-week mask, each listed in 250 ml bottles in the brand's deep carmine red. Control Styling Gel, Pure Blow-Dry Cream and Smoothing Hair Oil complete the range, alongside Famara Hair Perfume. The brand says its lines are formulated to be layered, so products from different collections can be combined. Smthelse makes a point of naming its actives. Its product philosophy page lists Extracell Plex "to rebuild the hair fibre", Phytokeratin and Restore Active for strength, hyaluronic acid and Pentavitin for moisture, and prebiotic inulin and Procapil for the scalp [3]. The company says each active is named "with what it does", because a claim is only worth the ingredient behind it. Beyond its own vegan and sulfate-free claims, no third-party certifications are documented. Water use is a central part of the launch story. The company says its concentrated formulas use less water than a conventional shampoo, and launch reports put the reduction at 75 percent [7]. Neo2 also described a 100 ml format meant to last about 50 washes [8], whereas the care products on the brand's website are listed at 250 ml. The two figures may describe different lines, since the shop lists a separate Concentrates collection next to its care range. Famara, the shared scent, was composed with Revillard and named after a village on Lanzarote linked to Kortajarena's memories of the island [2]. FashionUnited describes top notes of grapefruit and Spanish cypress, a heart of toasted hazelnut, vetiver and coffee, and a base of cedarwood, moss and white musk. ## Current status Smthelse is active. Launched in September 2026, it was taking pre-orders for Famara Hair Perfume on its website in early November 2026. Coverage of the brand so far consists of launch reporting from fashion and beauty media. ## Timeline {#belagg-timeline} | Year | Event | Source | |---|---|---| | 2025 | EU trademark application for SMTHELSE filed by Jon Cortajarena (the founder's legal name) on 20 August 2025 | https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 | | 2026 | EU trademark registered on 19 January 2026; also registered in Mexico and the US | https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 | | 2026 | Launch announced in September 2026, previewed in Vogue (October 2026 print issue), VEIN Magazine and Fucking Young; official website live with email sign-up for a limited-edition first release | https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 | | 2026 | Famara Hair Perfume offered for pre-order on the official site (observed 2026-11-03) | https://www.smthelse.com/ | ## Signature products {#belagg-products} - **Famara Hair Perfume** — Famara, the brand's signature fragrance, composed with French perfumer Patrice Revillard — https://www.smthelse.com/pages/about-us - **Pure Hydrate Shampoo** — A gentle daily cleanse that restores balance and hydration. — https://www.smthelse.com/pages/the-ritual - **Pure Hydrate Conditioner** — Lightweight conditioner that restores strength and locks in moisture, leaving hair detangled, soft, and naturally radiant. — https://www.smthelse.com/pages/the-ritual - **Pure Hydrate Mask** — A nourishing deep-repair mask that restores and strengthens damaged hair, leaving it smooth, resilient, and shiny. — https://www.smthelse.com/pages/the-ritual - **Smoothing Hair Oil** — Finishing oil that seals the cuticle for mirror-like shine and instant smoothness. — https://www.smthelse.com/pages/the-ritual ## Key ingredients {#belagg-ingredients} Extracell Plex · Phytokeratin · Restore Active · Hyaluronic acid · Pentavitin · Prebiotic inulin · Procapil Source: https://www.smthelse.com/pages/product-philosophy ## Mentioned in {#belagg-press} - **FashionUnited** (2026) — Launch article (23 Sep 2026): haircare line developed with Hair Couture, 75 percent less water in the concentrates, Famara scent by Patrice Revillard, trademark registrations — https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 - **Neo2** (2026) — Spanish-language launch article (24 Sep 2026): concentrated formulas with 75 % less water, 100 ml format for about 50 washes — https://www.neo2.com/tratamiento-capilar-todo-tipo-pelo-jon-kortajarena-smthelse/ - **Vogue (October 2026 print issue), VEIN Magazine, Fucking Young** (2026) — Launch previews, as reported by FashionUnited (the articles themselves were not fetched) — https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 ## Availability in the Nordics Where the brand is sold according to Glowjakt's price data, per market. | Market | products | in stock | stores | Price range | |---|---|---|---|---| | Sweden | 4 | 4 | 1 | 284 SEK – 405 SEK | | Norway | 4 | 4 | 1 | 280 NOK – 410 NOK | | Finland | 4 | 4 | 1 | 25.60 € – 38 € | ## Sources 1. (T1) https://www.smthelse.com/ 2. (T1) https://www.smthelse.com/pages/about-us 3. (T2) https://www.smthelse.com/pages/product-philosophy 5. (T2) https://www.smthelse.com/pages/faq 6. (T2) https://www.smthelse.com/policies/legal-notice 7. (T3) https://fashionunited.com/news/business/jon-kortajarena-enters-beauty-and-launches-smthelse/2026092374801 8. (T3) https://www.neo2.com/tratamiento-capilar-todo-tipo-pelo-jon-kortajarena-smthelse/ --- Glowpedia · · Published 2026-11-03 Please cite with a link to the article URL.