For many in the professional beauty industry, Bruno and Kyara Mascolo helped define what a modern, branded salon experience could look and feel like. As the founders behind iconic brand and products you might think they were ready to just sit back and let others do the formulating...but Kyara found that her love of creating never really left. 

With Freakin’ Genius, Kyara is channeling that creative energy into a new haircare line designed for stylists who want straightforward, high-performance products with a big dose of fun. In this Q&A, Kyara shares what pulled her back in and what makes Freakin’ Genius different.

MODERN SALON:  You’ve already built iconic brands… what made you excited to jump back in?

KYARA MASCOLO: I still love creating. It never left me. Products and branding are part of who I am. When something lives in your soul, you can’t ignore it and Freakin’ Genius did that.

MS: What made you feel there was room for Freakin’ Genius?

KM: The industry got too serious. Everything started to look and feel the same. I wanted to bring back joy, personality, and energy to the salon industry with formula performance behind it. I was looking for products that would fill that gap and I thought others must be too.

MS: How did you choose the first products for launch?

KM: I started with what stylists actually need every day - straight-forward, high-performance products that make creativity easy for every client in the chair. No extra steps, no overthinking. Just great results and good energy.

MS: What are you doing differently with Freakin’ Genius based on past experience?

KM: I’m keeping everything simple, focused, and fun. We’re a small, nimble team, and I’m really enjoying creating in the moment with them. No stress, no overthinking - just pure creativity. This brand is from the heart, and I want that joy to be present from the very first idea to the moment a stylist uses the product on a client. At the end of the day, this is hair, not brain surgery. The whole point is to look good, feel good, and have fun doing it.

MS: Who is the Freakin’ Genius hairdresser?

KM: Someone who loves creativity, loves people, and loves having fun with hair. They want products that work fast, feel good, and spark ideas.

MS:  What does education look like for Freakin’ Genius in a social-media world?

KM: We’re still in our early days - we just launched in July so right now it’s really about connecting with stylists and building community. We’ll be sharing inspiration, ideas, and information as we grow, and finding new ways to stay engaged with the industry. I see 2026 as a year where we expand those connections even more, always keeping the joy and fun of Freakin’ Genius at the center of everything we do.

MS: Finish this sentence: “A hairdresser who loves Freakin’ Genius is someone who…”

KM: “…believes doing hair should be fun, products should work, and creativity should feel joyful.”