Exclusive: Amid Blake Lively’s tumultuous lawsuit, Blake Brown launches new products

Blake Brown, Blake Lively’s exclusive-to-Target hair-care brand, had a noisy launch. It debuted last August, in neutral-toned hexagonal packaging with an emphasis on hair masks, as opposed to conventional conditioner. The brand’s initial lineup included two shampoos, two hair masks, a leave-in, a dry shampoo, a mousse and a “pre-shampoo” mask. Prices range between $18.99-$24.99. The brand is a joint venture with Give Back Beauty, which also incubated Florence by Mills with Millie Bobby Brown and manages licensing agreements for brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Zegna and Chopard.

At the time of launch, Lively told press she’d spent seven years working on the brand. Blake Brown became Target’s biggest-ever hair-care launch. WWD reported that the brand earned $16 million in EMV in the first week of its existence. According to Puck reporting in late September, the brand’s sales at Target totaled close to $5 million in its first three and a half weeks on the market.

But just four months later, The New York Times published a bombshell report alleging that Justin Baldoni, Lively’s co-star in “It Ends With Us,” had orchestrated a smear campaign against her ahead of the film’s August release. Lively formally filed a lawsuit against Baldoni on December 31. Within days, the dispute became a full-blown “he said, she said,” with everyday fans taking sides in the celebrity clash.

The movie, which deals with topics of domestic abuse, came out at the same time as Blake Brown. Lively faced criticism at the time for promoting the release of her hair-care products alongside the serious subject matter of the movie. According to the same Puck reporting, sales took a hit, dropping 87% between August 11, when they were at their peak, and September 15. The extent to which anyone can comment is limited, as the case remains open — the trial is scheduled to begin on March 9, 2026.

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