Negin Mirsalehi

Negin Mirsalehi is a Dutch-Iranian influencer and entrepreneur who rose to prominence through her fashion and lifestyle blog and Instagram account. Born in the Netherlands, she initially leveraged her background in marketing and communications to build a substantial personal brand online. Her content, characterized by high-quality photography and a distinct aesthetic, quickly garnered a large international following. Mirsalehi's unique personal story is deeply intertwined with her family's six-generation legacy of beekeeping and the production of honey and propolis, which became a foundational element for her future business ventures.

Mirsalehi's primary contribution is the founding of Gisou, a premium haircare brand, in 2015. She co-founded the company with her partner, Maurits Stibbe. The brand's core innovation lies in its use of Mirsalehi Bee Garden honey and propolis as key ingredients, capitalizing on her family's expertise. Gisou was one of the first major beauty brands to be launched by an influencer, effectively bridging the gap between social media influence and product-based entrepreneurship. She was instrumental in product development, focusing on creating formulas that leveraged the natural nourishing properties of honey to address hair health.

Mirsalehi's success with Gisou has had a significant impact on the beauty industry and the influencer marketing landscape. She demonstrated a viable and highly successful blueprint for content creators to transition into founders of tangible product companies, moving beyond traditional sponsorship and affiliate revenue models. Gisou’s growth, which includes a global retail presence in stores like Sephora and Cult Beauty, validated the power of a founder's authentic personal narrative in building brand equity. Her work has inspired a generation of influencers to consider entrepreneurship, shifting the perception of influencers from mere promoters to serious business leaders.

Today, Negin Mirsalehi continues to serve as the CEO and Creative Director of Gisou. She remains actively involved in all aspects of the business, from strategic direction and product innovation to marketing and creative campaigns. Her personal social media channels, with millions of followers, continue to be a primary platform for engaging with the Gisou community and promoting the brand's message. Under her leadership, the company consistently expands its product line with new haircare offerings and has extended into related categories, such as fragrances, while maintaining its commitment to its core ingredient story and sustainable practices.

Negin Mirsalehi is a Dutch entrepreneur and one of the world's most prominent social media influencers. Born into a family of beekeepers, she grew up in the Netherlands with a deep appreciation for the natural properties of honey and propolis. She initially gained a massive online following by sharing fashion and lifestyle content, but her true passion lay in haircare, rooted in her family's six-generation beekeeping heritage. This unique background provided the foundation for her next major venture, transforming her from a digital creator into the CEO of a globally recognized beauty brand.

Negin Mirsalehi matters because she successfully bridged the gap between social media influence and substantive entrepreneurship. In an era where influencers are often seen as promoters for other brands, she built her own from the ground up. Her company, Gisou, proves that a personal passion, when combined with a genuine, high-quality product, can create a powerful and lasting business. She has become a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, demonstrating how to leverage a digital platform to launch a physical product line that stands on its own merit in a competitive global market.

Negin is primarily known as the founder of Gisou, a luxury haircare line centered on the nourishing power of Mirsalehi Bee Garden honey. The brand’s iconic honey-infused products, like the Honey Infused Hair Oil, are celebrated for their effective, natural formulas. Her signature look—long, voluminous, and brilliantly shiny hair—serves as the ultimate testament to her products' efficacy. Beyond her brand, she is famous for her meticulously curated Instagram feed, which offers a glimpse into her life, work, and the behind-the-scenes journey of building Gisou, making her a leading figure in both the beauty and influencer industries.