“Shahs of Sunset” may be over, but Reza Farahan’s taste for luxury is still going strong.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six Style, the beloved series star, 48 — who launched Reza Be Obsessed haircare last year — broke down the benefits of the opulent ingredients in his products: champagne, gold and diamonds.
“I wasn’t interested in being a part of a brand that was going to have my name on it that wasn’t going to be great,” he says of creating the line alongside beauty industry veteran Sheree LaDove Funsch.
“Sheree was like, ‘Yo, did you know that champagne has the same pH balance as apple cider vinegar? It’s great for shine, but it smells like feet. Champagne is more luxurious and in line with [your brand],’” Farahan recalls.
“I’m like, ‘Girl, I love me some Cristal. Keep talking!’”
In subsequent conversations, the new business partners came to realize that crushed gold and diamonds also have the potential to improve hair health.
“At this molecular weight, gold and crushed diamonds, they can actually protect and seal the hair,” Farahan says, adding that the lavish additives won’t make their way down your shower drain, as they absorb into your strands. “They don’t wash away the way you think they would.”
The inclusion of gold in Reza Be Obsessed is particularly sentimental for the OG Bravolebrity, as it reminds him of his Persian culture — including his experience fleeing Iran as a child with his family for a new life in Los Angeles decades ago.
“As a refugee, gold touches me because that stuff you keep in the house — because we had to pick up and run from our country that we left. Gold is really meaningful to us. I connect to it. It’s in our blood as Persians,” he says, jokingly adding, “We get gold chains out of the womb!”
Surprisingly, however, these luxe gender-neutral products won’t break the bank. The most expensive item — a frizz-taming Black Diamond Oil made with black truffle oil and, you guessed it, diamonds — will only run you $33.
As for Farahan’s personal favorites? The real estate agent relies on his Love My Leave-In conditioner ($8) and King of Wax ($24) to keep his silver locks smooth. (Farahan has gradually embraced his grays, ditching the shellacked jet-black ‘do for which he was once known.)
“I wanted to make sure that all the products really complemented one another,” he says of his vegan and cruelty-free collection. “You can use any combination and it won’t weigh your hair down.”
Farahan — who spoke with us before it was revealed that “Shahs” is ending after 9 seasons — also says that Reza Be Obsessed has provided him an opportunity to form a deeper connection with fans who have followed his reality TV journey for a decade.
“What I love about it is the connection you make with a fan or a customer, because they may watch me on a show and they’ve supported [me] for a lot of years, because you know these Bravo fans,” he explains.
“They communicate with me on social media. And I know when they get the product, they know I use it. You connect in a new way and I feel like they have a part of you with them, and it’s special.”
Reza Be Obsessed is available at rezabeobsessed.com and macys.com. And to celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, Farahan — a proud member of the community — is making his products available at 50 Macy’s locations in June.