EasyStraight, the brand that brought a straightening kit to the masses, plans to intensify its battle against frizz this spring with four new products, ramped-up distribution and a fresh look.
“I kept seeing the struggle people had with frizz,” said Haime Munoz, a salon owner and creator of EasyStraight. “I wanted to offer products that delivered results that were longer-lasting. Many frizz-control products out in the market create buildup. I wanted to give consumers immediate gratification and, on top of that, make their hair healthier.”
Munoz noted that EasyStraight’s products are designed to address the main causes of frizz, from the daily stresses of overusing heat appliances and chemical treatments to the hair’s natural texture and moisture absorption.
His efforts are hardly falling flat. EasyStraight’s sales have increased 36 percent to about $3 million, in food, drug and mass stores — excluding Wal-Mart — in the 52-week period ended Oct. 8, according to Information Resources Inc.
Like its predecessors, EasyStraight’s upcoming products are designed to reduce and repair frizz for all hair types, including frizzy, curly and wavy hair.
The offering includes Instant Silk, a daily treatment that relies on styling polymers to ward off frizz; Climate Shield, a waterproof hairspray said to repel moisture and humidity; Frizz Block, a de-frizz and repair serum designed to stop breakage and enhance shine, and Anti-Frizz Conditioning Treatment. The quartet, which will retail between $8 to $15 each, is slated to launch in March in about 17,000 doors, including Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens and Duane Reade.
The company plans to increase its U.S. distribution by 18 percent to about 20,000 doors by year’s end.
EasyStraight’s Anti-Frizz Conditioning Treatment is billed as the star product in the lineup. The three-part system, which will retail for $15, lasts for 30 days and is designed to target the hair cuticle and repair frizz, damage and split ends.
“Most other frizz-control treatments don’t last more than one shampoo to the next,” said Munoz. “This anti-frizz remover provides long-term frizz repair. The more times you use it, the healthier your hair becomes.”
The Anti-Frizz Conditioning Treatment system contains an Internal Repair Solution, Cuticle Repair Conditioner and Anti-Frizz Sealant. Applied to dry-washed hair, the Internal Repair Solution and Cuticle Repair Conditioner are designed to be mixed together and left on the hair for 20 minutes.
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“The Internal Repair Solution infuses the hair cuticle with elements that are vital to maintaining strong-looking hair with proteins and natural oils that are depleted from hair. The conditioner externally seals in nutrients like shea butter, flaxseed oil and coconut oil, softening and smoothing the hair’s surface,” said Maria Dempsey, president of HM Mane Solutions LLC, the maker of EasyStraight. The final step is the Anti-Frizz Sealant, an intensifying conditioner that is to be applied after every shampoo.
Industry sources estimate that the four new frizz products could generate $3 million to $4 million in first-year retail sales, building EasyStraight into a $10 million to $12 million business. Dempsey noted that by the end of this year, EasyStraight’s business will have doubled in size from 2005.
Early next year, the brand expects to expand its shelf presence in existing retail partners and in new ones, including Albertsons and Target, said Dempsey. On the international front, the company plans to gain space in about 3,000 doors in Puerto Rico and Australia by year’s end.
In the past, the company targeted Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 49. The line is now focusing more on the Hispanic market, which accounts for 60 percent of EasyStraight’s business.
In an attempt to update the brand’s image, the company has revamped the packaging for all 10 of its products. The new packaging, slated to appear on shelves in January, contains bi-lingual labels written in English and Spanish. EasyStraight wanted to make its products easier to understand, while creating a more cohesive brand among its lines.
“We found that our customers weren’t able to recognize our product attributes, so we wanted to create stronger and more cohesive units on shelves,” said Munoz.
Dempsey added, “We wanted to give our brand a stronger personality and focus more on bolder product names and clearer product communication. As we extend into more products, we wanted shopping to be a simpler experience for our customers.”
The company also plans to triple its marketing and advertising spending next year, said Dempsey. Television ads, featuring 30-second spots in both English and Spanish, will focus primarily on existing products, such as the brand’s three-month and one-week straighteners. A print campaign, featuring the four new frizz items, will break in May in about 10 fashion, beauty and lifestyle books. Munoz will also make about 100 in-store appearances as the company’s retail partners help to educate consumers on how to use products. The company even has plans to train and educate beauty advisers at retailers like Walgreens.