How many sins does the Professional Products Division at L’Oréal have to hide?
It’s not easy to know for sure but Japanese folklore claims one can hide a multitude of sins behind shiny, healthy hair.
The professional hair care company, a division of L’Oréal USA, is providing some ammunition for naughty women as it embarks on a mission to transform the Japanese makeup artist brand, Shu Uemura, into a prestige hair care range.
Beginning in June, Shu Uemura Art of Hair will begin entering 500 salons across the country. The nine-item hair care and styling line looks to differentiate itself by using formulas that contain oils — not silicone — to blend nature with science. There will be no specialty store distribution for the line, where the brand currently sells its makeup and skin care items.
The Art of Hair fits squarely into the Professional Products Division’s strategy of developing a business unit devoted to selling prestige brands to hairdressers. Hence, Professional Prestige Brands at L’Oréal is now a new business unit and includes Art of Hair and Kérastase, a high-end hair care line that launched in 1999 and is available in about 850 salons nationwide.
According to Professional Products’ executives, the salon industry is ripe for a new contender.
“Kérastase created the concept of prestige, luxury hair care in the U.S. The [sector] is now booming. Art of Hair complements this and is incremental to the Kérastase business,” said David Craggs, president of Professional Products Division, L’Oréal USA.
The Shu Uemura line will first be available to those salons that carry Kérastase at the back bar and sell only three other brands. “We want to be able to reward those salons with a brand which will have even a more select distribution policy,” said Frédérique Besson, vice president and general manager, Professional Prestige Brands.
Craggs didn’t have to search too far for a brand that would fit well into Professional Prestige Brands: L’Oréal bought a majority stake in Shu Uemura in 2000.
He added that L’Oréal worked with several salons and stylists to assess the brand’s heritage and to make sure the salon channel of distribution would be right for Art of Hair. “We know there is strong consumer equity there. That is why we selected to develop the Shu Uemura brand [into hair care].”
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Art of Hair will expand to key markets in the first part of 2008, which includes France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy and Japan.
According to industry sources, Art of Hair will generate about $8 million in first-year sales.
Shu Uemura has enjoyed a rich history and has often been referred to as the makeup insider’s makeup brand. The brand joined the créme de la créme of other notable beauty products shortly after its repositioning in 2004. That effort brought Shu Uemura from smaller boutiques across the country into 35 specialty stores such as Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
“It changed the approach of Shu Uemura in the market,” said Chris Salgardo, president, Shu Uemura Beauty. Industry sources estimate Shu Uemura will generate $35 million in 2007, excluding hair care sales. Since 2004, sales have grown more than 100 percent, he said. “We could have opened into 500 doors if we had wanted to but we choose to open very selectively. We focus our energies on existing doors.”
Executives at L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division said Shu Uemura was instrumental in the development of the line, despite being based in Japan. “We took direct inspiration from his work and his packaging. As we developed the product and imagery, we collaborated and shared it with him to ensure it was consistent with his vision. We were thrilled this past weekend to have his endorsement and support,” said Nancy Bergman, senior director, global marketing, Shu Uemura Art of Hair.
Within hair care, three ranges have been created to meet several consumer needs: one is for color treated hair, one is for damaged hair and one is for dry hair, each of which have a shampoo, conditioner and masque. Bergman said the different ranges were created with natural oils to address their respective specific needs.
Shampoos will retail for $40 each; conditioners for $50 each and masques for $60 each.
Full Shimmer, formulated for color treated hair, uses musk rose oil as a key ingredient to add vibrancy to color and create a subtle glaze. This range uses rose of Japan as its key scent.
Moisture Velvet, for dry hair, has the key ingredient camellia oil to help nourish hair and uses camellia petal as its fragrance.
Silk Bloom has been formulated with argan oil for damaged hair, to repair the structure of the hair fiber.
Styling items include Depsea Hair Foundations, which are meant to smooth the hair cuticle to create a proper base for styling. There’s also Shape Paste, a strong-hold hair putty made for sculpted styles; Silk Oil, a light serum to help control frizz; Satin Design, a conditioning lotion; Liquid Fabric, used to invigorate curls, IronDesign, a heat protective spray, and Sheer Lacquer, a high-hold finishing spray. Each styling item sells for $30.
Products will also be available in the four Shu Uemura stores in the U.S., in Costa Mesa, New York, San Francisco and Boston.