NEW YORK — SoftSheen-Carson wants the beauty media to know it’s the number-one global brand for African-Americans — and it’s throwing an Expo to get the word out.
Today at Lotus Space, located at 122 West 26th Street, dozens of beauty editors, some from as far as Africa and South America, are expected to peruse numerous product stations set up by the beauty giant — owned by L’Oreal — so they can learn firsthand about the company’s products and views on trends and innovations in the category. In addition, a scientist from L’Oreal’s Ethnic Hair & Skin Institute in Chicago will discuss the science behind making products for ethnic hair. To make the branding effort fun and sexy, singer Kelly Rowland, a spokeswoman for SoftSheen-Carson’s Dark and Lovely brand, will host the Expo, and supermodel Alek Wek will attend, too, sharing her take on ethnic beauty.
SoftSheen-Carson executives hope that after attending the event, everyone will know the company’s mission: Inspiring beauty through innovation for people of color.
“We are the number-one brand globally for people of color. I don’t know if everyone knows that,” said Kat Peeler, vice president, global marketing. Peeler would not discuss the company’s overall sales, but industry sources estimate SoftSheen-Carson products generate between $200 million and $250 million in U.S. sales in food, drug and mass stores.
But more than the company’s DNA will be revealed today. Several of SoftSheen-Carson’s leading brands have been revamped with new technology. New products will be presented by Optimum Care, its home relaxer, which has launched a version that aims to keep fine hair from becoming limp after use. Bodifying Relaxer, as it is called, represents the first large technological advancement in the category in 20 years, executives said, with a citrate-based relaxer, designed to not weigh hair down.
Also under Optimum Care is a new seven-item range of antibreakage hair products using oleo ceramide technology, including a Stay Strong Shampoo and Conditioner and a Split End Reconstructor.
The company’s children’s business, which has been branded under Beautiful Beginnings, will now jointly be branded with Dark and Lovely on packages. The Beautiful Beginnings brand will be dropped within a year, Peeler said. New products within children’s include two No Mistake Nourishing No-Lye Relaxers, as well as a maintenance range, including an Ouchless Detangler, a Softening Oil Moisturizer, a Braid Maintainer, a 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, an Edge Tamer & Protector and a Hair Conditioner & Scalp Smoother. These products are meant to target multiethnic children, too.
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“As demographics change here and around the world and as there are more and more kinds of mixed races, we think parents [need to learn] how to care for highly textured hair. In addition to serving our core consumer, African-Americans, we can really help parents to manage a multiethnic child’s hair,” said Peeler.
Under the Dark and Lovely Hair Color brand, new formulas with advanced conditioning are replacing old ones. Dark and Lovely is also expanding its shade range from 16 to 20.
Prices for all products have increased, though not significantly, and now will range from $3.49 for Beautiful Beginnings maintenance products to $8.49 for an Optimum Care relaxer.
While the Expo targets editors, more than $15 million has been slated to market SoftSheen-Carson’s news, said industry sources. A five-city tour looks to get products into the hands of consumers, an important factor in marketing, said Candace Matthews, president of SoftSheen-Carson. “We need to touch her,” Matthews said, and in turn, beginning May 12, the SoftSheen-Carson My Style My Way Tour kicks off at the Sweet Auburn Festival in Atlanta, which usually draws 500,000 people over two-and-a-half days.
Other cities on the tour include Philadelphia, Houston, Baltimore and Chicago.
At each city, SoftSheen-Carson will set up a Style Plex with stations dedicated to either hair color or maintenance items, and offer samples, consultations and demonstrations.
Jonathan Matthews, SoftSheen-Carson’s vice president of domestic marketing, discussed how there will also be a transformation station, where consumers can have their picture taken and superimposed on a SoftSheen-Carson product box. Regional radio ads will air as the style tour progresses. The company has also implemented a Mother/Daughter Beauty Pledge, a list of promises a young girl makes to herself to keep up her self-esteem.