NEW YORK — After 15 years of taking on frizz, executives at John Frieda still make fighting errant strands their top priority.
For 2006, the hair care group owned by Kao Brands Co. is launching a line of triple-action shampoos and conditioners infused with style polymers to activate style in the shower.
Heather Bryer, product development group leader for John Frieda, explained that the technology behind the new items provides a third level of care. Beyond cleansing and moisturizing, Bryer said, Curl Around Style-Starting Daily Shampoo and Conditioner and Straight Ahead Style-Starting Daily Shampoo and Conditioner use positively charged style polymers to deliver straight or curly and frizz-fighting benefits.
“Hair is negatively charged, so the formulas surround each hair to encourage hair alignment. That means straighter styles, more defined and curly styles. It’s a much different approach to hair care and styling,” Bryer said.
In addition to those new items are three new deep conditioners, which make up the Critical Care Collection. Each is designed for different levels of damaged hair.
For everyday damaged hair, for example, there’s Critical Care Rehydrate Moisture Binding Deep Conditioner, a gel cream recommended for brittle, frizzy hair, fortified with humectants, aloe vera and hydrolyzed silk. For more problematic hair, there’s Critical Care Reinforce Strengthening Triple Crème Masque, a cream formula that combines avocado oil and milk protein to condition hair and repair split ends. For truly damaged hair, there’s Critical Care Rebuild Restructuring Micro-Oil Therapy, an oil that combines keratin, amino acids and ceramides. The oil is expected to be a standout item.
“Retailers have seen hot oils before, but this takes oil to another level. It creates more slip and the feel is much more sophisticated,” said Brigitte King, vice president of marketing for John Frieda.
Rounding out the new items is a volume-reducing, frizz-fighting styling aid called DownPlay Volume Reducer, a liquid gel that spreads evenly throughout hair to keep volume at bay. Bryer explained that DownPlay is a “combination of styling polymers that is very close to a styling gel, but leaves a soft” finish.
Each of the new frizz-fighting items retails for $5.99 and will be available in food, drug and mass stores in March. Print ads supporting the new items will appear in April beauty magazines. Two print spreads have been designed, one supporting Critical Care and the other supporting the new shampoos and conditioners.
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Last year was a tough one for Frizz-Ease, King said, as competitors’ pricing pressure affected the category.
“What used to be premium is not,” King said. “In 2005, many frizz-fighting serums launched that were $3 to $4; that’s a big price gap from $7.99,” the average retail price of Frizz-Ease.
“It’s equally challenging when some perform better or worse than others. Some have more actives in them than others, and some have more water. Frizz-Ease serum does not have water in its formulas. The consumer won’t see that at shelf,” but will know it once she samples a cheaper version, she said.