10.11.10
Kao will enter the U.S. hair color market next year with a new line under its John Frieda brand. The new line, called Precision Foam Color, will launchin the U.K. market in November. A U.S. debut is expected in April.
"This is a major play in one of beauty care’s most profitable, but most hard fought categories," opined Colin Hession, managing director, Colin Hession Consulting. "They’re apparently using their own foam color technology, developed in-house and first used in their Liese Bubble Hair Color brand in Singapore, and their Prettia and Blaune brands in domestic Japan."
Hession noted that the company knows hair color well, given Goldwell’s salon success, noted that retail is a whole different ballgame—especially in in Western markets.
"Kao are effectively planning to drill a hole through the wall into one of P&G and L’Oréal’s bank vaults – should make for some interesting responses from Cincinnati and Paris!"
The color is distributed in foam form and is applied to hair like shampoo, rather than section by section as is traditional for home hair dyes.
The foam means “dripping is at a minimum, product application is easy and color results are uniform,” according to John Frieda. Each kit contains developer, colorant, foamer, professional gloves and a Colour Keep Conditioner.
To apply the foam, the user first mixes the developer with the colorant and then squeezes the foam onto gloved hands. Then the user massages the foam into the hair. The foam is said to expand to cover hair.
After a rinse, the Colour Keep Conditioner is applied.
Nicola Clarke, creative color director, has collaborated on the 20-color range. John Frieda Precision Foam Colour will be carried at Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Sainsbury for 9.99 pounds, or $15.92 at current exchange rates.
"This is a major play in one of beauty care’s most profitable, but most hard fought categories," opined Colin Hession, managing director, Colin Hession Consulting. "They’re apparently using their own foam color technology, developed in-house and first used in their Liese Bubble Hair Color brand in Singapore, and their Prettia and Blaune brands in domestic Japan."
Hession noted that the company knows hair color well, given Goldwell’s salon success, noted that retail is a whole different ballgame—especially in in Western markets.
"Kao are effectively planning to drill a hole through the wall into one of P&G and L’Oréal’s bank vaults – should make for some interesting responses from Cincinnati and Paris!"
The color is distributed in foam form and is applied to hair like shampoo, rather than section by section as is traditional for home hair dyes.
The foam means “dripping is at a minimum, product application is easy and color results are uniform,” according to John Frieda. Each kit contains developer, colorant, foamer, professional gloves and a Colour Keep Conditioner.
To apply the foam, the user first mixes the developer with the colorant and then squeezes the foam onto gloved hands. Then the user massages the foam into the hair. The foam is said to expand to cover hair.
After a rinse, the Colour Keep Conditioner is applied.
Nicola Clarke, creative color director, has collaborated on the 20-color range. John Frieda Precision Foam Colour will be carried at Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Sainsbury for 9.99 pounds, or $15.92 at current exchange rates.