01.24.07
Nick Arrojo: a Profile in Simplicity
The hairstylist from “What Not to Wear” has launched his own hair care product line.
By Joanna Cosgrove
For those outside the New York City/SoHo area, hairstylist Nick Arrojo might best be known for his role as the hairdresser and stylist on TLC’s hit show, “What Not to Wear.” But before he became a fixture on the small screen, Mr. Arrojo was a fixture in the hair care industry. During the past 25 years, Mr. Arrojo has held positions with hair care giants Vidal Sassoon, Wella International, Bumble & Bumble and Aveda.
Stylist Nick Arrojo |
Form Meets Function
During the development of his line, Mr. Arrojo worked to ensure his products were first and foremost accessible to the consumer. “The products are very functional, which means they’re simple to use and simple to understand,” he said. “For example we chose very generic names for all our products, (daily shampoo, styling crème, etc.) not because we couldn’t come up with something clever, cool, or funky, but because we want the consumer to pick it up and be able to say, ‘yes, I know what this is, I know what it does and I know how to use it’ with the absolute minimum of fuss.
“Also, it’s a high quality product with a very affordable price point—good hair care should be affordable to all.”
Even more important than price, Mr. Arrojo worked to make sure the products delivered on the line’s performance promise: to be simple and effective. Vitamin B5 is the most sophisticated, active ingredient available in hair care, known to moisturize, create shine, anti-oxidize, smooth the cuticle, promote hair growth and cell production and improve scalp circulation. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, help strengthen hair, maintaining its elasticity and movement.
“We do use natural, organic ingredients where possible but we’re not marketing it for that because the truth is performance comes from scientific formula,” commented Mr. Arrojo. “I’d much rather keep the integrity of the brand by telling people we use a vitamin B5 formulation because it’s the most sophisticated, active ingredient available in hair care.”
Each fragrance was developed by Drom. Mr. Arrojo said the fragrances are subtle, refreshing and completely unique in that they complement each other perfectly.
The line’s packaging is minimally designed in clean, white packaging with ten different colors that easily and instantly communicate individual product functions, while providing a unified and complementary presentation on the shelf. Product attributes and usage directions are printed on the same side of the bottle to prevent the consumer from having to twist the bottle around to view a rear label.
“I was in a great position to use my wealth of experience to develop a product that I could really stand behind,” said Mr. Arrojo. “Also, you need a successful, well-established business before launching a product. The time is now because Arrojo has gone from strength to strength; reaching a level that allows us to enter this very competitive market. But most of all, inventing a product that meets my own performance expectations, as well as the expectations of the clients in my chair is just a natural progression for me and my business.”
For more information, log onto www.arrojoproduct.com.