Nancy Jeffries, Contributing Editor07.16.19
The newest product in the NatureLab Tokyo collection, which debuted this month, takes its inspiration from the spa experience. It is a foaming sugar scrub formulated with probiotic sake water, called Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub, that is designed to remove product buildup and environmental impurities to reveal a healthy scalp and shiny hair. To celebrate its launch, Company President Tiger Keigo Hishiya; Ed Valentine, managing director, US; Dustin Cash, brand director, and Andrew Fitzsimons, brand ambassador and celebrity hairstylist, NatureLab Tokyo, were on hand to discuss the brand and highlight the newest formula last month at the Nomo Soho Penthouse in New York City.
Cash, who oversees the brand in the US, zeroed in on the line's unique positioning saying, “The essence of the brand is its combination of nature and advanced technology, which utilizes botanical stem cells to do the heavy lifting, so to speak.” He described the long-term results that are achieved with botanical stem cells, including their ability to help to rejuvenate hair; and cited the use of four different stem cells, noting that two were developed specifically in Japan for NatureLab. He highlighted the Nature Lab Research Center in Tokyo, saying, “This company truly does invest in innovation.”
As part of the NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Collection, which includes Perfect Shine Shampoo, Perfect Shine Conditioner, and Perfect Shine Oil Mist, the new Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is designed to be used once a week, in place of Perfect Shine Shampoo. It should be applied on damp hair from scalp to ends in a circular motion, then rinsed, and followed with Perfect Shine Conditioner. Key ingredients include sugar crystals to lightly exfoliate the hair and scalp to remove product build up; sake water, a natural source of probiotics to balance the scalp’s natural pH level; grape stem cells, powerful antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage to the scalp’s papilla cells, to revitalize and add shine to dull hair; pearl extract, an antioxidant that boosts the hair’s own enzymes to reveal an iridescent finish; hyaluronic acid, to secure moisture and add fullness to the hair; and a light scent of violet and almond to add refreshing notes to the finished product. It is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, animal testing, and animal derived ingredients.
Style and Beauty
Hishiya welcomed attendees to the launch and shared the company’s message, “Nature is Perfect and Science is Beautiful. That is our vision. Keeping the scalp healthy is the key. It is the foundation of healthy hair.”
He invited Fitzsimons to discuss the formulation and demonstrate the products. Fitzsimons, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and began to pursue hairdressing at the age of 13, embarked on a journey that took him to Paris, where he honed his skills and became one of the youngest hairstylists in the fashion capital of the world. He moved to New York City at 21, to focus on fashion, celebrity red carpet work, and editorial and advertising shoots. Fitzsimons now has 15 years of experience in the industry, and works internationally with beauty, fashion, commercial and celebrity clients. His trend-setting looks have been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar; and his celebrity clients include Adele, Kate Upton and Mariah Carey. As his career flourished, Fitzsimons has garnered more than 295K Instagram followers and he is an influencer in the industry. In 2017, he partnered with the Los Angeles LGBT Centre and Trans Economic Empowerment Program, to launch the Trans Cosmetics Donation Program, which provides an opportunity for beauty professionals to donate cosmetics and personal care products to transgender and gender non-conforming people. Clearly committed to the world of beauty and fashion, Fitzsimons shared his impression of the beauty aesthetic in Japan with attendees.
“The first thing I realized when I got to Tokyo was the amazing technology there. With NatureLab Tokyo, we are using the best parts of nature and Japanese technology in the collection. This is a really exciting time in hair care, and we’ve come so far. We’re very excited to talk about our newest product, the Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub,” said Fitzsimons.
He described the product’s ingredient profile, the importance of scalp health, and the scrub effect, saying, “It’s the same principle as going to a spa and having a scrub. The sake water aligns the pH balance, the sugar crystals exfoliate, and the botanicals provide antioxidants to revitalize the hair. I would use it once or twice a week to get rid of buildup,” he said. He also suggested that the Clarifying Scalp Scrub could be mixed with other products in the collection, saying that mixing Clarifying Scalp Scrub with Perfect Shine Shampoo, would be an effective treatment for an oily scalp; and noted the importance of having multi-use products, for example top coats and finishing products.
Fitzsimons then styled model, Bianca’s hair, using Perfect Shine Oil Mist, to prep the hair for summer, and create a natural looking “islandy” wave. Using a flat iron to eliminate frizz and Perfect Shine Oil Mist to protect the hair, he demonstrated how to create the look. “Another trend for summer is to start at the root with a flat iron and go down the hair, and curl the ends, to create a just out of the ocean look. Using the Smooth Hair Oil will create definition and give heat protection to the hair as well,” said Fitzsimons.
He described the finished look as not appearing as damp as seen in previously popular styles, but rather having a “summery vibe” with a top coating of Shine Oil Mist lightly sprayed on the hair. As he styled, he continued to share the inspiration he got when he visited Japan. “Going to Tokyo was crazy. The beauty shopping is so different. I don’t know why we don’t have beauty stores here like the J-Beauty stores in Japan,” he said.
New for Fall
“For summer it’s all about texture and waves,” said Fitzsimons; however, in an exclusive look at Fall trends for Happi, he said, “We’re looking at a 90s kind of vibe for Fall, especially in terms of bobs. The bobs will be more turned under, with a sophisticated 90s vibe, like Christy Turlington’s style. It will be getting a lot more sophisticated. We’ll be seeing a lot of voluminous power hair and I see a correlation between the 60s styles and the 90s. That’s going to be a big trend,” said Fitzsimons.
He explained that while the headquarters for the company are in Tokyo, the center of beauty technology, the brand creates products just for the American market, and addresses the diverse variety of hair types in the US.
“The products are designed for all hair types, whether naturally curly, wavy or straight. The full regimen encompasses shampoos and conditioners, protection and styling, and the new Scalp Scrub. We are addressing lack of luster and lack of shine. To me, that’s really exciting. People are really coming around to Japanese beauty,” he said.
“NatureLab Tokyo in the US is for beauty lovers; and a beauty product like Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is a completely new product for the American market. Talking about the products and teaching the American market is really important to me. Having a whole team in Japan and creating an entire collection of products for the American market, and then teaching them to use these products in a simple way, is really exciting for me,” said Fitzsimons.
Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is available in 8.8 oz/250 gram, and retails for $16. It is be available at NatureLab.com and Amazon.com.
Cash, who oversees the brand in the US, zeroed in on the line's unique positioning saying, “The essence of the brand is its combination of nature and advanced technology, which utilizes botanical stem cells to do the heavy lifting, so to speak.” He described the long-term results that are achieved with botanical stem cells, including their ability to help to rejuvenate hair; and cited the use of four different stem cells, noting that two were developed specifically in Japan for NatureLab. He highlighted the Nature Lab Research Center in Tokyo, saying, “This company truly does invest in innovation.”
As part of the NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Collection, which includes Perfect Shine Shampoo, Perfect Shine Conditioner, and Perfect Shine Oil Mist, the new Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is designed to be used once a week, in place of Perfect Shine Shampoo. It should be applied on damp hair from scalp to ends in a circular motion, then rinsed, and followed with Perfect Shine Conditioner. Key ingredients include sugar crystals to lightly exfoliate the hair and scalp to remove product build up; sake water, a natural source of probiotics to balance the scalp’s natural pH level; grape stem cells, powerful antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage to the scalp’s papilla cells, to revitalize and add shine to dull hair; pearl extract, an antioxidant that boosts the hair’s own enzymes to reveal an iridescent finish; hyaluronic acid, to secure moisture and add fullness to the hair; and a light scent of violet and almond to add refreshing notes to the finished product. It is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, animal testing, and animal derived ingredients.
Style and Beauty
Hishiya welcomed attendees to the launch and shared the company’s message, “Nature is Perfect and Science is Beautiful. That is our vision. Keeping the scalp healthy is the key. It is the foundation of healthy hair.”
He invited Fitzsimons to discuss the formulation and demonstrate the products. Fitzsimons, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and began to pursue hairdressing at the age of 13, embarked on a journey that took him to Paris, where he honed his skills and became one of the youngest hairstylists in the fashion capital of the world. He moved to New York City at 21, to focus on fashion, celebrity red carpet work, and editorial and advertising shoots. Fitzsimons now has 15 years of experience in the industry, and works internationally with beauty, fashion, commercial and celebrity clients. His trend-setting looks have been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar; and his celebrity clients include Adele, Kate Upton and Mariah Carey. As his career flourished, Fitzsimons has garnered more than 295K Instagram followers and he is an influencer in the industry. In 2017, he partnered with the Los Angeles LGBT Centre and Trans Economic Empowerment Program, to launch the Trans Cosmetics Donation Program, which provides an opportunity for beauty professionals to donate cosmetics and personal care products to transgender and gender non-conforming people. Clearly committed to the world of beauty and fashion, Fitzsimons shared his impression of the beauty aesthetic in Japan with attendees.
“The first thing I realized when I got to Tokyo was the amazing technology there. With NatureLab Tokyo, we are using the best parts of nature and Japanese technology in the collection. This is a really exciting time in hair care, and we’ve come so far. We’re very excited to talk about our newest product, the Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub,” said Fitzsimons.
He described the product’s ingredient profile, the importance of scalp health, and the scrub effect, saying, “It’s the same principle as going to a spa and having a scrub. The sake water aligns the pH balance, the sugar crystals exfoliate, and the botanicals provide antioxidants to revitalize the hair. I would use it once or twice a week to get rid of buildup,” he said. He also suggested that the Clarifying Scalp Scrub could be mixed with other products in the collection, saying that mixing Clarifying Scalp Scrub with Perfect Shine Shampoo, would be an effective treatment for an oily scalp; and noted the importance of having multi-use products, for example top coats and finishing products.
Fitzsimons then styled model, Bianca’s hair, using Perfect Shine Oil Mist, to prep the hair for summer, and create a natural looking “islandy” wave. Using a flat iron to eliminate frizz and Perfect Shine Oil Mist to protect the hair, he demonstrated how to create the look. “Another trend for summer is to start at the root with a flat iron and go down the hair, and curl the ends, to create a just out of the ocean look. Using the Smooth Hair Oil will create definition and give heat protection to the hair as well,” said Fitzsimons.
He described the finished look as not appearing as damp as seen in previously popular styles, but rather having a “summery vibe” with a top coating of Shine Oil Mist lightly sprayed on the hair. As he styled, he continued to share the inspiration he got when he visited Japan. “Going to Tokyo was crazy. The beauty shopping is so different. I don’t know why we don’t have beauty stores here like the J-Beauty stores in Japan,” he said.
New for Fall
“For summer it’s all about texture and waves,” said Fitzsimons; however, in an exclusive look at Fall trends for Happi, he said, “We’re looking at a 90s kind of vibe for Fall, especially in terms of bobs. The bobs will be more turned under, with a sophisticated 90s vibe, like Christy Turlington’s style. It will be getting a lot more sophisticated. We’ll be seeing a lot of voluminous power hair and I see a correlation between the 60s styles and the 90s. That’s going to be a big trend,” said Fitzsimons.
He explained that while the headquarters for the company are in Tokyo, the center of beauty technology, the brand creates products just for the American market, and addresses the diverse variety of hair types in the US.
“The products are designed for all hair types, whether naturally curly, wavy or straight. The full regimen encompasses shampoos and conditioners, protection and styling, and the new Scalp Scrub. We are addressing lack of luster and lack of shine. To me, that’s really exciting. People are really coming around to Japanese beauty,” he said.
“NatureLab Tokyo in the US is for beauty lovers; and a beauty product like Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is a completely new product for the American market. Talking about the products and teaching the American market is really important to me. Having a whole team in Japan and creating an entire collection of products for the American market, and then teaching them to use these products in a simple way, is really exciting for me,” said Fitzsimons.
Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub is available in 8.8 oz/250 gram, and retails for $16. It is be available at NatureLab.com and Amazon.com.