That pandemic beard is getting shaggy and that just-once-a-week shampoo routine is starting to seem like a dirty idea. After more than a year in lockdown, guys are ready to get their groom on again and American Crew is at the ready with a new hair care collection featuring an enhanced range of shampoos and a conditioner to bring life back to hair and scalp.
 
“We need to regroup after COVID-19,” explained American Crew Founder David Racuglia. “Men got used to the idea of not going out every day and they relaxed for weeks at a time. But the men’s grooming category has exploded since I created American Crew in 1994 (Racuglia later sold the brand to Revlon). Men understand how important it is to cleanse and moisturize their skin—and scalp care is skin care. Washing the scalp is an incredibly important part of hair care.”
 
Scalp care is incredibly important in a pandemic, too. Coronavirus can make hair fall out due to telogen effluvium, a condition that occurs a few months after a stressful event such as emotional distress, major surgery or high fever. During a recent virtual press tour to promote the new hair care collection, Trichologist David Adams, explained that the pandemic underscores the importance of hair and scalp care.
 
“Almost all the people who come to see me have hair and scalp disorders because COVID-19 attacks the immune system,” noted Adams. “Hair health can reveal a lot about a person’s overall health.”
 
American Crew’s new shampoo and conditioner formulas are said to cater to men’s diverse hair needs and concerns. The hero product is Detox Shampoo, which is said to provide an exfoliating and deep cleansing experience that promises to remove buildup from styling products and excess sebum, as it exfoliates hair. The formula contains Manicouagan clay which is said to infuse the scalp with essential minerals such as iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and zinc. It also contains coconut shell beads to gently massage the scalp to promote micro-circulation and vitamin B5 to moisturize hair. Overall, the formula contains 80% naturally-derived ingredients, according to American Crew.
 
The Daily Cleansing Shampoo is recommended for normal to oily hair and scalp. It contains vitamin B5 and features 91% naturally derived ingredients. The Deep Moisturizing Shampoo is recommended for normal to dry hair and contains 84% naturally-derived ingredients.
 
Finally, the Daily Moisturizing Conditioner is an ultra-moisturizing formula designed to restore, strengthen and protect hair, leaving it soft, manageable and ready for styling, according to the company. It conditions hair and reduce breakage from combing by 86%. It features 91% naturally-derived ingredients. 
 
Notice a trend here? All of the new formulas have a natural-ingredient angle to them. According to Racuglia, consumers are very much aware of ingredients in their personal care formulas, “but there is so much miscommunication out there. Consumers only hear the sound bites.”
 
As Adams noted, everyone wants natural ingredients in their formulas, but sometimes a natural product doesn’t produce any results.
 
“Formulations must have the information to back them up. If you can’t explain why an ingredient is in a formula, then the message isn’t right,” said Racuglia.

All of the new shampoos and the conditioner are available now at select salons and at www.americancrew.com. Prices range from $14.00 for 250ml/8.4floz.; $19.00 for 450ml/15.2floz. 

Racuglia acknowledges that the pandemic may have put a damper on guys’ normal grooming routines, but he insists that as vaccines are administered and gathering restrictions lifted, men will eagerly return to their past practices.

“Men are more knowledgeable about grooming,” he insisted. “They realize that their skin looks better and their hair looks better.”
 
And that knowledge translates into even better sales for American Crew and the entire men’s grooming category.