After 10 years in the salon industry, I began seeing gaps in the various product lines that we sold. We had also received a lot of regional and national press, so I decided it was time to create a product line. I spent two years researching ingredients and the process of contract manufacture.
By 2008, I had created a concept and strategy for the line. It was based on using a balanced mixture of natural and scientific ingredients and treating the scalp as an extension of the face. It was environmentally friendly, sulfate free, and free of other questionable ingredients like parabens, sodium chloride, DEA, MEA, and other additives. “Sulfate free” products started being advertised in consumer hair products in 2010, and taking care of the scalp was being used as a selling point in the development and marketing of newer consumer hair products.
The line had a high design yet playful look. This reinforced the marketing strategy of affordable luxury. A 10 ounce bottle sold for $22.00. Messages like “Balance Science and Nature: Balance Hair and Scalp”, “Tested in an Award Winning Salon … Not on Animals”, “Vegan and free of sulfates, parabens, DEA, MEA, synthetic color, foam boosters, and harsh preservatives” and “Seek Balance!” were on every label. The label also contained a “Stylist Tip” that was meant to remind the consumer that this was a line designed for and used by professional hair stylists.
Each label had a color band and a different bubble pattern. The core line for frequent use had a blue band. Subsequent lines would have a different color. The concept included a “rare” line for infrequent use that used “rare” ingredients. Products would include a “Rare Earth Scalp and Hair Mask” and a shampoo and conditioner to be used once or twice a week. The bubble patterns would be the same on each type of product across lines, ie. all shampoos would have the same bubble pattern but different colors to distinguish different lines.
The frequent use “blue line” shampoo and conditioner were produced in 2010. Blue line styling products would have included a pump spray base product that contained light weight detangling condition, sun protection, some hold factor, and shine. This would have been called Everything as in “Balance Everything” and would have been used as a great base for a blow dry or a quick conditioning styler for men, especially ones that don’t condition.
