Celebrity stylists make over mass

Drug Store News, Sept 13, 2004 by Antoinette Alexander

The inrush of celebrity hairstylist-developed hair care lines shows little sign of slowing as a newcomer makes his way to the hair care aisle: Samy.

The Cuban native, who operates a salon at Miami's Radisson Hotel, sells his Samy Salon Collections on the Home Shopping Network and now has launched a retail brand, Samy Salon Systems, for the drug and mass channels.

The salon-inspired line includes Moist Shampoo for chemically treated hair, Emergency Hair Treatment deep conditioner, Mucho Mousse and Shine-In Laminates Hair Polish. The products range in price from $5.99 to $9.99.

Starting next month, Samy will offer his new Smooth hair care line at drug and mass retailers nationwide. Pricing information was not available at press time.

Samy joins a new generation of stylists who are vying to make their way from the salons to the hair care aisles of drug and mass merchants. For example, Toronto-based hairstylist Marc Anthony sells his namesake hair care line Marc Anthony True Professional in more than 22,000 North American stores, including Walgreens and Eckerd, and U.K.-stylist Umberto Giannini inked an exclusive deal with Rite Aid. In May, celebrity hairstylist and salon owner Cristophe introduced his Cristophe Beverly Hills Hair Care line at CVS.

Retailers are hoping that these big names will lift hair care sales, but Suzanne Grayson, founder and president of marketing consulting firm Grayson Associates, warned that the product must be promoted like a brand, positioned properly and priced appropriately, or its sales will droop like locks on a humid day.