Mad About Marsala
The New Neutral for 2015
Described as a “naturally robust and earthy wine red,” Marsala has been announced as the PANTONE® Color of the Year 2015. This elegant, grounded shade is a strong addition to any beauty look whether worn alone or as an accent.
Wrap your nails in this subtly seductive shade with China Glaze® VII, a velvet port wine crème. If gel is more your speed, celebrate the new year of color with a gel polish manicure and pedicure from the industry’s top professional nail brands. The 100% gel polish lines offer up to two weeks of wear, so you and your clients can enjoy long-lasting, highly-pigmented Marsala tips. EzFlow® TruGel™ Absolutely Smitten, ibd® Just Gel™ Polish Mogul (also available in ibd® Nail Lacquer) and SuperNail® ProGel™ Moroccan Market are ideal shades to have at (and on!) your fingertips.
Capture the trend and create the perfect color-enhancing lash look with Ardell® Color Impact Lashes in Wine. Available in two of Ardell®’s best-selling styles, #110 and Demi Wispies, these captivating lashes bring out the natural boldness of eye color while adding volume to lashes.
If you’re looking for more than just a touch of marsala on your nails or eyes, try Jerome Russell BNatural Temporary Color Highlights in Gentle Auburn to get the fun of marsala-hued hair without the high cost of permanent hair color or potential hair damage.
Ardell®, China Glaze®, EzFlow®, ibd®, Jerome Russell® and SuperNail® are all divisions of American International Industries. www.aiibeauty.com
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Bluefield Associates, Inc.
A look into this successful company
Founded in the early 1990s, Bluefield Associates, Inc., has been studying and applying science to the art of beauty amongst people of African descent. Dr. Iheatu Obioha, the founder and President of Bluefield Associates, Inc., graduated from the University of Maryland with a Business Administration degree. He then took a different direction from most Nigerians that came to America to pursue their educational dreams by not returning to his native country. He decided to take the entrepreneurial route of working for himself in America. He saw an opportunity in the emerging ethnic cosmetics category.
In the early 1970s, African nations were developing huge appetites for ethnic hair care products made in America by companies such as SoftSheen, Pro-Line, Luster, etc. These products were difficult to buy in most Sub-Saharan African countries, as the U.S. based companies did not have distribution outlets. Dr. Obioha started his career as a trader taking suitcases of these products to countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. As his sales increased in these countries, so did his knowledge of doing business in Africa and local market needs. He eventually had his “Aha” moment with his interaction with the local cosmetic distributors. He discovered a huge void for skin care products that address the problems of people of African descent.
To start the process, Dr. Obioha consulted with some of Europe’s dermatologists and chemists to determine what defines the skin of people of color and to categorize the primary skin concerns of dark skinned women. Scientifically, Caucasian skin is physically and physiologically different than darker skin, or that of African descent. There is a distinct chemical difference between Caucasian skin, which produces a compound called pheomelanin, and dark skin, which produces a compound called eumelanin. The overproduction of eumelanin in skin of people of African descent results in problems such as hyperpigmentation, excessive oiliness, dry patches, and razor bumps.
Bluefield Associates Inc., launched the Clear Essence® Skin Care brand in 1992 and introduced it to the Nigerian market first. The initial line of products consisted of a cleansing medicated bar soap, a fade cream, and a skin beautifying milk (lotion). The 3 SKUs were specifically formulated to treat dark spots, uneven skin tone, and blemishes. Within the last 20 years, the Clear Essence® company has grown to 20 SKUs, distributed in over 20 African countries, 7 European countries, and 500 beauty supply stores in North America. Currently, the bulk of our business in done via physical shipping of products from the Ontario, Calif. plant to the distributors around the world with 70 percent of the sales realized within the African continent as the brand enjoys a level of regard in that region. There is a growing and latent demand for Clear Essence Skin Care products in North America, driven by immigration and travel to and from Europe and Africa.
Globally, people of color are exponentially increasing in population, buying power and access to disposable income. Historically, the larger main market, cosmetic companies had over looked this emerging consumer but are now rushing to deliver products to this group through R&D initiatives and marketing strategies that are very inclusive of this demographic. Additionally, these big cosmetic companies are buying market entry via acquisition of small ethnic brands that enjoy consumer loyalty. For example, L’Oreal and Revlon have purchased black-owned firms and brands such as SoftSheen, Pro-Line, etc. Bluefield Associates, Inc., has a complete manufacturing plant in Ontario, Calif., where our chemists take great pride in carefully studying black skin including its structure, to develop the best products for people of African descent.
Bluefield Associates Inc., provides private label manufacturing services for ethnic skin, hair, botanical and OTC products. From development through production and delivery, our team and high-tech FDA approved faculty combine to ensure efficient, consistent and quality products. Our fully equipped Quality Control laboratory provides the most rigorous raw material and finished product testing in the industry, assuming top quality results. Learn more about the company at www.bluefieldinc.com, and the Clear Essence Skin Care brand at www.clearessence.com.
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SoftSheen-Carson Laboratories® Optimum Salon Haircare® Introduces Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner with Amla Oil
Intensely nourishes and moisturizes for hair that looks and feels rejuvenated!
Optimum Salon Haircare, a leader in salon-quality products for multicultural hair, is excited to introduce Optimum Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner, a system designed to deliver intense hydration and nourish even dry, damaged hair. This bundle is ideal for all hair types and textures to visibly rejuvenate hair with supreme strength and legendary shine.
The new Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner are infused with Amla Oil, the best kept beauty secret for beautiful, thick, full hair. Derived from the legendary Amla Superfruit from India, Amla is a powerful anti-oxidant, rich in vitamins and minerals, known for its naturally rejuvenating properties.
“We’re excited to bring the Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner to the market,” says Johnny Wright, celebrity stylist and SoftSheen-Carson Artistic Style Director. “They provide a rich, creamy lather that leaves the hair soft, manageable and intensely moisturized.”
- Optimum Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo — Nourishes and strengthens weak damaged hair. Spreads evenly and detangles hair leaving soft and manageable. Ideal for all hair types and textures including natural and relaxed. (SRP $6.29)
- Optimum Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Conditioner — Delivers intense hydration for stronger and more nourished hair. Provides superior detangling and leaves hair soft, hydrated and manageable. Ideal for all hair types including natural and relaxed. (SRP $6.29)
SoftSheen-Carson has brought this beauty secret to consumers with the Optimum Salon Haircare Amla Legend Rejuvenating Ritual infused with the legendary power of Amla Oil.
The Optimum Amla Legend Moisture Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner became available beginning January 2015 in mass drug and beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.optimumsalonhaircare.com.
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Cosmoprof Bologna 2015: New Features for the Upcoming Edition.
150 ways to “nourish beauty” – the perfect tie-in with Expo Milano 2015.
Cosmoprof 2015 has set itself some ambitious targets. The 48th edition will take place in Bologna—Cosmoprof from 20th-23rd March and Cosmopack from March 19 – 22—and, more than ever before, will style itself as the quintessential international beauty trade fair, the center for trends and for information about the global cosmetics world. The exhibition will be celebrating 150 countries taking part in Cosmoprof with the “150 ways to nourish beauty” project, the perfect tie-in with Expo Milano 2015. Encapsulated by the advertising campaign featuring a woman draped in flags, the project will focus particularly on ethnic beauty and on the diverse interpretations of the concept of beauty in different cultures.
The event will extend over the entire Bologna fair district and will feature the very best Italian and international businesses, underlining its worldwide prestige and renown. The 24 national collectives from the previous edition will be joined this year by some new participants, including the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands, offering companies and distributors taking part in the event more business opportunities in the major world markets.
Exhibitors taking part in the event will be interested to hear that Cosmoprof is organizing the Cosmoprof Road Show, a series of international presentations about the fair, in partnership with chambers of commerce and embassies in various countries. The aim behind this is to revive and maintain the level of foreign participation year on year, which is essential in order for businesses to meet and grow. This year road shows have been held in South Africa, Qatar-Doha, Germany, Morocco, the USA, Peru and Korea.
The International Buyer Program will have even more to offer this year, involving 25 regions of the world and guaranteeing exhibiting companies direct contact with operators interested in buying from different countries.
A lot of attention will be devoted to innovations in the hair sector. Now in its sixth edition, On Hair will be staging the world’s most eagerly awaited hair show, which will include designers of international renown. Some of the most influential hair designers will be returning to stage spectacular shows and showcase cutting-edge styles on the state-of-the-art catwalks. There will also be plenty of Hair Forum workshops looking at how Italian excellence has achieved great success abroad, with in-person testimonials from eminent figures in the hair sector.
Hair Ring, now in its fifth edition, will be organized in partnership with the Camera Italiana dell’Acconciatura (Italian Chamber of Hairdressing) and will see young talents taking their turn on the stage. This will be a perfect launch pad for new designers, who will be able to show Cosmoprof’s international audience their art and creative energy.
Initiatives for the beauty sector include a brand-new project dedicated to the “Spa Experience.” The extra exhibition space reserved for this major sector will house an “International Spa Symposium,” a forum involving the most influential trade publications and related associations.
There will also be workshops and seminars for operators in the perfumery sector, which will focus on the future of the perfumery market in Italy and in the major markets worldwide.
There will be special exhibition areas to meet the various business needs of every company. The Extraordinary Gallery, which brings together the most cutting-edge international trends, will be the ideal showcase for launching exclusive products and introducing high-end cosmetics and beauty firms. Spot on Beauty, dedicated to small companies making innovative niche products, will also be back. And for the first time Cosmoprof Bologna 2015 will be hosting the Green Village, a special area inside the pavilion dedicated to companies specializing in natural and organic products.
New features for the upcoming edition include the Multi-Cultural Beauty Pavilion. This exhibition area is dedicated to companies making ethnic-specific products, a sector which is showing significant growth within the international economic landscape.
There will also be plenty of new features and initiatives at Cosmopack, the “show within the show.” This landmark international event dedicated to the beauty sector’s production chain will open a day ahead of Cosmoprof, giving exhibitors from the packaging sector an opportunity for networking with the 2,000 or so companies exhibiting finished products at Cosmoprof.
Once again in 2015 Cosmoprof will cement its role as the not-to-be-missed event for exploring the future and the trends of the packaging and contract manufacturing world, thanks to the packed program of Trend Forums and the involvement of the most influential business trend forecasters.
Cosmopack Factory will also be returning for the third time. This year it will be dedicated to mascara and will reproduce the product’s entire manufacturing chain. Following the success of the 2014 edition, The Wall Eco-Beauty Edition will reward the most innovative and on-trend products exhibited at the event, with particular emphasis on eco-sustainability.
COSMOPROF WORLDWIDE BOLOGNA is the leading international B2B event for companies and professional operators in the beauty sector. 207,238 visitors attended the 2014 edition, including 59,319 from abroad. More than 250,000 products were exhibited by 2,450 exhibitors from 69 countries. www.cosmoprof.com
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New from Makari!
Makari de Suisse is proud to introduce their new Argan and Carrot Oil line. This product collection offers intense advanced lightening power, enhanced with Vitamins E, C and Organiclarine™. Give your customers what they need to lighten and improve their skin’s radiance! www.makari.com
Extreme Carrot and Argan Soap
Achieve that flawless, blemish free, younger and lighter skin tone in no time. The Makari Exclusive Exfoliating Soap with argan and carrot oil is created to leave skin with a healthy glow. Feel the difference after the first use.
Extreme Carrot and Argan Lotion
Makari Exclusive Toning Milk with argan and carrot oil contains natural vitamins and glycerins. The natural oils lighten the skin complexion without damaging skin, leaving the skin tone clear and healthy.
Extreme Carrot and Argan Cream
Makari Exclusive Toning Cream with argan and carrot oil lightens the skin tone and fights dark spots. It is a perfect moisturizer for skin.
Extreme Carrot and Argan Serum
Makari Exclusive Toning Serum with argan and carrot oil lightens and tones skin. It clears and lightens the skin complexion with only natural ingredients.
Extreme Carrot and Argan Gel
Makari Exclusive Toning Gel with argan and carrot oil contains natural lightening ingredients that lighten skin tone from dark to light. This is a gel that keeps the skin smooth, moisturized and light.
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Ampro Industries, Inc. Partners with International HIV/AIDS Activist Hydeia Broadbent to Bring You “A Positive Message”
It is well known that Ampro Industries, Inc. is a leader when it comes to giving back to the community. The company truly believes in going the extra mile for those who have kept their styling gels number one for decades. This year, Ampro is increasing awareness of their philanthropic activities through a new campaign called, “A Positive Message.”
In the past, Ampro has worked with organizations such as the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation and the Mid-South Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to help bring awareness to their organizations and share their purposes with Ampro consumers. Through its new “A Positive Message” campaign, this year Ampro will work with International HIV/AIDS Activist Hydeia Broadbent to show Ampro consumers the positive life one can live with HIV/AIDS, how one can protect him/herself from contracting the virus and what they can do to help find a cure.
“I’m excited to be partnering with a beauty brand like Ampro. Their gel and styling products are a staple in my hair care regime, and that of many African-American women,” said Broadbent.
“We’re happy to welcome Hydeia as the new face of our brand and new ‘A Positive Message’ campaign. By partnering with Hydeia, we’re hoping to share the message of her positive life with consumers nationwide,” said Camille Wright, vice president of public relations, Ampro® Industries, Inc.
Born HIV positive, Ms. Broadbent has devoted her life to setting a positive example. Since age six, Hydeia has spoken publicly about her status and by age twelve, appeared on many national television programs including Oprah, 20/20, Good Morning America, and “A Conversation with Magic Johnson” on Nickelodeon. She has been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times, People, Teen People, Essence, Ebony and Sister 2 Sister and has received numerous awards for her efforts. Having recently celebrated her 30th birthday, Hydeia spends her time spreading the message of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention by promoting abstinence, safe-sex and the importance of getting tested.
“With African-American women at a higher risk for contracting HIV, Ampro is standing with me to be a part of the solution,” explained Broadbent. “So, I want to encourage women to get tested for HIV, and to know their status.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the estimated rate of new HIV infections for African-American women is 20 times that of Caucasian women and almost 5 times that of Hispanic/Latino women. Since 1988, World AIDS Day has united the international community in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Broadbent has made it her life’s mission to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS, the importance of getting tested and the stigma that comes with living with the disease. Broadbent is telling her coming of age story in hopes of empowering African American women and girls to take care of their bodies—mentally, spiritually and physically.
Do your part to help further Hydeia’s efforts to find a cure by visiting until.org and use promo code “Hydeia.” You can also learn more about what you can do to support Broadbent in the fight against HIV/AIDS at www.hydeiabroadbent.com.
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Andis Sponsors Great Clips Great Clipper Event
Clipper manufacturer partners with chain salon for national cosmetology school education program
Andis, a leading manufacturer of clippers, trimmers and heat styling tools since 1922, will be a sponsor of the Great Clips Great Clipper Event to be held February 1 – March 31, 2015; and will be the premier sponsor of the event in 2016.
The Great Clipper Event will visit cosmetology schools across the country and will deliver an educational program on the foundations of clipper cutting. Students will be given the opportunity to win scholarships, professional tools and more. There is no cost to participate for school owners, educators or students.
“Andis will contribute a wide range of support including a clipper care card for every attending student and product bundles valued at $500 for five students and five educators. The bundles include detachable blade clippers, adjustable blade clippers, trimmers, ProDry+ hair dryer and maintenance items—everything needed to cut and style any hair texture,” says Karen Formico, VP of marketing at Andis.
“The sponsorship of the Great Clipper Event is a natural fit for Andis and it provides a great opportunity to introduce clipper cutting to the next generation of stylists,” adds Formico.
Cosmetology schools may register from January 1 – February 15, 2015 at www.greatclips.com or email greatclipperevent@greatclips.com.
For more clipper cutting education, visit www.andis.com/getthelook/.
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SoftSheen-Carson Laboratories® Dark and Lovely® Introduces New Au Naturale Moisture L.O.C. Collection for Natural Hair
Dark and Lovely launches first-ever hair care collection inspired by user-generated product-layering method of liquid, oil and cream.
Dark and Lovely® Au Naturale, the award-winning #1 new hair care line for natural hair*, is excited to introduce Moisture L.O.C.: a product layering haircare regimen designed by naturalistas to lock in endless moisture for curls that won’t dry out.
Inspired by the L.O.C. Method, a popular layering technique used by women with naturally curly hair to maximize moisture retention, the new Dark and Lovely Au Natural Moisture L.O.C. collection infuses hair with moisture, leaving curls plush and pliable. Formulated with a powerful combination of nurturing ingredients including Coconut and Moringa Oils, Au Naturale Moisture L.O.C. penetrates deep inside the hair; leaving hair deeply nourished, shiny and healthy for a full week.
L.O.C., an abbreviation for liquid, oil and cream, is an easy-to-remember step-by-step moisturizing haircare process, with products applied to the hair in the following order:
- L: Liquid Leave-In conditioner prepares the hair to absorb moisture
- O: Oil Cocktail absorbs into each strand
- C: Sealing Cream is the final step to seal in moisture
“Our brand development team was inspired by the L.O.C. Method; a moisture-sealing process that rose to popularity among bloggers, bloggers and consumers in the natural hair community,” says Mezei Jefferson, Director of Education, SoftSheen-Carson. “We’re excited to bring this synergistic Au Naturale Moisture L.O.C. line to the marketplace, where a dedicated system previously did not exist. Thanks to these new recipes, for the first time layering is more than a method; it’s a moisturizing regimen.” Learn more at www.darkandlovely.com/Moisture-LOC.
*According to IRI Dollar Sales in the US, Dark and Lovely Au Naturale was the #1 new hair care line for natural hair in 2013.
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Bronner Bros. Mid-Winter Hair Show | Atlanta World Congress Center | February 21 – 23
The Bronner Bros. International Hair Show is the largest and most prestigious professional ethnic show in the world, and has been for over 68 years in Atlanta, Ga.
The show started in 1947 by Brothers Nathaniel and Arthur Bronner at a YMCA and later moved to the Hyatt Regency Hotel where it prospered and grew for many years. The show later outgrew the hotel and moved to the Atlanta merchandise mart. After two years it outgrew that venue and moved to the Georgia World Congress Center shortly after it opened. There it remains today where it had room to grow, as it has in the last 12 years.
The show is now headed by the sons of Nathaniel. Bernard and James Bronner are the principal curators of the show with expert assistance from Mamie Bell and Erika Respress who oversee the trade show and educational aspects of this event along with others who tirelessly work to maintain its success.
This years’ show has over 300 exhibitors, and up to 100 educators conducting classes that cover the entire professional general and ethnic Cosmetology spectrum. The show starts on Saturday, February 21 with the opening of the trade show, then that evening a really entertaining comedy show. The next day (Sunday) an inspirational church service officiated by the Rev. C. Elijah Bronner will start your day off on the right track as you venture into the giant exhibit hall where the manufactures await your presents with all manners of new ideas and renovations that you may have only read about, but can now experience. The classes are ongoing all day, and most of them are offered at no extra charge. That night is the hair styling contest, which is more than a contest, but a very unique entertaining show with spectacles that are enlightening and amazing.
If you want to be informed, educated and entertained all at the same time and place, then this show is the place to be! For more information call (770) 953-4247 or go to the website, www.bronnerbroshairshow.com.
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Nadinola® Cocoa Butter Cream Package Redesign
- Strickland & Co. wants to announce the package redesign on its top selling Nadinola® Cocoa Butter Cream. The only change is in the label and its updated look—using almost the same colors and jar, and same great cocoa butter cream inside!
Here are some online reviews about this great product:
“I absolutely love this Cocoa Butter!! Truly a holy grail in my book. A friend gave it to me to keep after I stayed with her and I have been using it ever since. First off the smell is heavenly! It smells good enough to eat. I use it all over my legs, arms, and face. It really soaks into my skin and leaves it feeling soft and moisturized. It is very cheap and you get a lot of product. Definitely worth a try and I will continue repurchasing!”
“This is a really good product. I use this as a foot cream and it works very well. I really have no complaints. It has a nice, light scent. It’s very fluffy, has the same consistency as Nivea Soft. I love the fact that I can purchase this for only $1 and it does better than some other expensive cream brands. I have also used this as an all over body cream in the past and I was pleasantly pleased.”
“Is it considered a good thing or a bad thing when you cannot stop applying a product? I love love love love love love this! Everything about this product is perfect.”
“The price makes me want to keep using and using. It’s always good to use a cream on your hands, mine definitely always need it. This is such a treat to put on too. It smells like rich chocolate pie or just cocoa butter in general (obviously). With cocoa butter as only the second ingredient you know that you will get moisture that packs a punch. “
“I love this product! It absorbs quickly, smells yummy and softens hands and elbows with no greasy feeling after. I only paid $1.00 for it!”
“One of the best multi-takers ever! I use this on my feet, skin, and even in some of my conditioners to help tame down frizz. The best part about this is how cheap it is!”
