Shu Uemura to introduce hair care

L'Oreal's Professional Products Division, L'Oreal USA's professional hair care company, announced last week that Shu Uemura Art of Hair will have a June debut in 500 salons across the USA.

Yes, Shu Uemura. The Japanese makeup artist whose brand makes luxurious makeup brushes, amazing makeup and is probably best known for it's eyelash curler. (FYI: L'Oreal bought a majority stake in Shu Uemura in 2000)

Shu Uemura was instrumental in the development of the line. And L'Oreal worked with several salons and stylists to assess the brand's heritage and to make sure the salon distribution channel would be right for Art of Hair.

The nine item prestige hair care and seven item styling line will differentiate itself by using formulas that contain oils, not silicone to blend nature and science.

Within hair care, there is a shampoo, conditioner and masque available for three different categories: color treated, damaged and dry. Shampoos will retail for $40 each; conditioners for $50 each and masques for $60 each.

Full Shimmer is for color treated hair and uses musk rose oil as a key ingredient to add vibrancy to color. This category uses rose of Japan as its key scent.

Moisture Velvet was formulated with camellia oil to help nourish dry hair and uses camellia petal as its fragrance.

Silk Bloom, for damaged hair, uses argan oil to repair the structure of the hair fiber.

Styling items include Depsea Hair Foundations, which are meant to smooth the hair cuticle to create a proper base for styling. There's also Shape Paste, a strong-hold hair putty made for sculpted styles; Silk Oil, a light serum to help control frizz; Satin Design, a conditioning lotion; Liquid Fabric, used to invigorate curls, IronDesign, a heat protective spray, and Sheer Lacquer, a high-hold finishing spray. Each styling item will retail for $30.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair will first be available to those salons that carry Kerastase, another L'Oreal owned brand, at the back bar and sell only three other brands. Art of Hair will expand to key markets in the first part of 2008, which includes France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy and Japan.

There will be no specialty store distribution for the line, where the brand currently sells its makeup and skin care lines. Products will be available in the four Shu Uemura stores in the U.S.; Costa Mesa, Boston, New York and San Francisco.

The packing is gorgeous and vibrant and I can't wait to try it. When Shu Uemura's name is on the product you know it's first class.

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