“Professional beauty, a means of personal expression”
Nathalie Roos - President Professional Products
How has “social beauty” affected the professional hairdressing market?
At a time when everyone is talking about customer experience and community engagement, we have an incredible opportunity to make a difference with the support of our 1.5 million partner hairdressers. Consumers want to express their identity. Professionals offer them the opportunity of personalised diagnosis, tailor-made haircare and a unique hairstyle. So they can post the best picture of themselves on Instagram!
How does the Professional Products Division support the hair colouring enthusiasm?
The colouring enthusiasm is a great opportunity to valorise the expertise and the know-how of hairdressers. Colour expresses a strong desire for personalisation. We co-create with hairstylist palettes of shades and new hairdressing gestures to meet customers expectations. Our innovations and salon exclusive ranges allow hairdressers to stay ahead of the game.
How do you encourage these new, super-connected consumers to go to hair salons?
Our priority is to offer consumers the best salon experience, and digital helps us accomplish this. Our Salon Secret content platform and the qualitative development of new distribution channels allow us to generate traffic in salons. The L’Oréal Professionnel Style My Hair app has been downloaded over 2 million times and 20% of users connect to the store locator in Spain and the UK for example.
How did the Professional Products Division do this year?
2017 was marked by a deep review of our business fundamentals. After a difficult first half, the Division is positive in the second half, in line with the market, with the significant recovery of the United States and Asia.
2017 saw successful major initiatives within our brands, with Shades EQ, Redken’s hair colouring pillar, the revamping of the Série Expert line by L’Oréal Professionnel and the success of our natural ranges Aura Botanica by Kerastase and Biolage R.A.W.
And finally what will your biggest challenges be in 2018?
In 2018 we have many assets to offer consumers a unique and personalised salon experience: our Salon E-motionTM programme is more than ever a priority; with the L’Oréal Professionnel Style My Hair App based on augmented reality, we provide consumers with a never-seen-before personalised experience.
Through our new L’Oréal Access e-learning platform we push education one step further, as 100% of our hairstylists will have access to all the services and information they need to grow their business.
2018 is also the year of major innovation for L’Oréal Professionnel with the launch of Botanéa, a new 100% plant-based hair colour line, which is a true technological achievement. With only three ingredients, it offers an endless number of shades, from the very lightest to the very darkest ones, and customised, predictable and long-lasting results.
2018 is a year of renewal for the Professional Products Division.
