The Art of Messy Hair

It sounds like the plot for a hip sitcom. Four successful celebrity hair stylists from hip cities all across America meet and decide to launch a hair-product line, playing to the #messyhairdontcare market. It takes the country by storm, and IGK Hair is soon stocked on Sephora shelves – brick and mortar as well as virtual – across the globe. Hijinks ensue (and it certainly doesn’t hurt that the quartet look like they could be the stars of a Queer Eye spin-off) and soon global success is at their fingertips.

Shaggy Chase Kusero, curl-topped Franck Izquierdo, luscious-tressed Leo Izquierdo and poster boy for beards Aaron Grenia are responsible for countless runway hair concepts, for brands such as Givenchy and Lanvin, as well as for celeb coiffs ranging from American beauty Mena Suvari to Jared Leto (hey, somebody’s gotta make sure his mangy man locks look more Hollywood than homeless). And now, thanks to the magic of merchandising, they’re available right here in Hong Kong. We talk to the foursome about their bestselling products.

How did the four of you meet and why did you decide to work on this line together?

Aaron: We’ve all been in the hair industry since we were young. We met while working and realized we had similar ideas around products – ingredients, performance and inspiration – and styling. We have unique perspectives because we each own a salon in a major, trend-setting city (New York, Los Angeles, Miami) and work with clients every day. We’re constantly getting input from our clients in our salons on what trends they’re seeing, what they want to try and how they’re using products. We use that feedback for inspiration on new products (like Foamo Holographic Hair Foam and our latest Dry Shampoo collection) and to make our products even better. We knew we could create something amazing and different from what’s already out there.

What’s the philosophy behind IGK Hair?

Franck: Our tagline is “No Boring Hair. Ever.”, which speaks to our philosophy. It’s the idea that whether you just want to roll out of bed and go, or you want to take more time and try something new you should own it and wear it with confidence. There’s no such thing as boring hair. And our products will give you that look – natural or done up – with minimal effort.

What’s the difference between the various lines named after cities?

Leo: It’s all one line, IGK, but we pull inspiration from the three cities we are based in. We have salons in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. We are inspired by the personalities, looks and unique trends of those cities and bring those to life in our products and packaging

Which are the products everybody wants?

Chase: Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air Dry Styler gives hair a piecey, lived-in texture softness and shine with a light hold. Coconut Oil and Vitamin A moisturize and condition hair. Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm intensely hydrates hair while calming frizz, adding dramatic shine and moisture. Coconut oil, argan oil, and shea butter restore softness to dry and damaged hair. Low Key Cleansing Walnut Scalp Scrub uses sugar and walnut powder to exfoliate and remove product buildup, dirt and oil. Apple cider vinegar clarifies while peppermint oil rebalances the scalp. Use 1-2 times per week in place of your normal shampoo.

Franck: It’s hard to choose just one. I think the line stands out because it’s high-performance, innovative products that are vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free and free from sulfates, parabens, petrolatum and mineral oil. Clients and customers love the products because they’re easy to understand, have high-quality, multi-benefit ingredients like coconut oil or apple cider vinegar, and give you the look you want with minimal effort. A lot of our customers are drawn to Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air Dry Styler because it’s really versatile – it works on all hair types and on wet or dry hair. you can create so many styles with it. Our new dry shampoo collection is also doing really well – we released a collection of dry shampoos with a light cleanse level (Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo), medium cleanse level (Direct Flight Multi-tasking Dry Shampoo) and deep cleanse level (First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo), so you can shop based on your hair type and scalp type. It’s a totally new way to think about dry shampoo and our clients are loving it.