Latest / Skin Anarchy / Finding The Secret To Frizz Free Curls With Frederic Fekkai, Founder of FEKKAI Hair Care

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Finding The Secret To Frizz Free Curls With Frederic Fekkai, Founder of FEKKAI Hair Care · Skin Anarchy

• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely obsessed.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: So without me ranting too much, I would love to introduce you guys to Frederick Fakai from Fakai Haircare.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the show.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Frederick, thank you so much for the honor of coming onto our show.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: I'm delighted to be part of this great podcast.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's my honor.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm really excited because, like I said, I am such a fan.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, your products are just, I mean, there's nothing like them out there.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to learn about that.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: But I really want to, I want to learn about you and your wonderful career and just everything that led up to you creating the brand, obviously, but just your own journey, you know, into this uh into you know just good hair care and how things have changed over the years.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if you could get us started by walking us down memory lane, that'd be a really great place to start.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you know, uh, you know, I I was not meant to be in the in the beauty business when I uh grew up.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh I wanted to be uh uh an architect or designer or an artist, and uh uh my dad uh opposed uh uh opposed uh my way to go to a fine art school.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: So I went to law school to start to law school and uh didn't like it so much.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I was fortunate uh to do some modeling on the side and uh to earn some money, and that's where I met uh an amazing talent, a woman who was an incredible uh uh stylist and makeup artist on photo shoot and film, and that's how I discovered this uh this business.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: And she invited me, knowing that I was not happy uh in law school, to uh uh to assist her, which I did, and uh that was an eye-opening for me because it was a world I didn't know, I didn't understand.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was like a kid in a canistor, seeing all this incredible, you know, beauty around and traveling all over the world and learning from the best.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: And that's how I discovered beauty.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: Then I was lucky again to meet the creative director of a big salon firm in Europe called Jacques Desange, and uh they invited me to work with them, and uh and that's where the opportunity to come to New York came when they opened their first branch, their first flagship in New York City.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so I came uh in New York in 1983 and uh was very excited to discover the city, and I realized that uh, you know, New York, because uh I couldn't say the US, I didn't know the US, but New York, uh, you know, the beauty was very different than France.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_01: It was all about really groomed, really prepared.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: Everything was so uh uh paid with the details from the morning to the night, that uh the French had more of a uh what we call uh an effortless beauty, uh something that was more, you know, what we call today French beauty.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's beautiful, but it's not it's not overdone.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: So I introduced basically uh this French beauty, which is effortless, casual, chic, but hairstyle and look and haircut that was more uh subdued, more subtle, more uh uh uh uh uh uh soft and and uh uh and uh I would I would say more um universal.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: And uh by doing that, you know, I introduced a casual chic, a casual elegance that did go very well with the fashion because that's also when uh the brand uh like uh Laura Piana uh and uh uh you know uh Harmony and all this where they had a casual you know elegance uh uh clothing.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: So that was a perfect timing uh to come with this uh with this look.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think that's that's why I still like I mean I'm a I'm a huge fan of your products, and I think you're still such standout products, you know, for that are timeless because of that, what you just described, as this idea of like beautiful, you know, the products are creating beauty, but it's not it doesn't feel like you have all this to do, all this homework, you know, that you have to get done to get ready.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I just I love that.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: I love that that's so tied into the DNA of what you've created because it really shows, you know, it's like even if we jump forward to the brand and we look at how Fakai hair care is, like for everyone listening, if you haven't tried the brand already, I mean, you really need to, first of all, but if you have tried it, you know what I mean.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's kind of like a one and done deal with the products as well, Frederick.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, they're just so good for your hair, regardless of what kind of hair you have.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: I know that in the industry we have so much hype now, but different types, right, of hair, like coily, um, different, you know, curly hair types, different types of straight.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: And but with your products, I feel like when you use them, they just work, you know, and there's not this huge amount of homework I have to do, you know, to figure out like what do I need to know about my hair so that it works the right way.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I I mean it makes sense to me after hearing you know explain that the background.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um no, go ahead, please go ahead.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: So so it for me the idea was always, you know, from the salon to the product, is how can I help my customer?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: Because at the end of the day, that was the difference on my signature look from other uh talent.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's I was not doing just uh hairstyle and hair color to please myself, but more importantly to satisfy and to make sure that I would find a look, an identity, uh style that would be uh tailored and fitted and suited for each customer.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: And that's how I found out that my customer needed different products.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: At the time, you know, back then, hair products were mostly you know commodities from big, the big brands, you know, the the L'Oreal and the United and PNG of the world.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: And it was really uh about you know uh uh in in food, drug, and mass, you know, uh and uh and skincare was always in the most beautiful department stores and boutiques.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I realized that my customer, you know, could use you know skincare brands like Clame and La Prairie and so on at three, four hundred dollars for a small three-ounce jar, and then uh go to uh hair, they would have you know product that would be you know uh at uh$100 or under that.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: And I said something is wrong.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I went to the market and I saw that actually skincare was so innovative, so much cutting-edge technology, incredible ingredients, incredible packaging.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: And haircare were much more uh I would call pedestrian, much more basic, much more uh uh uh uh uh common.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I said to myself, my customer deserve better than that.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: And that's how I went to uh see the skincare lab as opposed to hair care lab to uh develop and manufacture products that will be you know uh uh out of the box and more uh uh cutting edge in uh technology and innovation.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: And that's how I started.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it really should that's amazing that you mentioned that because honestly, like I will not lie, you know, the first time I remember being very young and being into the you know, the PNGs, like those brands of the world, right?
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: The the big ones.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like, and I remember there was a turning point for me as a consumer, you know, as I was growing up.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: And um, I realized one day that I was like, wait a minute, I buy really cheap hair products as well.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I realized that as also as a consumer.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: So what you said, like it really resonates with me because I your brand was one of the first like nicer brands that I tried.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I it blew me away, you know, like the quality.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: Like it was like, okay, I'm going from like night to day here with the results, you know, with my hair.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: And it was kind of like eye-opening for me, even as like a young consumer at the time, because I was like, this is what you're supposed to be doing all along, and I'm not doing that.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I come from immigrant parents.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: So my mother, you know, she's always had that very like natural is the best way with everything.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: So I was like kind of discovering things on my own, you know, she wasn't really like guiding me as much.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think parents nowadays are more, you know, they're more hands-on.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: But with me, I was just discovering, and I remember I discovered your brand like that, you know, when I was growing up and I was like blown away.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, this is really great, you know, and I felt like finally I'm investing in my hair care.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Before then, it was just shampoo conditioner done.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I couldn't ever figure out what's wrong with my hair, why is it not working the way I want it to work or looking the way I wanted to look.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: But it was this level of quality, like you just said.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, for you to, I'm glad you mentioned the skincare lab thing, because I think we put so much emphasis on, you know, skincare better be like, you know, really thought about and all the chemistry and the formulations better be up to par, but very rarely talk about hair care like that, you know.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: We don't really discuss it in that light.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: So that's very, very important, you know.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: And you said something very, very important, Ecta, is that you invested in your hair care.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_01: And that's what I wanted to make sure that people invested in their hair care routine and their and beauty.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think it is.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's a beautiful investment and it pays forward, and you notice it immediately.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's one of the my biggest catching points with Fakai hair care, is that you know, it's not something because I have bought other brands as well, right?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, nowadays, as you know, the industry is so cluttered.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: We have so many products, and a lot of people are marking up the you know, the pricing.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes, you know, just because something's more expensive doesn't mean it's the best anymore.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think uh about 10 years ago, if you had asked me as a consumer, you know, if you spend, you know,$40 on shampoo, what do you expect to get?
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: My answer would be very different than it is now.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think now we're so tainted.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we have we live in a world where finding quality is the real goal now, you know, versus just being able to immediately tell, you know, because now prices don't speak anymore about how quality, how much quality there is.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I think I want to ask you about that, you know, because the formulas are obviously phenomenal, you know, every product is amazing.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: My fiance, by the way, is a huge fan of your work.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, he wanted me to tell you specifically, and we all we love your brand.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so I want to ask you, you know, from the formulation side, how was that?
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: You know, in terms of coming out with the formulas, how long did it take you, or how long does the process take you when you're coming up with something new?
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you can kind of walk us through that.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, you know, the it's a very uh good and long process.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh you first you know uh work with a brief to make sure that you uh uh talk to the chemist and give them as much information as you can about uh the obviously what you're trying to obtain to achieve, what are the benefits that you're looking for, uh to uh uh to the texture of the product, the viscosity and uh and and the texture of the product.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: And and uh and and of course there is a whole time where you do a trial, testing, and uh uh uh uh on our friends and family and clients, you know, and then and then after that, you know, uh uh make sure that the the product has all the safety and regulation uh you know in compliance and all the testing on high temperature and and and different packaging and so on to make sure that the product is uh uh uh efficient, performant, but also safe.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that makes sense, and you know, I think that like because you're keeping all those in mind, that's probably why it comes out so wonderful.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because I I've I've tried products where I feel like they don't do any, they haven't tested it the correct way because my hair will be either like getting worse or getting coarser, you know, they're just things you notice, right, over time.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: But um, I think that really speaks volumes about a hair care formulation is when over time you notice your hair is becoming more manageable, you know, even on days where you're not shampooing and doing the whole thing or the whole routine.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I mean I want to ask you, Frederick, you know, I and I think from an expert's point of view, I want your perspective on this because, like I said, the industry is always buzzing about this many hair types are out there, you have to know, you know, all this.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: But from your perspective, what are some things that are just key to good hair, you know, overall?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's so important that, you know, what is beautiful hair?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: Beautiful hair is really when your hair stand, you know, the texture of your hair, uh, the strand and your scalp is uh healthy and vibrant and strong and shiny.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: So all our efforts today are by the way, I forgot to say earlier, but you know, most of the ideas don't come from a chemist or me or or anyone else.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: They come from a teamwork.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: It's mostly the customer.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_01: The consumer is the one who gives us the idea on how to uh uh uh uh innovate.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: And uh so it is important uh to make sure that you know uh uh we create products that are going to uh give all the best benefit for every customer.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: So if a customer has uh uh highlight or color or keratin, anything chemical in the hair, the hair is gonna behave different than somebody who has virgin hair.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So we need to obviously develop product that will uh uh uh act differently.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: And uh what we forgot to say is that uh hair is very uh uh how would I say it has a mind on their own.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it can change with uh with the weather or dry uh uh air or or uh anything or rain.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it's so important to figure out how to uh control and manage uh the texture.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: And uh when the hair is uh chemically treated, it has it's is a porous hair.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: The strand is porous.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Being porous means that the shaft of the hair is open.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_01: When the shaft is open, I call this velcro.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: It means it attracts everything in the hair, all the impurity, the pollution, the product, the you know, uh salt, anything that you have.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to get rid of that, and that's how you figure out how to uh uh you know uh formulate product that will uh close the shaft of the hair, get rid of all the residues, but also you find things that uh hydrate, moisturize, and make sure that doesn't weigh the hair down.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a a lot of box to check uh for different types of hair.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: And it's fascinating because it really is in the last uh I would say the last uh 10 years, the technology has uh a curve, a very uh high curve.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's growing very, very fast.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we have now product that you know uh uh uh will um uh control and manage you know the freeze, uh the the shine or or repair hair that is broken and so on.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: So it's it's it's it's fascinating.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that's really fascinating.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: I like how you put it, the velcro effect.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: I like that.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's really um I've never heard of that, but that makes sense, you know, because like I've noticed that as well with my hair, is like after some time, if I'm like I said, not using the right stuff, like you can tell there's a buildup of just you know the environment or whatever it is you're always exposing yourself to, you know, and it's just it ruins your hair.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think one of my big questions for you is you know, really maintaining this idea of like, you know, make maintaining your hair.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that's my one of my big questions because with with the hair care line, I mean, your products are remarkable for me because as someone who doesn't do like a daily wash because I have thicker hair, I feel like they're not weighing me down.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you've really had a balance, you know, with all of the products where, you know, you can still feel like your hair is good, but you don't have to worry about everyday washing.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: Or, you know, if you do wash every day, it's still fine because you know, it doesn't strip your hair.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that's really I think the main key is it doesn't strip away anything.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe you could tell us a little bit about that.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Was that something intentional?
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Or I mean, what is your take on um, you know, just what good hair care should have in it?
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, you know, actually it's uh you're touching on a very good uh point here.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of people are worried about washing their hair too often.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: And this is a myth that used to be in the past because by in the past, hair care were much more abrasive and much more you know uh aggressive.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_01: Today, uh hair care is like skincare.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, at least our line.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: And it's important to make sure that you know the product is about to uh uh soothe uh your hair, to to fix your hair but gently, and to make sure that uh uh you you you you uh uh are going to add all the ingredients that your hair needs.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: For instance, you know, if it's uh uh uh uh uh uh a hair that needs a repair, so you do a bonding to make sure that the stem gets stronger and smoother.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um uh if you need uh uh shine, for instance, we have uh you know uh a squalene who comes from a uh pure extra virgin olive oil uh that makes the hairs uh healthy and shiny.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: But it's so important to say that um it's all about you know uh getting uh uh uh the right ingredient and mixing science with with uh uh with nature.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: No, it makes that makes sense actually.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's interesting that you said that we we don't have to avoid washing our hair every day.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: I that's really good to know that because some I think you know now it's interesting that you brought that up too, because I had a conversation with someone who was um, you know, they want to go into dermatology, but you know, they were talking to me about like scalp care, right?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, well, I don't know because with the scalp, I'm always confused because people say don't wash your hair every day, but then when you look at scalp care, you kind of have to take care of your scalp every day, you know.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like a yeah, yeah.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: So so the the the let me clarify the the myth is that you know some people thought that washing your hair uh every day would uh would would damage their hair or make hair loss.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_01: This is not the case anymore.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: But also, very importantly, for instance, somebody was very thick hair or curly hair or whatever, it it's it's it's necessary to not wash your hair every day because otherwise your hair expands too much.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_01: So so for different types of hair, you you do different, you know, a routine on your hair shampoo.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: So you could wash your hair like once or twice a week if you have a lot of thick hair, because then uh you know you need your own oil, your your your scalp uh generate that, and it helps the hair to be actually to tame down to and to to and to to feel good.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, one thing uh this reminds me of is the the oil.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: You have that beautiful shea oil in your line.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: I like that oil a lot because I almost feel like it mimics like natural oils, like it's not, you know, like with hair oil, they're so dry sometimes for me, or they feel like it.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: I don't feel like they do anything for my hair, but yours is really, really nice, it's very nourishing, it's very like smoothing for my ends, but it doesn't weigh my hair down.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm wondering, I mean, why did you used to use or why did you use Shea instead of others?
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like, can you if you can tell us about that product?
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: I really, really like this one.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, so oil, it's a very important thing for hair, but it's also very important that it's not 100% oil.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: It has to be mixed with other ingredients because you want to make sure that uh uh the oil brings the the moisture, the hydration, and uh and the nourishment that you need uh without getting too heavy, too uh too oily, and and so so it's so important to have a great balance.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: And the shea is an amazing uh uh uh ingredient, shea butter coming from uh we badaway source ours from West Africa, uh, you know, uh with uh uh ethically uh uh uh process because it's so important that the shea gives you it's one of the most moisturizing ingredients there is on the planet uh today.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um and it has a great benefit because it's uh it it it it does uh moisturize, hydrate your hair without being too heavy.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so that's a great one for our oil, but also you mix it with the other ingredients as well to make sure that uh it it it is uh distributed uh evenly throughout the hair without weighting the hair down.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_01: And by the way, if you have too much oil on your hair, let's say if you use the oil on your hair or any oil, if you put too much, uh then then you oil becomes a magnet for dust, for pollution, and so on.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to be very careful that it's there's a great uh formula uh with a great proportion of oil with other uh ingredients that uh would help uh the hair to be you know uh smooth but yet not oily.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense, yeah, because I feel like for me personally, I grew up with hair oiling, for example, you know, like growing up in part of it was part of my culture, you know, growing up.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Indian.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: So my mother would always do hair oiling for me every day with coconut oil.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: And when I first tried the shea oil, I was blown away, first of all, because it's more nourishing, in my opinion, than coconut oil.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I actually use it for so many purposes.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like I will obviously use it on my ends, but then I also do a scalp massage with it.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: And on the days where I do the scalp massage and then I rinse it out, it's so amazing.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like my hair is just soft all week.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's just it's beautiful the way it comes out.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: So it makes sense what you're saying.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I think um it's interesting to see an oil that you you've created it to be so multi-use, and that's why I asked you because it's like even on the bottle for everyone listening.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: If you haven't tried the product yet, like it mentions, you know, use it for your body.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: You can use it pretty much any way you want to.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, it's great for your scalp, for hair, body, and also the the great property you just reminded me of the shebada, is that it rinses itself very easily, so it doesn't take too long to rinse it off.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's great.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like if you just follow up, like if you do like hair oiling, like I do, and you use it for hair oiling, like even after you rinse it out, because I usually have shampoo all that afterwards, and then it comes out so nice.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's like you don't really need a conditioner because it's really kind of conditioned your hair from the inside out.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's what it feels like.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's beautiful.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I want to ask you, Frederick, you know, I know that you've really seen and watched this landscape change, you know, when it comes to just great hair care, right?
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, obviously we have the whole fashion industry side of hair care, which I feel like is so glamorous, you know, and then you have um on the other side, all of us normal consumers.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: But I would I really wanted to ask you, you know, um, being at the at the front of this both scenes, you know, for so long, what have you noticed?
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, things that have changed or evolved over the years or maybe stayed the same?
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Just some insight.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: You know, the the obvious the the what we experience in today is is incredible.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, there's changes everywhere, not only in technology and uh uh but but also on packaging, uh also on supply chain, uh uh and uh and also on marketing, uh, how you market a product.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, today it's all about uh you know uh digital marketing, it's about social media uh and and and so on.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but also what is wonderful, I think, and this is why I created a line that uh we call clean and sustainable, is that clients now are very much sensitive to what a brand does, because it's not about just making products, it's uh how responsible are we also to our wonderful planet.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_01: So to make sure that you have you know uh uh uh great packaging, sustainable uh uh formula that are uh non-toxic, uh, that use uh ethically uh harvested product uh ingredients, uh, and so on and so on.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_01: So it's there the the there is a uh a demand out there for you know transparency, for uh responsibility uh toward uh you know environment.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: And and also people are you know now watching very carefully uh uh what a brand does, what it stands for, and and how do they you know take care of uh uh uh the the mission, the how they take care of uh you know the the how would I call it the environment as well.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: So it's all about uh and and you know what I love is the fact that uh today, you know, uh it's so easy uh to uh to uh see and and communicate and and show what you do, the process, how you do it, you know, how do you exist, why do you exist?
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: And you can do that on social media uh uh very, very easily.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: I yeah, I agree with you.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's so true.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: And especially now because we consumers ask so many more questions now, too.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's like that whole accessible thing where people can now ask questions and ask brands, like, you know, why am I why am I going to use your products?
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: What makes it stand out, you know, versus XYZ?
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I I agree with you.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a there's a lot of accessibility, which that that's interesting to hear your perspective because um it's actually happened even for me as a consumer, I've watched it happen too, you know, over the last like decade where people are now able to actually, you know, interact right with their favorite brands or their favorite, you know, types of hair yeah, products.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's really cool.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_00: But I want to ask you, you know, if you were to give advice, right?
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_00: If if you were to give one piece of advice to anyone with, for example, curly hair, I want to do curly and straight because I think those two categories, people are always, you know, they're polar opposites.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: So if you were to give like one solid piece of advice for anyone who has any type of curly hair, um, what could you, what would you say is like the most important thing to know?
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: You know, the beauty today is first of all, that fashion is uh very flexible and and and you know you can now uh have acceptable uh hairstyle with curly hair or straight hair.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh a client who has curly hair can easily uh you know change from one day to the other.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_01: And today there is a product, for instance, in my line, there's a cream called straight balm.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: The straight balm basically uh straighten your hair.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_01: So if you have very, very curly, curly hair, it's not gonna make it straight, but it's gonna relax the curl and make it much more manageable.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_01: If you have just wavy hair, then it becomes straight.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and those are you know uh products today that act again uh help uh managing and controlling and changing uh the texture of your hair uh for the best.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: So curly hair is a beautiful thing.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_01: The problem is how to manage it.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_01: You don't want it to be too curly, you don't want to be to be unruly, you don't want to be to be too thick.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: And today a product uh like the stray balm, like the grossing cream, uh, helps you to uh uh uh control, manage the curl or the or the freeze and make it shiny and soft and bouncy.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Makes sense.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_00: That that's really cool because I think that is one of the biggest problems.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of uh friends of mine who have very curly hair, they're like, gosh, I wish I could just control, you know, like when it goes into this mode or when it's like not as coily.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I I can I can definitely see that.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's really great advice.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I personally like I think that it's interesting because um, you know, I always grew up with straight hair, like more wavy hair.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember I used to look at people with curly hair and think, you know, I wish I could make this curl.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I wish I could make my hair curl.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think we always want to go in the opposite direction, like the grass is always greener on the other side.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: But um, you know, that's good to know that you have a product like that, you know, because it can really give you a lot of autonomy when it comes to your hair.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's also one of the questions I have for you is this idea of, you know, there's a strict demarcation, you know, I feel like in the hair care industry where there's like either professional brands or there's like non-professional or like the normal version of the professional brands, right?
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: So like I think one of my questions is really seeing all sides of it, you know, like what do you think is um important to understand about like when you see a product that says professional hair care, you know, for consumers to be mindful of?
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, is there such a thing that only professionals can utilize it?
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: Or I mean, what are what's your take on it?
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_01: So, so uh, for instance, we treat ourselves like professional hair care, but the reason we say that is because it has been developed by hair stylists like me and my uh and my team, and for for our customer, for our client.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: So, but professional gives a it has a little bit of a different range of products.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: When it's a professional hair care line, it has a little bit more styling product than uh uh what we call another liquid line.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, so uh it's more uh how would I say um it's more sharp, it's more uh edgy, it's a little bit more uh you know um uh uh artsy.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and and you have product like for instance, we have texturizing spray.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, texturizing spray really is a product that was born in a salon because customer wanted to have a spray, but not a hairspray where the hair was too stiff and you know looking like a grandmother.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_01: So now you know the texturizing spray is a spray that uh goes through the hair and keeps the shape, keeps the volume without being stiff or uh or sticky.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_01: But so professional is really about being a little bit more uh artsy, a little bit more uh uh cutting edge in uh in the in the styling process.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_00: It just gives you a little bit more to work with, kind of thing.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's interesting.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, because uh other hair care lines who are not professional are much more focused on treatment, on shampoo, uh conditioner, and treatment.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh a professional hair care line has that, but also adds you know, styling uh product like uh you know, uh gel, uh hairspray or uh the balm, the straight balm or the glossing cream, things like that that that will allow to style your hair uh much better.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_01: Basically, we're trying to do the support that the salon gives you at home.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: I that yeah, it makes sense because it's like there are more styling products.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_00: You're right.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I know the texturizing spray, I love it though.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's a great product because I use it for like second-day hair.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: It looks great, like it makes your hair just more, you know.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: I it looks like you just washed it and styled it.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly, exactly.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's really cool.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's I didn't know that.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I figured, you know, there is a difference, but I always see that with lines, you know, it's like a professional grade, or then they have their non-professional grade, you know, uh category.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: But then that makes sense what you're saying, because you have more, you know, control and and there are more options there.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I want to ask you, you know, for as a roundup question, Frederick, I want to know, like, you know, from your perspective as such a successful, you know, professional and entrepreneur, you know, how do you see, you know, what do you see for the future for the hair care industry?
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know, do you think that we're gonna go in a certain direction or do you think there are more shifts coming or anything that you could kind of shed light on us for?
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: So, so you know, uh the hair care is is we're experiencing it right now, but it's gonna be even more, is that the technology is growing very fast.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_01: So faster.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_01: So today, I mean, we see amazing product, but we're gonna see even more uh new innovation, great technology uh that would enhance, as I said earlier, the texture of your hair.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_01: So control, you know, people who are not happy with the uh let's say the the coily hair or the curly hair or the hair too fine and uh or hair that are breaking.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: So there will be uh you know much more technology to uh to uh help and replenish uh uh uh uh the health of the hair.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_01: So that's great.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_01: Also the scalp, the let's not forget the scalp is a very important part for the hair, because the scalp is one of the most um porous parts of our body.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_01: And uh it is important that the the you know the if the scalp is uh too stiff or uh um uh uh how would I say um I call it blocked.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_01: So you need to uh find a way of uh activating the oxygen and the blood flow on the scalp to make sure that the follicule gets a little bit more uh uh uh life and gives you a little bit more balance into the hair.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_01: So those things are important.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_01: But what is gonna happen in hair is that you know, because people are using at a much younger age, uh uh highlight, color, uh chemical process in their hair.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: So the technology is gonna help to make sure that the hair uh doesn't lose uh uh the natural shine, doesn't lose the strength that he had, and basically uh support uh hair.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh uh almost like I would call it almost like the technology that happens with the with the dental.
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_01: You know, now if you have a problem with the teeth, you know, I mean the technology on in a uh uh in a tank dental industry is amazing with incredible implant and so on and on.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_01: So the hair, uh I think the technology is gonna go to that.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense, yeah.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: No, people are getting color done very early these days.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's true.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm interested to see how that comes out, yeah.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: Because especially with scalp, like especially when you brought up scalp, I was like, yeah, this is a huge scalp is starting to category on its own.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I feel like it's just becoming its own thing.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm curious to see all the changes as well.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_00: But thank you for that.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_00: That was um very insightful.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I think, you know, with your line, I I'm just I'm such a fan, you know.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like your products are truly timeless.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it you can see, and for everyone listening, you know, I really urge you guys, if you haven't tried uh Fakai yet, you have to try it.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's a great, great brand.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_00: And every single product is like a home, like a home run, every single one.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's it's very difficult to not find something that works for you in the whole range.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: So I really urge everyone out there listening, try the try the brand, let us know what you think.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: But if you've already tried um the line, definitely chime in as well because I would love to hear your thoughts.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: But Frederick, thank you so much.
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_00: This has been such an honor and so lovely to host you.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, I want just to say to add, you know, the the hair care line needs to be like your hair dresser, your hair assistant at home.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_01: So basically, they're only there to help you and support to support your style at home.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I think your products are truly a testament to that statement because they do it feels like I have a stylist at home.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's great.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and for everyone listening, like I said, you know, chime in, let us know.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: Let's keep the conversation going because um it's rare to have great, great brands in in this industry, you know, as for hair care.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_00: I know there's a lot of new brands coming out, but there are just some that have been tried true and they're constantly evolving.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, Fakai Hair Care has always been that for me personally, and I know for so many of you out there.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to hear all your comments.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_00: But again, thank you so much, Frederick, and for everyone listening, I will be back next time.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_01: It was a pleasure.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you very much for having me on the show.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 38:22
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• 38:26
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• 38:29
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• 39:26
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