CHICAGO— Andis is launching new grooming tools for both men and women, including a new heated styling brush and several new clipper kits, at the International Home + Housewares Show.
The high heat styling brush fills a gap in the company’s existing product line, according to Karen Formico, vp/marketing, Andis. “Women continue to chase the elusive secret to volume but still want to be able to straighten and calm frizz and unproductive curls. The high heat styling brush lets you do that,” she said.
The brush features ceramic barrels that are said to create frizz-free styles. Formico noted, “Ceramic plates are used often in flat irons because they promote frizz-free, luster and shine look. This same technology is applied to the barrel of the brush.”
The styling brush includes two heat settings with quick heating up to 425-degrees. It also includes an automatic shut-off feature and 6-foot swivel cord to prevent tangling.
Formico also noted that “the natural look is in” and the styling brush is suitable for all hair types, including on wigs and extensions.
“Often straighteners can leave hair looking ironed and almost too flat. This works especially well for thin or coarse hair but for very different reasons,” she added. “If you have fine or thin hair, this gives you volume. If you have coarse and thick hair, this flattens without looking pressed.”
The high heat styling brush carries a manufacturer suggested retail price of $25.
In order to meet the demand for cordless convenience among the at-home consumer, Andis is launching several new clipper kits, including the Select Cut cordless clipper.
“Andis knows that at-home grooming is a trend that is likely never going away. At the same time, personal care products, especially electrical products, will continue to evolve and benefit from advancements in battery technology. Cordless clippers and trimmers that rival the performance of their corded counterparts will become more common,” she said.
Formico noted that two trends continue to fuel demand for at-home haircutting: the explosive growth in men’s grooming and young moms looking for ways to save money.
Men’s grooming, she said, continues to shape the market, and “we are going to see a continued increase in at-home maintenance, with DIY haircutting continuing to hold steady.”
She added, in general, mothers are ambitious, determined and take pride in handling all aspects of their family’s life, and those traits continue to carry over to the at-home haircutting trend.
In addition, Formico noted that streaming video content, which offers a wealth of how-to hair cutting tutorials that make it easier for consumers to achieve professional results at home, also supports the trend.
In terms of the new clippers, Formico said the units feature technology such as ceramic cutting blades and digital LCD displays. In addition, she said the at-home haircutting kits are easy to use, include everything in the box and will feature multiple pricepoints to appeal to a broad range of shoppers.
The Select Cut cordless clipper, for example, is a 10-piece kit that includes the clipper, three, six, nine and 12 millimeter size attachment combs, barber comb, adapter and cord, scissors, cape, storage case and blade brush and oil.
The clipper features lithium ion batteries said to support two hours of run time from a single charge. The unit also features sharp ceramic blades and adjustable blades with a locking switch that keeps them in place while cutting.
