Wella launched its Ultime Repair Range, offering products to heal hair damage in 90 seconds. The launch event on September 9, 2024 in Mumbai featured Wella India Ambassadors Natasha Naegamwala, Nikhil Sharma, Nandini D’Rozario, Placid Braganza and Rohan Patel, Nykaa representatives, and Bollywood actress Manushi Chhillar. The range designed for Asian hair, uses AHA to rebuild hair’s internal strength and Omega-9 to replenish the outer layer, delivering noticeable changes after one use. It effectively addresses damage from chemical, mechanical, thermal, and environmental factors. Ultime Repair Miracle Hair Treatment Serum, Shampoo, Conditioner, and Night Cream provide 99% hair breakage reduction, 12x smoother hair, metal purifier technology, deep conditioner, and overnight hair repair protection.
On the sidelines of the Ultime Repair launch event, StyleSpeak Editor Sandhya Chipalkatti speaks with Pravesh Saha, General Manager, South Asia, Wella Company about the new product range.
How important is this launch for you as a brand?
This is a super important launch for us for multiple reasons – first off, as a fact, this is a global product which has done really well. For the first time ever, we formulated our product to work on Asian hair. So, this is a clear recipe for success and hence expect big things from this product. Secondly, this product is specifically designed to ‘repair’; our consumer study suggested that about 92% of Indian consumers struggle with damaged hair. Upon reaching out to them, we realized that 63% of them were in search of the perfect product for their hair needs.
This research helped us understand that this is clearly the biggest segment of services and a need which consumers are currently facing. So, we developed a fantastic product and are now looking at a large market and a big business!
What is the main cause for damaged hair among Indians?
There are multiple reasons – it could be air pollution, excessive usage of chemical treatments or maybe even consistent sun exposure. Hair damage can happen due to a lot many reasons and that’s why this product makes so much sense because it takes care of everything.
Does it mean that this product repairs every kind of hair damage?
Yes, it helps in repairing any and every kind of hair damage! The best part is that it helps in repairing your hair not just from the outside, but from the inside as well. Most haircare brands only target damage from the outside, which makes the hair look shiny, but in the long run, doesn’t leave the hair in a good shape. This particular product works on Hydrogen Sulfate bonds – these are the bonds which get damaged the most. It is specifically designed for long-term usage and makes sure that damage gets taken care of as and when it happens.
Is this a salon-specific range or is it for homecare as well?
We are increasingly seeing that salons are becoming centers for effective and dialed-up services. Of late, consumers are taking a lot of hairdresser support to build a strong hair care regime for themselves. In the industry, this is known as ‘skinification of hair’, which is why with this particular range, we’ve got some very simple and effective services for the salon hairdressers to execute, as well as a range of powerful SKUs to take back home.
Let’s take the example of ‘skinification’ – usually skincare has a regimen. Is this range supposed to be used as a regimen too?
The intent is always to build SKUs where if you use the entire range, then the efficacy of the product is dialed up significantly. We understand that adhering to regimes is a little tough for the consumer because different product formats get used differently. So, we always design ranges with Hero SKUs in mind. But we recommend using the entire range as a stepwise procedure to dial up the efficacy.
The other beauty of this range is that every product has an active ingredient – so, even the shampoo does the job of damage repair. Of course, it may not be as effective as the Serum, but it would still get the job done.
After COVID-19, people have become extremely conscious and disciplined about self-care. So, somebody who follows a stepwise skincare routine, should also adopt a stepwise hair care routine?
Oh yes, I sincerely hope so! I think the consumers are finally understanding that following a regimen delivers effective results. If you see, that’s how the brands have also been designing their products. That’s why it is always recommended that consumers follow a stepwise routine so that they can experience a product in all its efficacy.
