Section: The Beauty Report
Dateline: NEW YORK
 Italian hair care company Davines has launched its new Alchemic line of pigmented shampoos and conditioners designed to enhance natural and color-treated hair to give it a healthy shine.

"We tried to understand what makes colorists excited in their craft and found that it was quality products and vibrant results. We wanted to provide colorists with an opportunity to use pigmented products that also protected the hair," said Regis Haberkorn, chief operating officer of Davines North Americas. Davines is a 13-year-old, family-owned company based in Parma, Italy.

The Alchemic collection is made up of six colors -- red, golden, copper, silver, chocolate and tobacco. Formulated with milk proteins, vegetable extracts, vitamins A and B, and olive oil derivatives, the Alchemic Shampoo, $20, is designed to clean hair and intensify hair color, while adding moisture and shine. The Alchemic Conditioner, $24, is formulated with vitamin E and pigment enhancers. It also contains hydrolyzed milk protein that acts as a deep conditioner. A travel Alchemic Kit, $20, contains a 50-ml. shampoo, conditioner, and two pumps and spatulas. Hair professionals are able to customize shades for their customers' needs.
According to Haberkorn, the pigment lasts about five washes.

Alchemist is sold in high-end salons in 58 markets worldwide. In the U.S. and Canada, the line is available in approximately 2,000 salons.

To give the line a contemporary feel, the company has packaged the formulas in glass bottles and jars decorated with colorful, patterned shapes and labels.

"The glass packaging helps preserve the pigments and is also biologically friendly," said Haberkorn. "We wanted to combine an apothecary look with a more modernized look that's straightforward."

  References

    Edgar M. Davines Gets Heavy Into Color. WWD: Women's Wear Daily [serial on the Internet]. (2006, May 19), [cited April 22, 2010]; 191(107): 7. Available from: Business Source Complete.