Being a global beauty magazine gives us a worldwide perspective on the best beauty products and brands that have outlasted the test of time. KIN Cosmetics is one of these timeless brands, new to the USA but known to ESTETICA in Spain for over six decades!
Gary Call is the Head Coach at KIN North America and gives us insight on a brand that has felt the reign of five Spanish generations and counting, making their name a legacy of beauty that has made its way across the seas to give American woman a taste of Spanish timelessness and luster.
1. KIN Cosmetics is a cosmetic brand with a long history. What is it that sets it aside from your competitors?
“Although KIN has a long history in Spain and Europe we are brand new in North America. KIN really is one of the best-kept secrets of our industry, world-class formulas and performance that have been quietly developed in their home on the Costa Brava. KIN’s creativity has not been hampered by the shackles of conglomerate ownership, buyouts or too much attention. KIN North America is a family owned private business, just like KIN Cosmetics in Spain. We can afford to be passionate about the hairdressing community and place a priority on quality and relationships.”
2. How is your brand revolutionary for the salon business?
“KIN North America is a full service brand –retail, treatment, styling, color, and texture– that works directly with salons. There are no middle men. We ship directly from our home office in California to every customer and know him or her personally. Our rewards, bonus rewards, and level of support cannot be matched by the diluted brand information that is usually available through the traditional multi-line distribution channel. We hear and respond to the needs of our customers in real time”
3. What is the company’s secret when searching for innovations in beauty products?
“One of the most memorable experiences during my recent visit to our home office outside Barcelona was seeing some of the original journals and formulas developed by the founder of KIN in the 1930’s. KIN has an 80+ year heritage of testing and trial looking for the very best ingredients and procedures to create the very best products. We’re now led by the children and grandchildren of the founders who are just as passionate about their family legacy. Every concept is approached with the desire to make a long term difference in the success experienced by the hairdresser in the salon. Beyond that I am amazed at KIN’s ability to listen to us as their partner. We’ve taken feedback from salons in the United States directly to the lab in Spain and had both adjustments in current products and brand new formulas developed and on the market in 3 months. That is something that will never happen in a huge publicly held corporate environment.”
4. What are some upcoming projects for KIN Cosmetics? Are there any specific to the U.S.?
“We do have some exciting new things coming. In July we just launched KINESSENCES, a collection of four products (shampoo, mask, oil and oil cream) that utilize essential oils and essences from 5 continents around the world. These ultra-luxury products are for all hair types and textures, they can be used by anyone. The KINESSENCES Oil Cream is a brand new concept – an emulsified oil that is lighter, yet more conditioning than a regular hair oil. Oil Cream is flying out of salons right now. In the U.S. we’ll be introducing a new color line in January. Based on the KINESSENCES formulas it will be PPD and ammonia free. KINESSENCES Color is versatile enough to be used to create a semi, demi, or permanent result.
5. Tell me about the most popular product and how it has affected the company?
“Our most popular products are truly amazing to me. I have more than 20 years experience with European haircare brands in the United States and as a rule salons embrace European color lines, but are typically not very happy with the care products like shampoos, conditioners and styling products. At KIN we are experiencing the complete opposite – our color, lightener and other professional products are excellent but the big surprise is KINACTIF – our shampoo, conditioner and treatment line. European brands have traditionally struggled to be successful in the retail market, partially because the U.S. has so many different wet lines that really perform and fill the needs of the consumer. At KIN the efficacy of our exclusive Active Inside System, based on micro encapsulating the active ingredients so they penetrate deep into the cortex, creates proven results in the hair that last 6 hours or more after the product is applied. At the back bar we don’t feel product rinsing from the hair because it is staying in the hair working to rebuild, condition, and strengthen the fiber. The success we’ve seen in the retail area is truly unique and something we’re really proud of. If you are looking for one stand out product it would be Nutri Extract – a leave in conditioning styling cream that nourishes the hair making it soft, supple and giving a beautiful shine.”
For more information on KIN Cosmetics, please visit kincosmetics.com