Indie beauty conversation with Hask
15 Feb 2022 --- Referring to itself as Hollywood’s favorite hair care, the clean beauty brand Hask specializes in cruelty-free shampoos, conditioners, deep conditioners, hair oils, leave-in treatments and dry shampoos. It has been used in a string of huge films, as well as offering products for the home use. We caught up with Melani Heller, Director of Product Development at Inspired Beauty Brands, to discuss the path Hask is taking amid the launch of its Exotic Oils collection.
What was your inspiration behind launching the Hask collection?
Hask has always been a problem/solution brand with “clean beauty” at its heart. We are inspired by ingredient, formula and fragrance trends in the market and use them to create the collections within the brand and deliver products that are effective and affordable.
What was missing from the mainstream market that you sought to fill with Hask?
When Hask launched, there were not as many ingredient-focused brands as there are today. Hask began with good-for-you ingredients that have a problem/solution ingredient as the hero, and the mission to create quality formulas at affordable prices.
What are consumers demanding from hair care products and brands?
Today, consumers are demanding “clean” formulas and transparency with formulas and ingredients. They want to know the products are not tested on animals and the company is supporting sustainable practices.
How did you get the idea for your hair care solution?
The mission of Hask has always been to provide problem/solution hair care. For our latest collection, Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary, we reviewed the consumer need for scalp care and paired it with tea tree and rosemary, both ingredients known to help with scalp cleansing and refreshing.
How do your solutions answer these consumer demands?
Hask abides by a “Banned List” of ingredients which are standards set by the EU and California Proposition 65 standards, as well as retailer ingredient restrictions for “clean beauty” brands.
In addition, we are Leaping Bunny Certified to show our commitment to no animal testing on ingredients or finished products, ever. We have also launched new collections in post-consumer recycled (PCR) packaging and are working on transitioning all applicable packing to PCR.
What did the launch process involve from conceptualization through to commercialization?
The launch of the Hask brand has involved researching ingredient trends, formulation work to ensure clean formula bases, and product testing to ensure effectiveness and shelf stability. It also involved a 360-degree marketing plan.
What were the greatest challenges to achieving your vision for your brand and these solutions?
As the industry and retailers constantly change the banned list of ingredients, we need to adapt and pivot formulas and products to meet the latest and greatest expectations. The supply of PCR has also proved to be a challenge in terms of transitioning all products to the PCR packaging.
What are your short and long term hopes and goals for Hask?
Hask’s short term goals are to introduce additional collections that are meaningful to the consumer and solve a problem for them, as Hask is a problem/solution geared brand. The brand’s long term goals are to be more sustainable in our packaging and ingredients.
What are you proudest of to date?
I am most proud of the assortment of Hask collections we have that are all “clean” and quality formulas, allowing something for every consumer.
How would you like to be known by your consumers?
Hask would like to be known for its safe, high-quality formulas that are free of the bad stuff and at affordable prices. I want the consumer to love the product and recommend it to friends, as I do!
By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist