Healthy Hair is Focus of Product Line

When Sofn’Free GroHealthy Milk Protein & Olive Oil Products were developed a year ago, the goal was simple: to harness the power of olive oil and other botanicals for healthy hair and scalp.

“We wanted to push the whole envelope of products forward as far as haircare is concerned,” says Will Williams, director of education for M&M Products Co., the Atlanta-based company that developed Sta Sof Fro in 1973, the first product specifically for afros.

And while M&M products may have a reputation as a product line primarily for ethnic consumers, products like Milk Protein & Olive Oil have amassed fans of all ethnicities and hair types.

“I have straight blond hair and I love GroHealthy the line because I have dry hair,” says Lisa Sperling, PR director for M&M Products. “People are finding what works best for their hair . . .”

Williams had just given a presentation to one of the largest beauty distributorships about the product line, and he said “they literally were sitting on the edge of their seat” because of the overwhelming response he’s gotten from stylists and consumers alike.

“This is the best product we’ve ever made and the best received product we’ve ever made,” Williams says.

Williams sings the praises of olive oil, which he believes has re-energized the botanical, healthy-hair movement – moving people away from heavy greases.

We also knew about other exotic and unique ingredients in the market that work well with olive oil,” Williams says.

All products in the Milk Protein & Olive Oil products contain a mix of milk protein, which soothes the scalp and strengths the hair; olive oil, which promotes a healthy scalp and repairs damage: and Omega 3, which strengthens and protects hair.

“What people can expect is greater flexibility and deeper shine over a longer period of time,” Williams says. “It works well for those who relax as well as those who wear their hair natural.”

The top-selling products have been the Really Deep Conditioning Treatment, Daily Growth Lotion and the Triple Layer Growth Oil.

For someone with 3b or 3c curls, Williams suggests using the Really Deep Conditioning Treatment as a pre-poo and following it with the Daily Growth Lotion. Then he suggests applying Strengthening Creme for curl definition. he says the Triple Layer Growth Oil also works well as a pre-poo.

“When you talk about curly hair, it inherently has an uneven porosity,” says Williams. “We wanted to create a product that evens out the porosity.”

The broad appeal of products like the Sofn’Free GroHealthy line is only going to continue as society becomes increasingly multi-ethnic, he says.

“It is not black and white anymore,” he says. “It’s about individualizing hair care to meet more personal needs. We have to make products that fit a wide range of hair types, but also lend themselves to individual styling.”