Flora Sets Out to Disrupt Prestige Hair Care – WWD

PARIS — Flora, the prestige hair care brand created like skin care, takes a holistic approach, beginning with scalp care.

The range’s 35 clean, vegan products have formulas that are biomimetic, gender-fluid and transgenerational. These are meant to be used in various multistep treatments, created to be like facials for the hair.

“That’s disrupting the market today,” said Flora founder Nikolina Kisić Mamić, a seasoned beauty executive, who has worked at companies such as L’Oréal and in cities like Paris, London and New York. “We’re positioned as biological hair science. Scalp care is the new hair care,” using sensorial experiences.

The brand comes with the tag line “molecular skin therapy for hair.”

Kisić Mamić noted that the hair segment has mostly focused on coloring, cutting and styling, and that hair care products are generally created to mask problems. Whereas skin care is multicategory, she views hair care as focusing mostly on hairdressing.

“Hairdressers are makeup artists for hair,” Kisić Mamić said. “I realized that there is really a gap in the market for products that are able to provide a real curative approach with treatment. We are on a mission to change the way people treat their hair.”

She is delving into a hot category. Prestige hair care is the second-fastest growing beauty segment today, after prestige fragrance, with each generating gains of 23.3 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively, between 2021 and 2022, according to market research provider Euromonitor International’s estimates.

Flora, which works on a root and cellular level, just officially launched its first retail experience in Paris’ La Samaritaine department store.

Kisić Mamić, a native of Croatia, grew up in the hairdressing world — with her family being in the business for 45 years. The executive’s goal with Flora is to offer people personalized, holistic routines that have sensory and scientific elements, and are effective on both the scalp, which has an ultra-sensitive microbiome, and hair.

Kisić Mamić, who consulted with luxury hotels while creating her own “hair spa” methodology, wants to create a new paradigm with Flora.

The brand has its own its research and development and manufacturing in France.

Flora was prelaunched in locations such as Joali Maldives, Joali Being and the Cheval Blanc Courchevel spa, as well as in three Croatian locations.

Flora draws on 18 years of scientific research and created two patented complexes — FP5 Biome and FMP10 — developed specifically for the scalp. These are meant to restore the microbiome balance and durably regenerate hair fibers.

Flora’s formulas are divided into three categories, and the products can be used alone or in tandem. Each formula includes the patented complexes, as well as pure active ingredients stemming from controlled origin, which are clean and derived from nature, while backed by science.

Step one of Flora’s protocol involves cleansing and detoxifying the scalp by removing impurities, restoring pH and rebalancing the microbiome. For this, Flora has two scrubs and the Scalp and Hair Detox Mask, plus two shampoos.

Step two involves treating and caring for the scalp. Four serums — including the Serum No.1 Scalp Balance, with probiotics and marine bioactives — have regenerating and antiaging properties to help rebalance the microbiome, stimulate collagen production and hair growth.

In the second step, attention is paid specifically to the hair, with products Flora touts as fillers with the latest generation of biomimetic active ingredients. There are two fillers, including Hair Filler No.10 Hyaluronic Acid, which is said to plump hair to make it more voluminous, hydrated, supple and shiny. This step also has a mask and two conditioners.

The six Pure Active Ingredient Boosters, such as hyaluronic acid, amino acids and lipopeptides, are billed to boost the activity of each Flora formula tenfold for tailor-made, infinitely customizable product rituals.

Step three is about enhancement and protection, including an olfactory component, with the Miracle line that includes biomimetic peptides. The Miracle Repair Serum was created to restructure and repair hair fibers on the inside and shield them from the outside.

As another part of this step, there’s a collection of fragranced hair mists and oils concocted with an in-house perfumer, Clémence Besse.

“We’re the only premium hair care brand in the world to have its own nose,” said Kisić Mamić. “I wanted to give this sensorial experience, indulgence and holistic approach.”

The six Miracle Perfume Oils come with omega, to nourish and protect hair, while making it shine. The line also includes four Miracle Hair Mists.

Flora product prices range from 48 euros to 98 euros.

Kisić Mamić would not discuss sales projections, but industry sources estimate Flora will generate upward of 1 million euros in its first year on shelf.

The Flora Hair Spa is in La Samaritaine’s Hair Studio on the minus-one floor. The treatments begin with an olfactory experience, testing out the brand’s six fragrances, which are island-themed, and choosing a favorite, which will become the scent used throughout the service.

That’s followed by a micro-camera diagnosis and the filling out of a brief questionnaire. There is a head massage, then a quartz comb is used, followed by a prescription for tailor-made products, including the boosters that are activated by steam from the Hair Spa Mist II, technology from Japan.

Head massages are sprinkled throughout the protocols, which combine massage techniques from round the world, and a blow-dry rounds out the treatments.

On offer are the deep detox scalp and hair treatment, which lasts for 30 minutes and goes for 115 euros to 150 euros; the 40-minute pro-collagen hair and scalp treatment, which runs 115 euros to 180 euros, and the 40-minute stem cell hair and scalp treatment, also for 115 euros to 180 euros.

A tailor-made treatment can last between 15 and 50 minutes, and is priced from 60 euros to 250 euros, while the 10-minute express treatment runs from 40 euros to 60 euros.

Flora’s Miracle Blowdry Bar is found in nine cities, including Sao Paulo, New York and Shanghai, offering nine styles.

The brand is just beginning its rollout.

“In the future, our distribution will be upscale resorts, wellness retreats, antiaging clinics, department stores, niche beauty stores, niche perfumeries and concept stores,” Kisić Mamić explained.

Flora is independently owned, but she’s looking for investors.

“Especially when we are going to hit the American market, which is planned for 2024,” Kisić Mamić said.

Expansion is also planned for the European and Asian markets.

“This is so unique, we want to conquer the world,” she said.