My Amazing Hair Secrets launched in 2013 after company president Stacy Kaufman recognized the beauty industry’s need for quality blow-dry products and other time-saving, unique styling products for all hair types. American Salon Associate Editor Corie Hengst recently caught up with Kaufman to learn more about the latest news and products from the company.
Q: How did you get your start in the professional beauty industry?
A: As a seasoned entrepreneur who has been selling innovative sun, bath and body care products since 1984, I realized there was an opportunity to utilize our distribution and sales force to expand further into the industry, but wasn’t quite sure about the direction I wanted to pursue. So I can say that I got into the hair side of the business with a little fate. Just over four years ago, I got involved in the Brazilian hair straightening industry and realized that stylists play a very important part in everyone’s life. I wanted to be part of that process so I decided to expand my reach in the beauty industry. I noticed blow-dry bars were popping up everywhere and wanted to develop products that could work well in that environment and beyond. I saw a demand for products that could help stylists achieve fast, gorgeous blowouts for clients—in March 2013, we launched My Amazing Hair Secrets’
flagship product, My Amazing Blow Dry Secret.
Q: Tell us about some of the products from My Amazing Hair Secrets.
A: We first introduced the My Amazing Blow Dry Secret trio, which includes Quick Dry Shake’n Spray, Shampoo and Conditioner. Shake’n Spray is formulated with less than 6 percent alcohol, cuts blow-dry time in half, and leaves hair gorgeous, silky and bouncy. We simultaneously rolled out My Amazing Blow Dry Secret Shampoo and Conditioner with VCOH technology, which uses a unique form of virgin coconut oil that allows water to wick off hair, trapping the moisture and drying hair faster. Any salon can open up a blow-dry bar with these three products. In September, we launched My Amazing Repair & Shine Secret, a fortifying serum that has cranberry and pear extracts, as well as keratin and creatine, to help repair split-ends and add shine. It’s also a color catalyst, so you can add a few drops into the color bowl to help the dye absorb deeper into the hair and last longer.
Q: Who are some of the key players on your team?
A: My son Rob Kaufman joined the company last year as brand manager. He also heads social media. Our global sales manager is Monte Montellese, Vivian Leckliter is purchasing director, and Steve Pellegrin is our head graphic designer. We have several key players in product development, with combined experience of over 30 years, both in the research and development lab and in the salon. The employees in our warehouse are very important to us, too. Everyone is a key player. Since I played sports and most people here did, it’s all about the team here.
Q: What products and initiatives are on the horizon for My Amazing Hair Secrets?
A: We have about nine products scheduled for launch in the next 18 months, and we’ll be introducing new products this month and in January. Everything we launch is designed to help save time for stylists and consumers. Our product development is constant and ongoing.
Q: What makes your company stand out in the professional haircare industry?
A: We’re a very fun, new, energetic company in the marketplace, and I think the industry is always looking for that. Our products are developed with stylists, so when we launch a product, we’ve tested it in the field with many stylists, and heard their thoughts. We all understand the products in-depth. The effectiveness of our products is also what helps us stand out; functionality is critical to us. I think this brand is very well thought out, from the ingredients to the fun, retro packaging, to the simple product names that are globally recognizable.
Q: What do you value most in running the company?
A: To my employees, I want to be known for being a fair guy. When you spend so much time with each other, the goal is to make sure everyone is happy. That’s really what I care about, as corny as that sounds. I know the people who work for us really care about us as a company and we all work hard, are dedicated and have integrity. The industry will respect us as a company for making the best products for stylists and consumers while having fun doing it.
“When you spend so much time with each other, the goal is to make sure everyone is happy.”