Inside Scoop - Hasan Syed

With a name that translates literally to “super smooth,” Brazilian-based Überliss is experiencing smooth-sailing when it comes to expanding to the international market. Überliss launched in São Paolo in February 2011, after its top-notch, well-rounded research and development team—with specialties in math, dermatology, engineering and chemistry, to name a few—dedicated years to exploring and experimenting at the company laboratory in Chicago. The result was a smoothing system free of harsh ingredients and formulated without animal testing. With just two years on the market, Überliss has many exciting things to come. American Salon Managing Editor Kristen Heinzinger recently caught up with company president Hasan Syed to get the details.

Q: How did you get your start in the professional beauty industry?

A: I started working in the beauty industry as a lab technician at 15 years old. My work included conducting tensile strength tests, doing statistical analysis on the results, taking high-resolution images using our SEM microscope, making product samples, etc. I worked mainly spring and summer vacations, but I gained a lot of valuable insights at an early age in terms of the developmental work that goes into building high-performance products.

Q: Tell us about your role and responsibilities at Überliss, and the story behind the brand.

A: I’m currently president of Überliss, and I manage the operational side of the marketing and sales efforts. Überliss means “super smooth” and was developed by our Brazilian office in 2011. We initially launched with the Smoothing Treatment that’s formaldehyde-free and one of the best systems in terms of performance. Due to our success in Brazil, we’re expanding throughout the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Q: What sets Überliss apart from other professional lines in its category?

A: Our Smoothing Treatment diverges from the status quo, right from the first step. Our Fiber Expander spray prepares the cuticles for smoothing by opening them up slightly in order for our second product, Fiber Restructure, to penetrate deeper within the cortex. Almost every other treatment I’ve tested uses a clarifying shampoo as the first step. Clarifying doesn’t help the treatment work more effectively, so we did away with it. Since we design, develop, manufacture and assess our quality entirely on our own, we’re able to offer a truly unique and superior experience. We’re also an authentic Brazilian brand—Überliss was designed, developed and launched in Brazil.

Q: Please give us some background on the product categories and what they do.

A: Right now we have our Überliss Smoothing Treatment, which is perfect for clients looking for soft, silky, smooth hair. The Smoothing Treatment has been formaldehyde-free and methylene glycol-free since day one. Our Maintenance System is compatible with the Smoothing System and serves as our after-care line. Our Maintenance products also work great on their own, for general styling purposes.

Q: Tell us about what’s to come in the short- and long-term regarding new products.

A: We have a lot of exciting new products in the pipeline ranging from styling, tools, treatments, etc. I’m hoping to launch several new items before 2014 ends, but the pipeline is filled with exciting new products. No category is off the table for us. We’re just getting started.

Q: Who are the key players on your team?

A: The Überliss team consists of myself, Social Media Analyst Coryn Marzejon, and a growing team of marketing and sales executives. We’re expanding and attracting interest from stylists, consumers and distributors every day.

Q: What are the biggest priorities for Überliss in 2015?

A: The biggest priorities for Überliss are to work closer with our distributors and salons on education. Our world-class science lends itself perfectly to education, and we’re really excited to unleash our new findings. We already have several hundred U.S. salons carrying Überliss, so I’m looking to expand global distribution, too.