A new technological innovation, Four Reasons Professional Bio-Molecule Repair™, brings to the market a novel approach to thinking about hair repair and protection. How do such innovations come to be? Let’s delve into the mind of Four Reasons’ Head of Product Development and Senior Educator, Harri Paananen, as he explains the background of the product development process.
Getting the Basics Right
Harri sits in the Four Reasons studio chair, looking calm. When the topic shifts to new product innovations, a spark of enthusiasm lights up in Harri’s eyes:
“We aim to support hairstylists by creating additional services to be sold in salons, focusing on our core expertise, which is hair.”
What can these additional services be? Salons perform a variety of treatments on hair, so additional services require products that protect and repair hair structure. There is a demand: customers are already familiar with such services being available, and those who lighten or colour their hair have come to expect certain additional services during their salon visits. “Intensive treatments, professional consultation, and professional-grade products create added value for customers, which can only be obtained from salons,” Harri clarifies.
From Idea to Product
According to Harri, product development usually starts with background research: “We often conduct surveys among hairstylists regarding their needs and problems, but there are also issues that are recognized but not necessarily articulated.”
“Today, there are many lightening processes, and various treatments overlap in the hair, which can easily lead to hair over-stress. We started developing a solution to this challenge and envisioned a product that would be as effective as possible for salon use,” Harri summarizes.
The product development had a clear vision of what was expected from the new product: “Right from the start, we knew that the products’ application method had to be as simple and quick as possible, and the products should not extend the time a hairstylist spends on their work. The product should be more than just focused on a single function or issue.”
Harri recalls the product development process that began at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic: “We received the first test samples and tested them without protective masks. Unfortunately, the products were harsh on the respiratory system of both the tester and the model, so we, of course, provided feedback to the chemists. It turned out that lab testing had been conducted only with masks on! This is why thorough product testing is absolutely crucial.”
Extensive product testing and collaboration with the chemists allow for the development of a product over time, adding new features that were not considered at the beginning of the development process.
The initial reactions during the testing phase gave Harri hope: “We conducted half-head tests and collected feedback from models. The models were unaware of the treatments performed, but they immediately noticed that the Bio-Molecule Repair™ side of their hair felt smoother and in better condition compared to the side that had not been treated. That’s when I knew these would be a hit.”
Hair Needs Protection and Repair
The market already offers a plethora of products focused very effectively on protecting and repairing the critical bonds that maintain hair structure – each from its own perspective. According to Harri, Four Reasons’ product development sought to address hair protection more comprehensively, as hair undergoes much more than just damage to a single bond. Eventually, a more holistic hair protection system was developed.
While many structure-repairing products focus on protecting the hair’s internal structures, they neglect the outer cuticle layer, which plays a key role in hair functionality. In addition to protecting the surface layer, Bio-Molecule Repair™ products can protect the hair’s internal structure by repairing amino acid chains. The Bio-Molecule Repair™ technology maintains the cuticle layer’s functionality, controls pH levels, maintains hair moisture balance, and repairs the most critical aspects of hair condition, so the difference can be felt and seen.
Test the innovation
Bio-Molecule Repair™ Protect Spray
Bio-Molecule Repair™ Treatment
Added Value for Hairstylists
With Four Reasons Professional Bio-Molecule Repair™ products, hairstylists can offer their clients a protective treatment for their hair that can be felt immediately after the treatment. It’s especially important that hairstylists can focus on their technical work more safely, knowing that the hair will remain in good condition during the treatment and afterwards as clients manage and treat their hair at home.
Four Reasons Professional Bio-Molecule Repair™ products are unique and create their own protection and repair system but are also compatible with all other protective products for simultaneous use. “We have truly succeeded in creating something that has elevated the value of the hairstylist’s work,” Harri shares.
Plans for the Future are Underway
When the topic turns to future plans, Harri doesn’t hold back: “We have reached the first peak of our development curve, and we already have additional products under development under this umbrella. I believe that Four Reasons Professional Bio-Molecule Repair™ will become a system that enables a very versatile range of additional services for hair protection in salons and at-home care.”
