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SEARCHWhile organic products have been available for hair and skin for years, recent technology has helped develop green products that also perform at a high level and smell great. Two beauty pros discuss how Intelligent Nutrients is helping them serve all their clients needs while sustaining the planet.
Celebrity stylist Jennifer Brent (right) uses Intelligent Nutrients certified organic hair care and skin care products on many of her ingredient-conscious clients, like Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk. “Bobby loves the line. His favorites include the Volumizing Foam, Volumizing Spray, Time Traveler, Revitalizing Moisture Crème, Nourishing Tonic and Lip Delivery Nutrition!” she says.
New York celebrity stylist Jennifer Brent, @jennieredd, must stay on the cutting edge to accommodate her high-profile clients. And many of today’s celebs are insisting that their stylists use safe, green, authentically organic products.
At Casals De Spa & Salon in Arlington, VA, owner William McCauley cares for highly stressed, health-conscious clients in the Washington, DC market. He personally leads a green lifestyle and insists his business mirror his habits and philosophies. Both Brent and Casals need to offer clients the right kind of organic professional product options, and they both believe they’ve found the solution in a brand called Intelligent Nutrients.
CREATED BY THE “FATHER” OF ORGANICS
The pedigree of Intelligent Nutrients is impeccable. Originally created by Aveda founder Horst Rechelbacher, the brand is now helmed by the late Rechelbacher’s wife Kiran Stordalen and daughter Nicole Rechelbacher, who were involved with the company from the beginning.
“I’ve done my homework,” says Jennifer Brent, who is a student of aromatherapy, skin care, nutrition and Chinese medicine. “I appreciate the value of essential oils, I’m aware of energy. I believe natural products are more easily absorbed into the hair and skin. This company is about all that, plus it’s combined with valid science.”
The science is intriguing. For a long time, one of the complaints about organic products has been the lack of high performance. But technology has changed. Intelligent Nutrients knows how to formulate sustainable ingredients that smell great and also perform.
For example, “We can’t keep the PureLuxe Replenishing Leave-In Conditioner in stock,” says McCauley. “The aroma, the results--our clients just love it. We keep it in a big bowl and order 24 to 30 at a time!”
Brent agrees, “A lot of pomades have strong fragrances and get sticky. The Matte Texture Paste is great for guys and girls with short hair—it’s so easy to work with. I’ll top it off with the low fragrance Certified Organic Wave Spray and scrunch it in for beachy looks on set.”
To satisfy the scrutiny of savvy consumers, Intelligent Nutrients maintains a completely transparent and authentic stance. They do more than pay lip service to the organic label—their claims of offering products that are Cosmos and USDA organic are third-party certified. They proudly require their products contain a minimum of 80% naturally derived ingredients from plants, they use 100% certified organic aroma, all ingredients are verified for authenticity and safety and they use no unnecessary fillers for a reduced footprint.
THE BUSINESS OF ORGANICS
Exclusivity is critical for salons and stylists—being able to offer something unique sets you apart and creates client loyalty. “I like having a signature brand that no one uses but me,” says Brent. “And because Intelligent Nutrients performs so well, my celebrity clients really enjoy when I use the products and they always want more.”
For McCauley, the line supports the organic ethos of his business. “We brought Intelligent Nutrients in three years ago,” he says. “We started with the aromas, then added the shampoo, then more hair care, then the skin care. I educated my staff and slowly integrated the brand into our marketing. My salon is a high-end boutique salon and this line has enabled us to offer something exclusive. Plus, the performance is superior. It has filled a niche for us and kept our numbers steady. Everyone knows how hard retail in the salon can be, so that says a lot!”
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