Procter & Gamble announced the launch of a new hair care line that caters to African-American women.
The Pantene Gold Series took 10 years to materialize – time, in which African-American researchers pored over the formulas that gave rise to eight products.
The American consumer goods conglomerate said some 400 people worked on the novel line, advertisements of which cover billboards in the company’s home of Cincinnati. A beauty salon in Sharonville, a town north of the company’s headquarters, WCPO reported, served as a laboratory for the series.
"We had to establish a salon that was not just a salon like you going to get your hair done, but where we have technical methods," said Rukeyser Thompson, head of hair care research and development at Procter & Gamble.
WCPO reported that Pantene Gold Series was born in a string of emails between Procter & Gamble’s researchers, exploring the opportunity to pool their expertise to create African-American hair care products that they could themselves use.
"There was a real opportunity there that we were potentially missing the boat,” said Ian Henry, an analytical chemist at Procter & Gamble. “So, out of recognition of that, we came together and said, 'Hey, there's something we can do here.'"
While more Pantene Gold Series products are to roll out on the $2 billion black-hair market, currently, the affordable line includes moisture-boosting conditioner an shampoo, deep hydrating co-wash, detangling milk, curl-defining pudding, butter-crème, repairing mask and deep-repair conditioner.
