HAIR-CARE EVOLUTION

Known for his impeccable balayage skills and historic hair creations, artist-hairstylist Jason Lee—owner of Jason Lee Salon in Toronto—has just launched MELA & KERA,a hair-care line that harnesses the moisture-retaining and shine-boosting properties of the rose of Jericho.

Where did the desire to create your own hair-care line come from? “It pretty much came from standing back and realizing that there was a space in the market for something that could be inspired by fashion and art and be quite different from what already exists. It’s taken 15 years of work on formulas and packaging to get them where I want them to be: clean, high performing and in beautiful architectural packaging that is sustainable and new.”

How would you describe Mela & Kera’s DNA? “It focuses on the health and pliability of hair so that you can keep your hair in the best condition between salon visits—it will literally make your mane feel like cashmere and velvet! We can’t continue to target hair the same way—with products that are only for ‘moisture’ or ‘volume’—we have for decades. Hair is evolving so much [when it comes to] the techniques and ways that we do it, so hair care has to be updated as well.”

Mela & Kera’s Balayage Exceptionnel is specifically tailored for highlighted hair. Why? “There are multiple porosities in balayaged hair: The root area is more natural and less damaged, and the ends tend to be quite frayed. I worked very hard and did more than 20 reworkings to create formulas infused with green caviar, rose of Jericho and quinoa that would lock down the cuticle in a very lightweight manner using the latest technology, which ultimately makes highlighted hair look shiny and healthy from root to tip.”