ESalon Cofounder Launches New Hair Color Technology
Yuv Lab is a patent-pending system that dispenses millions of custom color formulations.
After selling custom hair color business eSalon to German personal care giant Henkel, its former chief executive officer and cofounder Francisco Gimenez is back with a technology looking to disrupt the in-salon hair color space.
Yuv Beauty, a London-based beauty technology company, is launching
Yuv Lab, a patent-pending system that can dispense millions of custom color formulations, potentially allowing professional hair colorists to create precise bespoke formulations.
From quarter shades to the addition of tertiary tones, pH control, and translucency-opacity levels, the system uses advanced technology to create the desired blend of colors and tones.
Gimenez claimed the technology will save the average salon hundreds of pounds a year from color wastage, as well as providing a sustainable alternative to current systems.
That's because as part of the technology, Yuv has developed refillable aluminum metal cartridges in a bid to make the process more sustainable, as opposed to traditional single-use color tubes.
At the same time, the system's pay-asyou-dispense model means that salons and freelancers are only charged for what they use, said Gimenez.
“We are thrilled to launch Yuv and bring a new level of innovation to the professional hair color industry,” he continued of the product, which will launch initially in the U.K. “The lab and pay-as-you-dispense model offer salons a more efficient and cost-effective way to color hair, while our commitment to sustainability ensures we are doing our part to reduce waste and protect the environment.”
Carisa Janes, the founder and chief executive officer of Hourglass, which she launched in 2004, is one of the main investors in Yuv.
ESalon, a bespoke direct-to-consumer subscription service for at-home hair color based in Los Angeles, was one of the first to enter the custom hair-color space, launching formulations in 2010. Since then, other players have entered the market, including Madison Reed, which centers more on ingredients than custom color, and Color & Co. from L'Oréal.