Lev Pavlovich Okhotin. Why haven't other manufacturers adopted this technology?

In the context of a sharp jump in the cost of imported drugs and consumables, many heads of beauty salons are looking for ways to reduce the cost of services while maintaining their high quality.

It would seem that this is a chance for domestic manufacturers to oust foreign competitors from the market! However, Russian enterprises producing professional cosmetic products can be counted on one hand. Those of them who, in fact, are capable of seriously competing with Western companies, are almost unique cases.

It is all the more interesting for us today to open the veil of secrecy and reveal the "secrets" of production and commercial success of the Russian brand ESTEL, which for several years has been one of the leaders in the market of professional products for hairdressing: the volume of products manufactured by this company is the largest in Eastern Europe!

Cadres are everything

And not just personnel, but SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL. In the situation with ESTEL - Russian chemists. This is the foundation and heart of the company. The team of 30 scientists is led by a pharmaceutical chemist Olga Chistyakova. All of them, as if on selection, are graduates of the best Russian specialized universities. Five are candidates of chemical sciences. Many laboratory employees have been working in it since the very first years of the brand's foundation.

Nevertheless, such a large-scale and dynamically developing production constantly needs to replenish its staff with young talented scientists. This circumstance is one of the reasons why students of domestic chemical universities regularly undergo practical training in the ESTEL laboratory. The best graduates who have shown themselves well during the internship are invited to work in the company. The laboratory of the brand also participates in institute grants: scientists working for ESTEL offer students their topics for their theses. This form of cooperation not only stimulates a thorough study of certain chemical processes, but also allows new scientific discoveries to be made. Several times it was in the course of such research that original innovative ESTEL products were created.

Scientific partnership

From the first days of the brand's existence, its leading scientific partner is the St. Petersburg State Technological Institute, the alma mater of not only many employees of the brand laboratory, but also the owner of the company Lev Okhotin, a professional chemist, a graduate of the Department of Chemical Technology of Organic Dyes and Phototropic Compounds. It is this partnership that gives ESTEL the opportunity to use the latest developments in fundamental science in its product formulas.

Quality of raw materials with a capital letter

ESTEL cooperates with large European companies - manufacturers of cosmetic raw materials, which have production facilities located all over the world and which guarantee the high quality of their products. These are the same factories that produce components for the products of all multinational cosmetics companies. When choosing a supplier company, attention is paid to the popularity of the company, its position on the market is checked, attention is drawn to the availability of new products from the company: if there are any, it means that money is being invested in the business.

Preference is given to firms with a history, continuity, because they are very sensitive and scrupulous about their business. For example, one of the companies supplying ESTEL perfumery fragrances for over 100 years is a family business with established traditions. Cooperation with such companies is especially valuable in the production of exclusive series of ESTEL products.

The beauty industry has very stringent requirements for cosmetic raw materials in general. There are a huge number of different committees, commissions that check the quality of materials. When a company offers a package of documents, say for a vitamin complex, in the form of a 60-page dossier, it inspires respect and trust. But ... this does not cancel the INTERNAL CONTROL in ESTEL of all incoming raw materials and materials.

Interesting fact: Representatives of raw materials companies are very fond of visiting ESTEL production not only for the friendly welcome, but also for the fact that during communication with laboratory staff and production processes, they open up new topics for their development. There are examples when, after such meetings and interest in a specific component, products entered the European market that were previously sold only in America or Japan, or generally lay in the portfolio of this company.

Thorough testing of products by the future buyer BEFORE the stage of mass production

The development of new products is carried out in close cooperation and with the direct participation of practicing hairdressers.

At the development stage, when the scientific team, having revised various combinations of substances, is satisfied with its result, the stage of testing the product in the laboratory begins, where its adaptation takes place. The volunteers work out the coloristic assessment, sensations on wet, dry hair, ease of application, rinsing quality, aroma and other components. And what is important is that at this moment the developer can quickly intervene in order to improve certain parameters.

If positive results are obtained, the product is transferred for mass testing to the ESTEL Academy of Hairdressing, where the so-called "product dossier" is collected, that is, customer reviews. And only after that the product is put into production.

Product development and testing times can vary widely. For example, in 1999, it took chemists a year to develop and test the very first line of ESTEL dye, during which 2000 formulations for 15 shades were prepared. It took the company three years to develop 101 shades of the masterpiece dye HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL (thousands (!) Of models were painted before the stage of mass production).

Adaptation of products for the Russian consumer and for the Russian conditions of use, or NO to ready-made foreign formulas!

All ESTEL recipes are unique developments of our own scientific laboratory. The company is critical of the proposals of producers of raw materials for the purchase of "ready-made formulas" (and they are not uncommon). This is due to the fact that the latter are often absolutely not adapted to the Russian market, to our region, not adapted, for example, to water.

Thorough observance of technological production processes and quality control department (technical control department)

For the brand's success, it is very important that all processes, from the development of a recipe, its introduction into production, packaging of the finished product to its storage in a warehouse and shipment to the consumer, guarantee the high quality of the drugs. Therefore, the company has developed procedures for each stage of the research and production and even the implementation process, in which it is spelled out step by step who should do what at a certain moment, what to control. All departments and specialists of different categories (from a candidate of chemical sciences to a packer) are involved in these processes. Everything happens according to a clear scheme, all processes are verified and are subject to the international quality standard ISO.

Particular attention is paid to strict adherence to the percentage input of components in the manufacture of drugs. Thus, ESTEL guarantees that the client will receive the effect of the properties declared on the packaging and in the description of the goods.

The technical control department (QCD) monitors the production. And not only at the stage of supply of raw materials and production itself. ESTEL guarantees the quality of their products on the basis that they subject them to total control for three years from the date of production, that is, the entire shelf life! First, three months after release, and then every year, all released batches are tested for physical and chemical indicators, for color assessment. By the way, in two years the company will start operating its own microbiological laboratory, but for now these tests are carried out on a contractual basis by other accredited laboratories in Moscow and St. Petersburg. ESTEL rightly considers research on clinical and toxicological standards to be very important, because recently the number of people prone to allergic diseases has increased.

Continuous expansion and modernization of production facilities and equipment

Since 2010, ESTEL has been producing not one, but two factories in St. Petersburg: on Piskarevsky Prospekt and new production facilities in Kolpino with an area of ​​30 thousand square meters. m (where not only workshops are located, but also a warehouse for finished products). Both factories are well equipped and use high-quality domestic (for example, reactors) and imported (packaging) equipment.

Most of the production is automated, and only in some cases the help of personnel is required. For example, cookers assume an automated supply of raw materials and subsequent supply of the finished product, but they need to be controlled by technologists. Also, help is required in the preparation of raw materials. Packing involves automation, but the final stages (for example, packing tubes of paint into boxes) involve manual work.

It was the expansion of production areas and capacities and their maximum automation that allowed ESTEL to increase production up to 10,000,000 units of products per month and take the position of one of the largest producers of professional hair dyes in Europe.

The WFTU is the largest organization in the environment, formed in the area where a large Russian community lived; the organization originated in the 1920s and took shape as a party in May.

At the end of September 1945, Okhotin was arrested, and a year later he was sentenced to one with the ataman, Rodzaevsky and others. He was sentenced to 15 years.

Biography

In Harbin in 1932, Okhotin saw for the first time during a lecture at the Russian Club. At the end of 1933, while a student at the Harbin Pedagogical Institute, he joined the (WFTU) (remained its member until 1943). In 1934, Okhotin met Rodzaevsky personally.

From 1935 he was a clerk, and then the head of the office of the WFTU (1935-1937) and the publisher of the newspaper "" (1938-1940). At the end of 1936 he was appointed head of the organizational department of the WFTU. In 1937-1938 he was also the secretary of the head of the WFTU Rodzaevsky. Okhotin's wife - headed in 1936-1943.

Okhotin from 1937 to 1943 was a member of the Supreme Council of the WFTU.

Court

Okhotin was accused of active anti-Soviet activity after fleeing from the USSR, in particular, participation in a fascist organization and membership in the Supreme Council of the RFU. In addition, according to the verdict, he was an agent of Japanese intelligence, being an employee of the Japanese military mission from 1940 until the day of his arrest, he trained spies, saboteurs and transferred them to the USSR for subversive work.

All defendants admitted their guilt. On August 30, 1946, at 5 o'clock, Ulrich began and at 5 o'clock 30 minutes he finished reading the verdict. According to the verdict, L.P. Okhotin was found guilty, and he and Prince Ukhtomsky, "given their comparatively lesser role in anti-Soviet activities," were sentenced to 15 and 20 years, respectively.

Lev Okhotin died in a felling in Moscow, having served there in prison for two years out of fifteen.

Reconsideration of the case

Family

Father Pavel Okhotin (? - 1916 or 1917) - officer, died.

Mother Nadezhda Mikhailovna Melnikova, until 1919 Okhotina (1887 -?) - until 1916 or 1917 she was married to Pavel Okhotin. In 1919 she married the head of the Chita police station, Alexander Melnikov. Until August 1945 she lived in Harbin, her further fate is unknown.

Stepfather Alexander Petrovich Melnikov (1883 -?) - in 1919 he married Okhotin's mother - Nadezhda. Until August 1945 he lived in Harbin, the further fate is unknown.

Sister Alla Ilyinsky (1915 -?) - was married to Alexei Ilyinsky (1906 -?). Until August 1945 she lived in Harbin, her further fate is unknown.

Brothers Alexey Melnikov (1920 -?), Georgy Melnikov (1922 -?), Sergei Melnikov (1928 -?), And also sister Tamara Melnikova (1932 -?) Lived in Harbin until August 1945, their further fate is unknown.

Wife - Evlalia Grigorievna Okhotina, née Silinskaya (12/04/1912 - December 1981) - was born into the family of a priest. In 1922, together with her family, she emigrated from Russia to Manchuria. In 1934 she married Lev Okhotin. She headed in 1936-1943. In 1943-1945 she was a housewife. In the fall of 1945, she was arrested in Harbin and sentenced to imprisonment. After being released from prison in 1956, she married a former member of the WFTU Migunov. She died in December 1981 in the city of Dzhambul.

Okhotin in art

Okhotin is one of the heroes of the novel "In those days in the East" by the Soviet writer Timofey Chernov. He is presented in the work as an anti-Soviet and a devoted ally of the Japanese.

Notes (edit)

1. Providing, in any way, assistance to that part of the international bourgeoisie, which, not recognizing the equality of the communist system replacing the capitalist system, seeks to overthrow it, as well as to social groups and organizations that are under the influence or directly organized by this bourgeoisie, in the implementation of hostile against the USSR activities.
2. Espionage, that is, the transfer, abduction or collection for the purpose of transferring information, which in its content is a specially protected state secret, to foreign states, counter-revolutionary organizations or individuals.
3. Committing terrorist acts directed against representatives of the Soviet government or leaders of revolutionary and workers' parties, peasant organizations, and participation in the execution of terrorist acts, even if by persons who do not belong to counter-revolutionary organizations.
4. Destruction or damage for counter-revolutionary purposes by explosion, arson or other purposes of the railway or other means of communication, communications, water supply, public warehouses and other structures, or state and public property.
5. Anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda.
6. Any kind of organizational activity aimed at preparing or committing crimes provided for in this chapter [meaning the chapter "Counter-revolutionary crimes"], as well as participation in an organization formed to prepare or commit one of the crimes provided for in this chapter.

Sources of

1. SAHK. F. P830. Op. 3.D. 35230.L. 3.
2. SAHK. F. P830. Op. 3.D. 35230.L. 9.
3. SAHK. F. P830. Op. 3. D. 35230. L. 57-57 rev.
4. , With. 138.
5. SAHK. F. P830. Op. 3.D. 35230.L. 57 ob.
6. , With. 172.
7. Investigative case N-18765 in relation to Semyonov G.M., Rodzaevsky K.V. and others // Central archive of the FSB of the Russian Federation. L. 459.
8. Investigative case N-18765 in relation to Semyonov G.M., Rodzaevsky K.V. and others // Central archive of the FSB of the Russian Federation. L. 462.
9. , With. 416.
10. Investigative case N-18765 in relation to Semyonov G.M., Rodzaevsky K.V. and others // Central archive of the FSB of the Russian Federation. L. 442.

How it all began ...

The founder and permanent CEO of ESTEL Lev Okhotin is a highly qualified chemist, a graduate of the Department of Chemical Technology of Organic Dyes and Phototropic Compounds of the St. Petersburg State Technological Institute. The sphere of his scientific interests is the basics of fine organic synthesis, that is, exactly on the basis of which dyes are produced. Before opening his own enterprise, Lev Okhotin worked in a group of managers for one large entrepreneur who invested money in various projects and their development. One of these projects turned out to be a perfume and cosmetics factory, which, thanks to the efforts of Lev Okhotin and his colleagues, came out of the crisis a year later. It was then that Lev Okhotin thought about the possibility of creating his own company for the development and production of cosmetic products. There was no question of what to produce, because, as a scientist, the future head of ESTEL was best versed in dyes.

The idea was simple: to develop and launch on the market a domestic product of high quality and at domestic prices, of course. Friends were involved in its implementation: Lydia Pavlovna Kovzhina (lecturer at the Department of Chemical Technology of Organic Dyes and Phototropic Compounds of the St. Petersburg State Technological Institute), Andrey Shiltsov (future chief engineer of ESTEL), Vadim Borisovich Panteleimonov (future technical director) and Olga Chistyakova (head laboratories, chemist-pharmacist by education). It was 2000 in the yard, investments from the outside were not expected. The initial start-up capital was collected from personal savings. A year later, a series of hair dyes for home use, consisting of 15 shades, called "Estelle" (in Russian) was developed and began to be sold.

The brand was quickly noticed not only by buyers, but also by professionals in the beauty industry. In May 2003, Dmitry Ershov (president of the Nevskie Berega festival), having met Lev Okhotin, tried to infect him with the idea of ​​creating a domestic brand of professional cosmetics. Lev Okhotin then dismissed it, but a little later Dmitry Ershov introduced him to Nikolai Ivanovich Kharkivsky (an international master in hairdressing, winner of the USSR, European and world championships, coach of the USSR national team in hairdressing), who became a guide to the world of hairdressing for ESTEL.

As a result, the ESTEL laboratory began research and development of new professional products for itself and by 2005 was able to prepare the first professional line of ESSEX dyes from ESTEL Professional, which consisted of 67 shades, a set of oxygenants, technical shampoos and balms. By the end of the next year, the ESSEX palette had almost doubled. The novelty was a success with specialists and their clients, and ESTEL decided to develop and offer salons the widest possible selection of domestic products for hairdressers. This is what the company did, developing and releasing in record time a huge range of excellent domestic professional cosmetics for hair, and subsequently for the body.

Chronology of the release of professional products ESTEL Professional:
2006 year

• Emulsion COLOR OFF is the first domestic highly effective product for removing persistent (oxidative) dyes from hair.
• The ESSEX line of paints has been supplemented with the ESSEX LUMEN CONTRAST color gel for contrast highlighting and toning.
• A range of products for permanent hair curling WAVEX.
• CUREX hair care series, including VERSUS WINTER hair care products in winter with anti-static effect.
• Line for hair styling AIREX.

• A new line of professional dyes DE LUXE premium class with a unique chromoenergetic complex, including chitosan, chestnut extract and a complex of vitamins.

• The new NIAGARA bio-permanent curling product.
• Professional series for men CUREX GENTLEMAN.
• Special solar line SUNFLOWER to protect hair from UV rays.

• Professional color for eyebrows and eyelashes ENIGMA.

2009 r.

• Children's cosmetic line MY ANGEL.
• FITNESS hair and body care series.
• Dye for gray hair DE LUXE SILVER.

• Semi-permanent paint SENSE DE LUXE and premium care line OTIUM, which includes 8 directions: from a series of care for colored hair to special therapeutic series for restoration of hair structure.

2011 r.

• Tanning products in the ESTEL SUN Flower solarium (6 types of cream, representing a four-level system for the protection and care of the body skin when exposed to artificial UV rays).
• ESTEL Element line representing consumables for hairdressing: disposable towels, foil, collars ...
• The OTIUM line has been replenished with the new OTIUM Aqua series.
• Launch of the OTIUM HOMME series.

Something happened that at first few believed: the products of the Russian enterprise quickly enough not only conquered a solid segment of the professional hairdressing Russian market, but also significantly pushed global manufacturers.

Production and distribution

The history of ESTEL production began only 1000 sq. m rented. There was a warehouse for raw materials, a warehouse for finished products, an office, a laboratory, and production itself. After a short time, the company needed something more reliable and large-scale. So, in 2003, a building was purchased, which now houses ESTEL (previously, these premises were the Research Institute of Quartz Glass). In 2004, it was here that production was launched, and here dreams of a significant increase in production from 1 million to 2 million pieces of products per month became a reality. Frankly, then for a young ambitious brand it seemed just fantastic volumes. Although these plans were soon overfulfilled, and now ESTEL produces up to 6 million pieces of products per month. And this is practically the limit of production possibilities. The brewhouse generally operates uninterruptedly, 24 hours a day. That is why ESTEL recently decided to acquire an office, industrial and warehouse complex in Kolpino. Currently, the transaction for the acquisition of the OPS complex has been completed, and a warehouse for the company's finished products has already been located in Kolpino, and design work is underway at an accelerated pace in the remaining areas, since the launch of the first lines is planned for the end of 2012. Thus, the OPS-complex ESTEL justifiably claims to take the position of one of the largest producers of professional hair dyes in Europe.

Today the dealer network of the brand includes more than 150 organizations in Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Armenia and other neighboring countries. The official representative office of ESTEL-Ukraine has been operating for several years already, in 2011 a representative office of ESTEL-Europe was opened in Germany. The first sales started in Poland. The company plans to enter other markets of Central and Western Europe.

Scientific developments and technology for creating products

From the very first day, the company's own laboratory has been working in close contact with the leading specialists of the St. Petersburg State Technological Institute, thanks to which the latest scientific developments are used. The laboratory staff itself consists of 15 people, three of whom have defended their Ph.D. theses. In addition to the development of drugs, laboratory specialists, together with engineers from the technical control department, take part in quality control of raw materials and finished products entering production.

IN A WORLD WHERE IT SEEMS TO BE INvented, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY OR CREATE SOMETHING NEW. DIFFICULT - BUT IF LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY - IT IS INTERESTING AND FORCE. TODAY, ESTEL AND ITS GENERAL DIRECTOR LEV OKHOTIN SAY THE WORD "INNOVATION", calmly inform about "EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CUSTOMER'S PERCEPTION" THE PURPOSE JUSTIFIED THE MEANS, AND ALREADY SOON A NEW PRODUCT WILL APPEAR IN THE SALONS - HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL. ABOUT TRANSFORMING PAINT AND CARE, COLORED COCKTAILS AND EXCLUSIVE FRAGRANCE, Enemies and LOVE, CHEMISTRY AND LYRICS - OUR TALK WITH LION IS SO CREATIVELY SATURATED.

There is an opinion that the products of the luxury segment are marketing and nothing more ...

In the Russian Federation, there is some confusion in understanding what a luxury product is in terms of professional hair dyes. At the moment, everyone uses the concept of "price-quality ratio". But in my opinion, this is a completely incorrect concept. After all, when we talk about the price, we are talking about the absolute value - this is a specific figure. And we divide it into quality. And quality is a relative value. And it always makes me very upset when people appeal to this concept. The word "quality" can be applied not only to certain products. It can be applied to the quality of certain services. And here there is something to think about for both cosmetics manufacturers and craftsmen.

Perhaps I will tell you a secret, saying that in Western Europe in the segment of professional hair dyes, the range of price positioning is quite narrow. For example, in Germany, France and other European countries, all professional paints cost about the same. If we are talking about a professional, a Master with a capital letter, then the price of the product that he buys does not worry him first of all. First of all, he is interested in how much he will satisfy his client, how much he will change his client, with what mood the client will leave him and with what probability he will return. I'm pretty sure that in ten years the price positioning in the field of hair dyes will be very much leveled.

Where such confidence?

This is my prediction! Forecasting is a thankless task. The forecast always speaks of the future, and the future is impossible to prove. For those who talk about the future, society is generally very skeptical. And when this future suddenly occurs, it ceases to be the future. And this is not even the present, it is already the past. But nevertheless, we live in our country, where our own ideas about what quality is and how it is expressed have historically developed.

What were the ideas behind the creation of the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL? What is this project? What is your attitude towards the luxury segment and what does the concept of luxury mean to you?

In the capital of Germany, about 50 top salons work with ESTEL, for example, one of the most famous luxury salons in Berlin "MonsieurMilan". By the way, at one time my acquaintance with this salon made a serious impression on me. It was in him that I saw a high-quality service. As for the concept of luxury, “premium” is all relative values. In my opinion, these are just illusions that are in the minds of the hairdresser, as well as some manufacturers and consumers.

Unfortunately, in our country the concept of luxury looks something like this: luxury = price. And the more expensive the better. This is just a disaster. If we are talking about the hairdressing craft, then for me personally luxury is not a product at all, it is a combination: product + service + service. It is clear that a service is, for example, coloring. And service is communication that the salon gives to the client. And here everything is important: how we meet the client, how we talk to him, what we talk to him about, how we see him off, with what mood the client leaves us. This is what HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is not a product. If you like, this is not just a product, it is a combination of product, service and service. We are not selling tubes. It is uninteresting and unpromising. Tubes by themselves, no matter what is written on them, do not help the master to create traffic in any way. They cannot tie a client to a master. It's impossible. Because the client's love for the master is built somewhat differently. And the main task of ESTEL HAUTE COUTURE is to show the master new possibilities in the field of painting and service for a beloved client. Since we are closely associated with the fashion industry, we will release separate collections of HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL coloring every year. And every six months there will be a fashionable collection of haircuts and hairstyles HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL. This will open up new opportunities for the master to communicate with his client and give the master more confidence in his professionalism. Yes, we have a high-quality product, but without the golden hands of the master and his love for the client, this is an absolute emptiness. I don't understand how love can be measured with money. Love is reciprocal. When something is done for money, it is not love, it is called differently. ESTEL - for love. The relationship between the master and the client can be compared to the relationship between a man and a woman. In both cases, love is divided into 4 stages. The first is gaze, the second is breathing, the third is touch, and the fourth is penetration. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is penetration. This is penetration into the head, and into the heart, and through the hands, and through a smile, and through the eyes.

We have a certain cycle of salons in Russia: salons open, work for a short time and close due to unprofitability.

Of course, this is a perfectly normal situation. To date, the number of salons that open significantly exceeds the number of salons that are closed. And if now there are 55 thousand salons in Russia, then my personal forecast for 2020 is 75 thousand.

So you think that salon hairdressing services will be more popular?

I hope so. And we are working hard to keep it that way. Today, 95% of women visit a salon for a haircut. Because a friend is unlikely to be able to cut her hair at home. And if we talk about the staining service, then about 85% of women do it at home. And the main problem here is not the price. It is clear that you can buy paint in a hypermarket, invite a girlfriend and paint at home. And it will, of course, be cheaper. What are the chances of the master for the client to come to the salon for this service?

Should he become a ... girlfriend for the client?

Rather - a psychologist, a friend…. He has to give the client more than just services for a certain price. The price is an illusion. It only seems to us that this is a specific value. And it seems to us that relationships are illusory. Hell no! A woman will come to a salon for coloring only when she can get there not a product at some price, but a high-quality service with a high-class service.

It seems to me that good emotions also play a role in this case ...

Certainly! And why does she, the client, need emotions? Why does she come to the salon? Hairdresser is a very interesting and multifaceted profession. This is an actor, a doctor, a psychologist, an architect, a fashion designer, and a stylist ... Who exactly does she come to? I believe that to all at once. For what? For what purpose?

To change yourself.

Exactly. But then the question immediately arises: why should she change? I will answer: to be loved. The profession of a hairdresser is very happy in every sense. If a hairdresser performs his service with high quality and at the same time provides a high-quality service, he thereby does not just dye his hair. He makes a promise of happiness. It helps to achieve happiness.

What about professionalism?

This condition is necessary, but it is completely insufficient for success. Dyeing technique, haircut technique is a necessity. But to become a true Master, you need to add an equally great service to your excellent technique. And then all the letters in the word "MASTER" will be capitalized. At one time, I interviewed women of different ages on the subject of why they dye their hair. The clearest, concrete answer I've gotten from women in their 70s is to please a man. Can you get the same answer from a young woman? They all say something like the following: to please the girlfriends, to please themselves ... But the truth lies elsewhere.

So Freud was right?

Everything in life can be projected onto the relationship between a man and a woman. When a new product, a new brand appears in the life of a hairdresser, he experiences the same fears that any person in the early stages of a relationship: how long will his relationship with the new brand be, will he like this brand, will his client like it with this brand? ... Everything in our world is built on this. And it's useless to argue with this! For example, Milan, which I already mentioned, has one of the most successful salons in Berlin. When I first saw him, I asked myself a question: what is the secret of such success? That he dyes his hair well? Unlikely. Is it that he cuts well or does styling? Also unlikely. I repeat that skill is a prerequisite for success, but ... it is not enough. There must be more. So: Milan is incredibly successful, because he is sincerely in love with himself, sincerely in love with his clients, he adores his profession and everything that happens to him! He likes everything, no matter whether it is raining outside or the sun. And people see and feel it. This is the secret. After all, everything that is done with love attracts to itself. In theory, success follows ... Everyone says: success, success, success. But we must remember: you can never make success a goal. Success is just a consequence.

Let's talk about the positioning of the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL.

Our positioning is not price-based. Let's start with paint. When a client comes to a salon, he buys not paint, but a painting service. What do you think, if a client is satisfied with the result, will he ask what paint he was painted with? In our country, if you ask the women leaving the salon the question “What paint did you paint with?”, I assure you that 50 percent will give you a detailed detailed answer. What does this mean? About trust in the master? About trust in his choice? .. Or, perhaps, the master, in turn, simply covers up his incompetence with a trademark?

So how do you solve this problem?

Through the training of masters. But there is such a subtle point: it is important what the master received during the training and what from this he passed on to his client. So, HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is luxury, but luxury not only in terms of price. First of all, it is luxury in the aggregate of the concepts “product - service - service”. Only with this combination does the hairdresser have a chance to win the war against home coloring.

So what did the chemists come up with?

From a chemical point of view, HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is an absolute innovation. Of course, perhaps we don't know something, but I'm talking about more or less well-known brands. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is the world's first paint based on so-called cationic substances. These substances are the main components in the production of hair masks. And something tells me that keeping a hair mask on my head, which also dyes, is much more pleasant than ordinary dye.

Why haven't other manufacturers adopted this technology?

The fact is that from a chemical point of view, this is practically unrealistic! I know for certain that we are not the first to make such attempts, but they were all unsuccessful. In my laboratory, I have been promoting this idea for almost a year. And then we worked on the project for more than three years. And I can say with all confidence that we have achieved the result thanks to the titanic work of the laboratory. Thousands of models were painted during development! At the same time, I will not hide the fact that for the first two years we did not succeed. But we didn’t give up hopes of realizing our idea.

I'm talking about permanent, that is, permanent paint. As for direct dyes, they are, in fact, created on a cationic basis. But these are dyes that are completely washed off the hair in about 10 days.

Are these developments worth the effort?

Of course, yes. And as for the price, in this case it is not determined by marketing, not by the value of the brand. In production, such paint itself is very expensive. And this could probably be a constraining force for development by other manufacturers. Any sane manufacturer wants to give the master an easy-to-use product. At the same time, in the hands of a master, this product should become a magic wand with which he can charm his client. For the client to receive happiness and love. This is on the one hand. On the other hand ... you know, for the professional hairdressing market, the biggest competitor is not the neighboring salon or another brand. This is home staining. Therefore, HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL will be presented exclusively in beauty salons. The brand will under no circumstances appear on store shelves. This product will only be available to the hairdresser. And we have the tools to control this.

What about ease of use? About HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL?

A good master will achieve the desired color with any dye. And the market is developing in both directions: craftsmen are constantly learning and manufacturers are offering more and more quality products. But this is still not the most important thing. The battle for the client is going on on two fronts. First, it is important for artisans that the desired color is achieved as easily as possible. Second: to achieve perfect hair condition. We do not doubt the professionalism of our craftsmen in achieving this or that color. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL gives the master not only a tool for translating his ideas and wishes of the client, but also a tool for obtaining a fundamentally different condition of the hair.

That is, the paint already has a care formula?

Undoubtedly! The same cationic base provides intensive care, as if you applied a mask to your hair.

How many shades will there be in ESTEL HAUTE COUTURE?

We also put a special meaning into the palette. It is clear that we want to give the master unlimited possibilities when working with color and make the palette as large as possible. By offering service to a client, we want to provide a truly individual approach to each client. Therefore, we offer an individual approach to color. Thus, we give an additional tool in the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL paint. In the first HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL palette, the master will see about 120 shades, of which 100 are the so-called base tones. And the rest are cocktails. These are colors that are created by mixing basic shades in certain combinations. Thus, we give the master a clear recipe for how to create this or that color. We help the master to satisfy the needs of the client as much as possible. But that's not all. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL gives the master the opportunity to create his own signature cocktail. And absolutely every hairdresser has this chance.

How is this possible?

ESTEL announces the "Colorist of the Year" competition. Under the terms of the competition, any master from any country will be able to send a recipe for his cocktail to the ESTEL Academy. All coloristic cocktails will be carefully checked and tested by the academy's colorists. And the best offers will be added to the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL palette. We will tell the whole world that it was this master who created this particular shade. So the palette will expand indefinitely, offering even more possibilities for the craftsmen.

But it's no secret that by and large any paint can be cocktail ...

Yes, on the one hand, we do not open America. And we do not have a task to simply expand the palette. But! I understand perfectly well that the master always has a certain fear when working with cocktail shades. What if the color goes into a different shade? And HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL cocktails are ESTEL insurance for the master. After all, on him, and therefore on us, lies a huge responsibility to the client. On the other hand, we really want to show the master how simple it is: to mix shades, getting new original tones! We want hairdressers to realize that they are not just good masters, but real artists with a capital letter. And for this you need to take only one step. After all, all our fears of the unknown lie not on the street, not on another planet. All of them are in our minds. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is an invitation ticket to the world of high hairdressing art!

Will the numbering be the same?

Yes. There will be fundamentally new shades, but the numbering remains the same.

Will HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL have a special series for dyeing gray hair?

No. However, the unique formula of HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL provides excellent coverage of gray hair, which has been confirmed by numerous tests.

And what interesting things will HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL offer in your care?

Here we also tried to pleasantly surprise our client. Everyone is used to seeing shampoo for colored hair, shampoo for damaged hair, etc. But a woman, in addition to color, needs volume, shine, restoration and much more. Therefore, the collection of hair care products is based on a combination of color with additional options. HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL can rightfully be called the widest and most complete collection for the care of colored hair. Each of the six series provides a double effect: "Color + volume", "Color + shine", etc. You see, since the paint is fundamentally new, then the care must be fundamentally new. The task before us was very difficult. On the one hand, the world is developing rapidly, but at the same time this thought hangs over us: “everything has already been invented”. And even our care, which was created earlier, seems to cover everything that you can think of. But we focused on color and our task was to provide a complete collection of products, each of which works on a two-in-one basis. All components of the care in HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL, they organically complement the action of those components that we receive during coloring. And all care should prevent color washout as much as possible. Basically, this is the biggest problem in hair care products. In HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL, we have been able to derive formulas that minimize color loss. These are several sulfate-free shampoos. They also have an additional plus: such shampoos have a mild effect on the scalp and do not cause an allergic reaction. And at the same time they solve the problem.

On this occasion, the laboratory studied a huge amount of materials. And, as it turned out, in its structure, the hair of a woman of mature age and mature, that is, the long hair of a young woman is very similar. Both those and others are very fragile, thinned and require special more careful care. All Time-Code care is aimed at strengthening the bulb, giving more nutrients to the hair. For a client of elegant age, it is important that the hair is initially as strong as possible, and for owners of long hair, the hair follicles bear an incredible load, therefore, the principles of caring for such hair are very similar.

Will there be any procedures in the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL collection?

Not all at once! (Smiling). All products, especially leave-in care, will be multifunctional. That is, they can be used by the master in various combinations, offering the client individual salon care.

But there is also a fragrance, the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL perfume ...

The HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL perfume is a special scent of the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL. This is a limited edition. We exclusively release only 2013 bottles for women and 2013 for men. We will never repeat these smells. Only here and now. In 2014, other variations of the HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL will be released. This is another opportunity for us to tell you what HAUTE COUTURE ESTEL is. It is more than a high-end product. We expand the boundaries of our client's perception.