All Season Nails (allseasonnails.com) has just released a newly redesigned color catalog for beauty stores, nail salons and nail techs.

It’s divided into product categories for easy readability, features detailed product descriptions and provides no pricing information. (Price sheets are available upon request.)

Also, it contains implement cards that can be easily added to any planogram or store shelf.

This is the second new product catalog published for beauty store owners, managers and beauty product distributors by Tony Cuccio’s Star Nail International (starnail.com). As reported in our November issue, “Sinfully seductive nail art” is the theme of the newly redesigned Cina Nail Creations (cinapro.com) nail art catalog. That 16-page publication is packed full of tempting nail art done by my favorite master nail artist, Elaine Watson, Star Nail’s global director of education, and can help you fill the growing nail art supplies demand from avid artists and beginners. To request your free copy of either catalog, call 800.762.6245.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

If you haven’t heard already, it’s official: Savannah, Georgia-based Strength of Nature, maker of Profectiv Hair Care, has purchased Elasta QP, a 25-year-old professional haircare brand used by women with textured hairstyles worldwide.

This is an interesting acquisition—and one that everyone in the multicultural haircare sector, no matter how large or small, is watching closely. The Elasta QP brand started in Indianapolis as a division of Kenra, the QP stands for Quality Product, and there are also products for men in the line. My take on this deal is that Strength of Nature under the guidance of president Mario de la Guardia will no doubt increase Elasta QP’s sales in 2009.

Company officials tell me:

• They plan to enhance and expand the line with new formulas that will help redefine the brand image and consumer experience.
• Through advanced, patent-pending technology, Strength of Nature will promote the use of Elasta QP products that not only care for the hair, but also provide nourishment for the scalp.
• Each Elasta QP formula will continue to be customized to suit individual consumer needs, ranging from naturally curly and highly textured hair to color-treated, relaxed, braided and every style in between.

All existing Elasta QP pricing is being honored until Dec. 31. For more information, call 800.441.2372 or visit elastaqp.com.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

DeMert Brands and its manufacturer reps nationwide are launching a “My Getaway! Vacation Sweepstakes” promotion in January 2009, and will be marketing it during the 24th Annual Western Buying Conference (westernbuyingconference.com) on Jan. 15-16 at Bally’s Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

With every purchase of goods worth a total of $1,000 at the purchaser’s regular terms involving any of the manufacturer’s brands—DeMert, Professionäl By Nature’s Therapy and Develop 10—comes a chance to win a free four-day, three-night vacation for up to four to Orlando, Florida, sales manager Lee Shalosky recently told me. The trip includes airfare, accommodations and free admission to Walt Disney World for four days.

The promotion runs from Jan. 1, 2009, through June 30, 2009, and the winner will be announced during Cosmoprof North America 2009 (cosmoprofnorthamerica.com) next July. For more details, contact DeMert Brands (demertbrands.com), 800.982.6143, or visit the supplier at the WBC [repped by the The Kirschner Group (kirschnergroup.com), 800.527.8645, in the West] or at The 26th Annual NEBRA Show [(northeastbtyrepassoc@verizon.net); repped by BTB Sales & Marketing (btb@btbsales.com), 800.538.9008, in the Northeast] on March 14-15 at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

The hot news in the salon industry this week comes from, of all places, the manufacturers reps sector: Glendale, California-based Jay Halaby and Associates (800.651.2106, fax: 800.949.0705), the rep firm that covers the West and the Midwest, has acquired the Martin Group, the Marlton, New Jersey-based rep firm that covers the Northeast.

Jay Halaby (jay@jayhalaby.net) told me when he went public with the deal that his firm is keeping the entire Martin Group sales force and that the Martin Group’s Marty Lipkowitz will continue on as a consultant and rep in the Northeast.

With 15 sales reps covering 39 states, Jay Halaby and Associates now offers “complete coverage from coast to coast in the most populous territories” and has “built a foundation to serve the future of the industry,” he said.

“Instead of waiting for the economy to get better and complain about business,” he added, “we’ve decided to seize the opportunity to build a better distribution channel for our manufacturers.”

Three cheers for Halaby’s bold move—and for shaking up the status quo in repdom nationwide! The past few years we at Beauty Store Business have seen Halaby in an informal capacity at The NEBRA Show (northeastbtyrepassoc@verizon.net), and it’ll be nice to see him on March 14-15, 2009, at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in an official capacity [as well as on Jan.15-16, 2009, at the 24th Annual Western Buying Conference (westernbuyingconference.com) inside Bally’s Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas].

Jay Halaby and Associates has come far in fewer than eight years. It launched in the West on April 17, 2001, and expanded into the Midwest in 2005.

And, yes, there are lots of pro-beauty-biz opportunities in this economic downturn. I know that Jay Halaby and Associates will do well with this one.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Camelot Haircare Products—The Marilyn Brush (themarilynbrush.com) in Fort Pierce, Florida, and Robanda International (robanda.com) in San Diego announced on Monday that all Marilyn products will now be sold and delivered from Robanda’s San Diego facilities.

Tony Parkinson and Corie Richard will continue to handle the sales and marketing efforts of the brand while Robanda will be responsible for all operations, including invoicing, shipping and warehousing, Robanda president David Leib told me.

Most customers have already been advised that Marilyn products are currently in transit to their new warehouse in San Diego, he added.

All new orders will now be invoiced from Robanda, and all existing invoices are to be paid to Camelot, according to Leib.

Marilyn/Robanda will introduce the Marilyn Monroe brand later this month to distribution. It is also gearing up for the relaunch of such lines as the New Yorker, the new Flatter Me Paddle, the Jeli Ceramicas and the Thermal Reds.

While rushing from one appointment to another at Cosmoprof North America (cosmoprofnorthamerica.com) last summer, I saw Leib and Parkinson talking in the Camelot Haircare Products—The Marilyn Brush booth. I stopped, took their picture together and ran it in our October issue. Leib had a hairbrush in his hand. I wonder: Did this deal start there?

If you have any questions about this new arrangement, feel free to email Leib,  david@robanda.com, or call Robanda, 800.783.9969, 619.276.7660.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc