ERGO has introduced a new collection of ionic Super Gentle brushes initially consisting of 3 brushes:
Model ERG43- 43mm w/extended barrel design
Model ERG53- 53mm w/extended barrel design
Model ERG750- Gentle detangling paddle brush
Why introduce these new brushes?
From our worldwide research and through asking industry experts, there has been an unmet need for brushes that serve 3 markets with common needs:
1. Customers with extensions- this customer makes a significant investment in this service and we believe they would be open to purchase brushes that deliver more shine and less damage. A great concern is for such a brush to move through the hair without dislodging the extension attachments, whether tape-in, glued or hand tied. Most brushes pointed toward this market are stiff nylon “looped” bristles or metal tipped brushes. Some available natural bristle brushes (that might be said to be “boar”) actually create friction as a result of the animal cuticle being stronger than the human hair cuticle. All currently available “extension brushes” are seemingly value positioned and copies of each other.
2. Customers with fragile and highlighted hair- This customer is generally pointed toward a detangling brush, of which there are many. Such brushes are good for detangling but because they are not heat resistant, they aren’t good for blow drying. Most would melt under common use with a blow dryer. All of these detangling brushes are value priced/positioned. It is our thought that the cost of a brush is less relevant than the unique care and shine that our new ERGO brush will deliver to this most fragile of hair types.
3. Customers with sensitive scalps- Often but not always, this is the same customer as those with fragile and highlighted hair. Some of the brush options offer “ball tipped” nylon bristles but these kind of tips eventually break off, leading to scratching/discomfort to the scalp. Some options also include detangling type brushes, which are generally not heat resistant. Customers with sensitive scalps (especially after highlighting) also blow dry their hair, so heat resistance remains important.
The new ERGO Super Gentle brush collection addresses all of the performance and comfort requirements for all three of these types of customers.
1. Ionic round brushes-The bristles have been formulated equal to our current bristles with nylon, carbon for heat resistance and tourmaline (to close the cuticle for shine and humidity resistance).
The differences in these bristles:
a. About 30% smaller in diameter, providing more flexibility for moving through extensions or for guests with fragile, highlighted hair or sensitive scalp
b. Each bristle has a “crinkled” shape, which for the thinner bristle diameter, helps provide needed tension.
2. Gentle detangling paddle brush- The unique feature is in the 2 different row levels of the bristles. While the ends of the bristles appear to have plastic tips, they are, in fact, the result of a special heat treating process, which forms a round sphere on the end of each bristle. This special treatment creates a bristle tip that is really gentle moving through the hair and on the scalp. The highest level of the bristle lifts up the hair and creates separation while the lower 2nd level creates the tension.
a. This brush can be used vertically (with the handle pointing downward) for detangling
b. When used side to side or upwards, this brush will create tension or lift
c. Some of our most creative test salons have told us that the ERG750 Super Gentle Volumizing Paddle Brush was perfect for 3 C curly hair types, both dry and wet. Another told us that it quickly became a favorite for color & toner blending.
The bristles on both new round brushes are heat resistant to 450F, compared to our current ERGO round brushes and paddles, which are resistant up to 500F.
SPECIAL USE INSTRUCTIONS
When using any of these gentle brushes and since all of the hair types described above are fragile, to gain the most shine and ensure a long life span for the bristles, it is highly recommended to use a medium to low heat setting on your dryer.
Because of the super flexibility of the bristles, it is also recommended that you use slightly thinner sections, which will allow you the best tension.