For self-isolaters who can no longer attend hair salon appointments IRL, Bleach London has launched ‘Hair Party’, a virtual salon created to ease people into at-home haircare. The move shows how brands can use fun and levity to help people retain a sense of self in unusual circumstances. We explore the insights behind this and how brands are staying connected to their customers during COVID-19.
Whether they're looking to maintain their bottle blonde or tackle root touch-ups solo, beauty fans can seek advice from Bleach London's 'follicle oracle' online via a dedicated website. And those who attend the brand's Hair Parties on Zoom get to watch as creative directors host how-to’s and celebrity guests make an appearance. In the inaugural Hair Party, Georgia May Jagger joined in and gave herself a new acid-bright teal and lavender dye job on Zoom. "I wasn’t really able to try blue before because of modeling jobs, so now was the perfect time to play with the more vibrant and longer lasting colors," said Jagger.
To unlock details about the exclusive meetings, shoppers need to buy a product from the Bleach website, and then the login details are sent to them via email. "Touching up your roots at home is easier than you might think,” says Alex Bronswell, co-founder of Bleach London. ”It's a bit like building IKEA furniture – you think you’ll never manage but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s easy work.”
With zero access to beauty salons, people are taking on the responsibility of hair and beauty upkeep themselves. For young people, maintaining a sense of self during the pandemic is particularly important, given that 80% of Gen Zers and Yers say that ‘being yourself’ is the phrase that best fits their definition of beauty. Engaging customers in an entertaining yet practical way, Bleach London is providing much-needed guidance around hair-dying, while The Face Foundry in Minneapolis is helping people learn more about their skincare needs through a quiz, prepping them for post-pandemic pampering. Self-isolation has bred a litany of new hair and beauty behaviours. To cope with boredom, numerous TikTok users are showing off their DIY haircuts and colours as a means of self-expression, and even celebrities are sharing their casual make-up looks on social media.
Luana Sambell is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8. She holds a master's degree in consumer behaviour and is passionate about cultural trends and the latest happenings in retail. Outside of work, you can find her exploring different cultures through food or catching live music whenever possible.
