John Frieda Frizz Ease

The unique, simple product that made John Frieda’s name

An apprentice to Vidal Sassoon’s protégé Leonard Lewis in the late 1960s, the celebrity stylist John Frieda worked his way up via magazine shoots and A-list sessions to open a salon in 1976, aged just 25. He was named Hairdresser of the Year in 1989, but it was from haircare products that Frieda made his fortune.

Nothing on the market then could create the sleek look of a professional blow-dry, so when Frieda used his first product, a thickening lotion, in a live demonstration on British television in the late 1980s, switchboard pandemonium ensued. This provided the encouragement Frieda needed to develop the product that would make him a household name: Frizz-Ease.

The serum, which flew out of stores in Britain upon its launch in 1990, did exactly what its name implied. Answering a common concern for women with straight or curly hair, a couple of drops were enough to create a salon-worthy finish at home. It is now Britain’s bestselling hair serum.

I had the pleasure of working for the John Frieda company, once it officially launched in the US. Working as the Creative Director with Gail Federici, John Frieda’s US partner, and her team, of group of very talented professionals in marketing, creative copywriting, product development and design. An incredible line of hair care and styling products for all types of hair were created, putting the company on the map worldwide.