Known for the legacy it has created as a leader in the professional beauty industry, Zotos International has continually employed innovation to change the way in which beauty is attained, pushing the envelope and driving trends.
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Zotos was founded in 1929 in New York City by chemist Dr. Evans and prominent advertising executive Neil R. Andrews. The pair brought their cosmetics and hair colors to trade professionals, revolutionizing the industry over the years.
Zotos International radically changed the technology used to perm hair. In the 1930s, Dr. Evans and a co-worker had created the first machine-less permanent wave, introducing curls to that no longer required tireless efforts and a tedious process to achieve. The company also helped to reinforce the growth and development of the beauty industry during the slowed national economy of the 1930s.
“It began with radically changing perm technology to not only offer women a more comfortable way to get waves in their hair, but also to resuscitate a flagging post-Depression-era salon industry with a valuable, money-making service,” said Doug Parkinson, Vice President of Operations for Zotos International.
In the 1940s, the perm was once again revolutionized, bringing the cold wave to market, which required no heat and improved clients’ comfort even more than before. Over the next several decades, Zotos International continued to establish a reputation for innovation and quality.
In 1985, Zotos launched Bain de Terre, one of the first spa-inspired brands which promised to restore, rejuvenate and revitalize the hair, three characteristics its products continue to focus on today.
A move that would bolster its capacity for research and product development was the company’s purchase by Shiseido Company, Ltd. in 1988. Zotos International, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Shiseido, expanded its portfolio significantly over the next ten years with acquisitions such as Helene Curtis, Quantum, Naturelle, Lamaur and finally JOICO in 1992. JOICO is a growth engine of Zotos.
Zotos, taking full advantage of the capabilities of one of the world’s largest cosmetic companies, has established itself as the leading and fastest-growing professional beauty company in the industry. It boasts a portfolio of over thirty brands, is present in over eighty countries around the world, and operates out of six global offices. As a significant player in the beauty industry, Zotos works with professional stylists and retail consumers alike.
Zotos has several salon-only brands including JOICO, ISO, Bain de Terre and Senscience. Its Professional and Naturelle brands like 180PRO, AGEbeautiful Anti-Aging Hair Color and Biotera are sold through outlets, maintaining its market leading position in a highly competitive cosmetics and beauty marketplace.
“We are a significant player in the professional world with JOICO color care and perms, and our Zotos Professional and Naturelle franchises are sold to professionals and consumers. So we have this interesting blend of salons, stylists and consumers through Sally Beauty and other open line distributor-type operations,” explained Parkinson.
In addition to its innovative and full collection of perms, Zotos has an expansive offering of hair color, which comprises the fastest growing segment of the business. Zotos’ total focus on hair care is unmatched, providing its loyal clients with consistent quality and dedicated service.
According to Parkinson, Zotos carries one of the widest arrays of professional beauty brands in the industry. The company also offers product education to inspire stylists in the use of its high-performance products.
The expansion of its product lines from perms to color, hair care products, developers, strippers and a variety of applications for each, has netted Zotos several patents and recognitions for its innovative approach to hair care and beauty.
JOICO K-Pak Reconstructor has become an industry favorite, winning the North American Stylist Choice Award for Best Restorative Conditioner from 2000 to 2014. JOICO has pioneered the use of Keratin Protein, creating the opportunity for hair to repair itself. This advancement in the Vero K-Pak Color enabled stylists to both color and repair a client’s hair simultaneously.
“With a dedicated staff of scientists and chemists, the latest laboratory equipment and a test salon right at our headquarters in Darien, CT, the Zotos R&D team develops revolutionary formulas for new hair care, hair color, texture and other beauty products,” says the company.
Zotos’ AGEbeautiful Anti-Aging Hair Color was three years in the making. A great deal of effort was focused on the research and development stages to find a way to improve aging hair while coloring. The company conducted in-depth research to understand the causes of aging to create a means to combat the aging process. Zotos’ 180PRO hair care line can repair up to two years of hair abuse.
Both safety and quality are of utmost importance to Parkinson and Zotos International, ensuring that the approximately six hundred frontline workers at the Geneva, NY facility are properly trained and that the installation is fully compliant with all applicable regulations including CGMP regulations. In addition, to ensure the safety and quality of products before they go to market, Zotos’ manufacturing processes, in conjunction with R & D and regulatory functions, focus on developing and adhering to the ever changing and stringent requirements of the business environment.
Zotos International understands the fundamental importance of working directly with stylists to ensure new products and applications are adopted. By attending shows, holding training sessions and working with stylists, Zotos can ensure that its products are being used correctly, maximizing the results through correct product application.
“Both our JOICO and Zotos professional divisions have teams of educators around the globe who inspire stylists and colorists to create joy using our products. We conduct classes; have seminars and offer on-line training as well. In addition, we use our digital marketing to reach out to consumers with helpful tips and techniques to get their most remarkable results,” Parkinson explained.
Zotos International also maintains a commitment to the environment, reducing its corporate footprint through a number of eco-initiatives. Over the past several years, Zotos has invested in alternative energy applications at the Geneva facility, making the manufacturing plant one of the greenest in the professional beauty industry. Its installation and operation of two 364-foot wind turbines helped to secure it a spot on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Top 30 On-Site Generation list in 2011.
In 2014, the wind turbines produced 2.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean electricity which is the equivalent to powering 355 average households. In addition to this already spectacular achievement, Zotos intends to increase turbine production by another five percent in 2015.
Zotos has also adopted recycling, reuse and waste reduction initiatives in its processes and operations and uses innovative, environmentally friendly packaging options where possible. It was one of the first beauty companies to launch a hybrid bio-plastic resin packaging, reducing packaging-related greenhouse gas emissions by more than seventy-five percent.
“Our bottles are manufactured with up to seventy percent post-consumer recycled plastics; cartons are made with one hundred percent recycled paperboard, and we eliminate wasteful paper inserts by printing information right on the inside of our cartons,” Parkinson said. In 2015, Zotos’ goal is to reduce water usage, wastewater generation and waste generation by ten percent through inventory controls and product management practices.
Since inception, Zotos International has always been an innovative market leader with an intense focus on customer satisfaction and products that yield results of the highest quality. The company currently has an aggressive five-year strategy to invest in the Geneva facility to ensure as little variance as possible in manufacturing processes. The idea is to align with Shiseido across the globe to operate according to standardized methods.
Zotos International’s operations are fully vertically-integrated across its many brands and operations, all of which have experienced growth and development. It is the company’s intent to maintain and further this. “Our goal is to continue to bring joy to stylists and their clients around the globe,” said Parkinson.
Its popularity continues to increase as more and more professionals and customers alike experience the quality results that the company’s brands deliver. Zotos International’s reputation as leaders in innovation and product development in hair care and color will shine through an upcoming, bold new campaign expected from JOICO in the coming months as the brand continues to grow.
