BeautyTalks with Rodger Azadganian, Founder and Chief Creative of äz Craft Luxury Haircare

What was the inspiration behind launching your product/brand?

My mission was to create a line by stylists for stylists that is a mile deep in performance and an inch wide in the number of SKU’s offered. Cutting out unnecessary and duplicate items that other lines of 85+SKU’s is plagued with.  Less waste, less of a carbon footprint and no contracts. 

How does your brand differ from other industry brands in the same category? What gives you the competitive edge?

Most brands tend to lean towards supporting the physical appearance and condition of the hair while others favor supporting the look with styling products. äz Haircare does an outstanding job of doing both of these things. Our products heal as well as perform and that is rare. 

äz is about building relationships with stylists by providing a high performing product and supporting artists through education with a goal of bringing the haircut back to the forefront of our industry. 

“äz is about building relationships with stylists by providing a high performing product and supporting artists through education with a goal of bringing the haircut back to the forefront of our industry. ”

What are your brand values?

We value excellence, the artist, and the industry and a great haircut.  We base all that we do on transparency and integrity with the intention of providing world class products to support the craft. 

Walk us through your development process — from ideation to the product we see on the shelf.

Developed from scratch in every aspect for three years while paying close attention to the finest of details.

What are your hero ingredients?

Our hero is our performance. Our ingredients protect, heal, and function. We don't use “marketing ingredients” that make up less than a measure of what is actually in the bottle to sell individuals on our brand. We are focused on healing performance throughout the line. 

Other than your company, what is something you are passionate about?

I am very passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience as a salon owner with other salon owners, whether they are an äz account or not. I love helping stylists grow and reach their personal goals, so helping salon owners understand their business and how to create a culture that raises the industry standards is very important to me.

What is one major lesson you learned about running a business?

That in order to reach ultimate success there will be challenges along the way and you have to see those experiences as opportunities to improve. 

What are some challenges you have overcome with your brand?

A challenge creates an opportunity to succeed and through this we were allowed the opportunity to perfect a packaging challenge. 

What would you say is your most effective marketing channel? Has it changed over time?

Word of mouth

Give us the backstory of your brand’s name. 

Simple….it is the first two letters of my last name. 

What do you think is the most prominent concern in the beauty industry? 

The loss of romanticizing the process of the experience for the number one person in our business….the client.