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The Trick to Beautiful Hair is Masami

The Trick to Beautiful Hair is Masami

By Natasha Dunn

Upon first opening Masami’s Mekabu infused haircare products I was immediately launched into a nostalgic wave, reminiscent of childhood trips to the seaside. And if this alone wasn’t enough to convert me to Masami, then the results were. I can’t remember a time when my hair looked better! And if you are also open to a haircare conversion then stay with me and learn all the secrets of the brand in my interview with CEO Lynn Power.

Masami haircare by japanese seaweed mekabu

You describe Masami’s inception as a love story and that it’s born from a real dedication to haircare. But could you go into more depth about how Masami began and its story?

It truly is an actual love story because it was born out of my co-founder, James’ marriage. He’s married to a Japanese man called Masa, who is from a little town in Northeast Japan called Otsuchi. I had the absolute joy of visiting before the covid pandemic and visiting Masa’s family.

Masa is our inspiration, he found our hero ingredient Mekabu, which is a seaweed and it grows in the bay. He introduced it to James and the love story starts there. James did a lot of research and experimentation with Mekabu to really understand what it could do for hair. And he found that it acts as a sponge which brings massive levels of hydration to your hair, and it maintains healthier hair.

In Japan Mekabu is widely used in skincare and haircare, but it is also used in food!

mekabu algae

Thank you again for all the lovely samples you sent. I have used them today and my hair feels so healthy! I also noted the scent being akin to that of the ocean, could you describe these products in more detail?

We launched with the four samples we sent to you at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, the Mekabu Hydrating Shampoo, the Mekabu Hydrating Conditioner, the Styling Cream and the Shine Oil Hair Serum.

The shampoo is low foaming, and this is because in all of our products we replaced the sulphates, the parabens and the Phthalates with natural alternatives. They still provide the same level of performance, but without the bad stuff that strips the natural oils from the hair.

 

masami japanese hair care

Within the conditioner you can see the specs of Mekabu, this is because we put the Mekabu powder directly into the product, and not just extracts like other brands. The powder allows us to add more of this ingredient into the product. The conditioner is rich, but it doesn’t weigh your hair down.

The shine serum is for shine and thermal protection, so if you do heat styling it protects it and tames the frizz, that’s the beauty of this product. People with long hair love the shine serum and people with shorter hair love the styling cream.

Our products are gender neutral, and men love our styling cream, it’s not sticky or greasy and works like a moisturiser, but with hold. I’ve had people who will put it into their hair and then rub it into their hands like a moisturiser.

 

My next question has to be about Mekabu seaweed, which is infused as a powder into all of your haircare products. Could you tell us a little more about Mekabu and how this seaweed is beneficial in haircare?

Not only does it act like a sponge to lock in hydration, it’s also super nutrient dense. These nutrients include Vitamins E and D and antioxidants. 

When people use the products, they say their hair feels healthier and stronger.

 

So how is the Mekabu harvested?

We work with a family-owned seaweed company in the Northeast of Japan. They work with local fisherman who go out into the bay, harvest the Mekabu and then deliver it to the seaweed factory.

They then dry the seaweed, eradiate it and then powder it down to our specifications. That’s the only product we get from Japan, the rest is sourced and made in the USA.

 

And leading on from that could you explain more about the Masami Institute and its goals to preserve ocean eco-systems in Japan?

We set up the foundation to help fund ocean research and education, specifically in Northeast Japan, where we source our main ingredient.

Northeast Japan was hit by the Tsunami in 2011, which devastated the town. The ocean eco system was completely turned upside down and they are still trying to balance it. Seaweed is being replanted and they are really working on rebalancing the area.

One of the real challenges is due to climate change, as the growth patterns have migrated south.

 

The Mekabu is the star of the show in Masami products, but what other ingredients do your haircare ranges include?

mekabu algae for hair care

We use an organic Aloe from Chicago, blueberry extract, which adds strength to the hair, sweet almond oil and coconut oil which provides UV Protection.

A lot of these ingredients are intended to enhance the hydration when you put it altogether. They work with Mekabu to really deliver on hydration.

 

What is your all-time favourite product?

shine serum for hair

I personally love the Styling cream, it’s a really great finisher that keeps everything in place. It’s hard to pick my favourite, but the styling cream is my go-to.

 

 

 

 

And last of all what does the future look like for Masami? Any new exciting products in the works?

We have just launched the large sized refillable bottles which come with re-fill pouches and we are working on a hair mask.

I think we’re going to stick with haircare for a bit before we move on! But at some point, I probably would entertain creating skincare products.

So what’s the hold up?! Check out the Masami line on The Positive Company today. Trust me your hair will be truly thankful.