Years in the making, WILDE by Oscar has just launched a new Blonde Enrich Shampoo and Conditioner with a difference, from a nourishing yet highly toning Hemp seed oil infused formula to braille on every bottle, WILDE’s stand for inclusivity and relevance takes the reigns of premium haircare, writes Cameron Pine.
Iconic beachside restaurant Tommy’s Currumbin was transformed into a purple- hue embellished paradise on May 19 to officially launch the latest extension to the WILDE range, an arsenal in blonde care for the discerning Australian lifestyle. The intimate event ‘Born to be Wilde, Born to Be Blonde’, brought together some of the Gold Coast’s leading socialites and influencers for a three-course lunch by the ocean and a custom-made purple cocktail or two. With a speech from the man himself and guests talking about what inspires and empowers them to be blonde, it was a launch with a strong sense of purpose.
With an aim to give stylists the utmost confidence in salon to use the best, it links to the incredible confidence created by being blonde in Australia, as every tone of blonde makes its way through our Australian salons. Oscar Cullinan has over 30 years of experience in salon management at the helm of the luxury Oscar Oscar Salons brand, and releasing second-to-none quality products are the piece of the puzzle both his staff and clients expect. It’s little wonder that, with a Hemp farm at the foothills of Byron Bay, a range power packed with hemp seed oil for reparative properties as well as a long list of botanicals was the next step for the contently hustling entrepreneur, with the range now including more than 16 products across care and styling, with more on the way.
As a twice-awarded Australian Hairdresser of the Year, with numerous accolades in business in life since, Oscar continues to empower his salon partners with the best support and a product portfolio he says is made for our climate.
“WILDE has been a dream of mine to launch luxury haircare for probably 15 years, I have always been on the lookout for the silver bullet and I think we’ve found it,” Oscar said. “We infuse our products with Hemp seed and intend to infuse our range with CBD in the next few years. I believe I’ve created the best Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve looked at the best and worked for years on how to improve it.”
Largely due to Australian clients and clientele, Australia’s harsh aggressors are super hard on hair. While Oscar says Australia has always had a very Scando look and feel, a lot more maintenance is required to keep it.
“There has always been a problem with fade, beach and even chlorine in Australia and yellowing of hair is a massive issue with any blonde, Blonde Enrich is just something that we had to do,” Oscar said. “I’ve been working on WILDE as a brand for 25 years – 15 years ago I decided I was going to do a brand, five years ago I decided I was going to call it WILDE and two and a half years ago our first WILDE products landed. I’ve used all the best products in the world and this is something close to my heart and a long-time coming.”
The luxury shampoo segment, which captured a 30.5 per cent market share in 2023, is in high demand due to common hair issues such as oily scalp and dandruff, exacerbated by pollution and modern lifestyle aggressors. Additionally, the luxury hair colouring segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3 per cent as consumers shift towards natural, plant-based products, according to Mordor Intelligence research.
WILDE’s luxury formulas, infused with consciously sourced botanicals, cater to all hair types, empowering everyone to achieve healthy, beautiful hair. Specifically designed for blondes, Blonde Enrich combines the finest natural ingredients with advanced scientific formulations to deliver outstanding results in-salon and at home.
Kakadu Plum, Lemon Myrtle Extract, Wattle Seed Extract and Aloe Vera add to a range of botanicals that conditions the hair. With the most vibrant violet pigments – Organic Violet Extract – the Blonde Enrich range is both toning and highly nourishing, a true achievement in blonde care.
According to Oscar, they are about 75 per cent of the way through a small tight range, which he intends on taking to the world, but first getting it right in Australia and largely selling through all the Oscar Oscar locations and online is top priortity. That’s not to say Oscar isn’t also open to more and the right partners to help leverage the brand in the right way.
For true point of difference and not just lip service and in a ground-breaking move for the beauty industry, Blonde Enrich features Braille labelling on both primary and secondary packaging – a first for haircare products particularly. This innovative step marks the beginning of a series of accessible styling essentials designed with inclusivity at the forefront.
WILDE, developed this Braille packaging in collaboration with the award-winning design agency, By Ninja. Kathleen Casford, By Ninja’s founder and project lead, was inspired to address the accessibility challenges faced by the vision-impaired community.
“Through conversations with my friend Narelle Gatti, who is legally blind, we learned about the everyday struggles she encounters identifying products,” Kathleen explained. “We wanted to make our design work more accessible and approached WILDE with this vision.”
Free of nasties, and strong sustainability values from recycled paper boxes to the highest achievable recyclable level in bottles and caps for such a luxurious brand, Oscar prides himself on the range being derived of 85 per cent organic ingredients – with Hemp Seed Oil grown on his farm in Byron Bay one of the true heroes.
For WILDE, changing the perspective for luxury haircare buyers that you can have high-performance botanical products with an inclusive and sustainable ethos, is all part of the education around premium haircare. Consumers are becoming more savvy about what’s in their favourite products, so WILDE is a step in the right direction for both stylists to prescribe appropriate retail and consumers alike.
“This new line is not just about maintaining colour; it’s about enhancing and transforming blonde hair to its healthiest and most vibrant state,” Oscar said.
For more information visit www.wilde.hair
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