Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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the original. It's not just about being an argan oil- infused brand; it's much more than that. I think we are special." At the time of Moroccanoil's debut, it wasn't just what was inside the bottle that was unique. The scent (a distinct and delicious aroma the company calls Fragrance Originale), the eye-catching apoth- ecary-esque glass bottles, the elegantly designed labels—everything about Moroccanoil heralded something entirely new and different from any- thing available in the marketplace. Still, with only one product—the now iconic Moroccanoil Treat- ment—Tal needed to rely on grassroots marketing to get it into the right hands. Bottles were given away to hairdressers, stylists, influencers, and edi- tors—anyone who could spread the word about what she believed was the new beauty essential. "It was very different than most of the beauty prod- ucts of the time," recalls Tal, noting the signature aqua and orange packaging, the blue culled from an image of an ocean seen in a fashion print ad. "Seven, eight years ago, most of the packages were white, black, red—there wasn't much diversity in the marketplace." Since then, the company has grown exponen- tially, both in size and in scope, and is now available in over 65 countries and has also experi- enced tremendous growth in the travel retail/ duty-free category around the world. Tal relo- cated to New York (Moroccanoil also maintains offices in Montreal, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo), and they have expanded their offerings, from just the treatment oil—which found fans in celebrities such as Madonna, Emily Blunt, and Bar Refaeli—to a range of hair products, including a new texture collection featuring a Dry Texture Spray, made with a special blend of volcanic mineral zeolite and high-performance resins, as well as the unisex styler Texture Clay, which blends argan oil with cosmetic-grade bentonite clay and nourishing shea butter for a silky texture with shapeable hold. A surprising addition to the hair collection, Tal introduced spa-quality Moroccanoil Body skin- care treatments, including an exfoliating body scrub—which features a unique blend of argan, sesame, grape seed, avocado, and sweet almond oils to nourish the skin—cleansing bar, shower milk, body butter, body soufflé, and hand cream. Says Tal, "The development of the Moroccanoil Body collection was a natural next step for us, as we wanted to satisfy our consumer's desire for luxurious treatments that not only transform the hair, but the body as well." In 2015, two enticing and exotic fragrances were added: Fleur d'Oranger, a rich orange blossom scent that Tal says "is good enough to eat" and was inspired by her time in Spain; and Fleur de Rose, sparked by a garden of roses Tal spotted during a trip to France. The Moroccanoil Sun collection was launched the same year. "Argan oil is an incredi- ble gift of nature, a natural sun protector, so it was an obvious choice for us to launch a Sun line," says Tal. "We have always been inspired by the Mediterranean, and our Sun collection reminds me of when I was a teen, and going to the beach with my friends feeling happy and relaxed." "I find that when I travel is when I have the time to discover, and I have the time to observe and see what else is happening," she adds. "I'm not a creative person, but I know what I like. And then I interpret it in my own way." Later this year, the company plans to announce its next generation of yet-to-be-revealed haircare products. "Trends are changing," says Tal. "We try to come up with one or two big launches every year, or we formulate something—like [when] a new ingredient has come up in the mar- ket and we need to adjust—so we constantly are reinventing ourselves." But most importantly for Tal is her holistic commitment to her customers. As well as inspir- ing women to look and feel their best, Tal is dedicated to helping them fulfill their personal potential and make their dreams a reality by empowering them to discover beauty in a new light—through the power of inspiration. With this at the forefront of her vision for her brand, and realizing the power of inspiration to move us to action, Moroccanoil announced its inaugural Inspired By Women™ initiative in the fall of 2014, a lifelong project for the company cre- ated to inspire, celebrate, and empower women around the world. "Inspired By Women™ provides a global plat- form for courageous women to share their unique personal journeys of bringing change through empowerment," says Tal. "To me, inspiration is the vehicle for empowerment to pursue one's dreams. The Moroccanoil brand was created Women InspIrIng Women "I never imagined the journey this would take me on, or how our products would inspire confidence in women," says Moroccanoil cofounder Carmen Tal. With that in mind, Tal has made giving back to women's causes a vital part of Moroccanoil's corporate mission. Launched in fall 2014, the company's Inspired By Women™ initiative first explored the work of five influential women in a film series directed by actress Bryce Dallas Howard and introduced by supermodel and ambassador Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Now, the project continues with a new chapter, highlighting iconic fashion brand Marchesa's cofounder and designer Georgina Chapman. Here, this exclusive group of women, handpicked by Tal, represents her dedication to women who inspire confidence in others and create change throughout the world. JessICa MaTTHeWs The cofounder and CEO of Uncharted Play also invented the SOCCKET, a soccer ball that generates renewable energy for kids in developing countries. unchartedplay.com KavITa sHuKLa The founder and CEO of Fenugreen invented FreshPaper, paper infused with spices that preserve food two to four times longer. fenugreen.com CHRIssy BeCKLes The trained boxer founded The Sato Project to save abandoned dogs on Puerto Rico's "Dead Dog Beach." thesatoproject.org aLLysoN aHLsTRoM In 2010, when she was just 14, Ahlstrom founded Threads for Teens, which provides at-risk teen girls with brand-new clothing. threadsforteens.org ReBeCCa WeLsH As the founder of The HALO Foundation, Welsh aims to help homeless and at-risk youth heal and create a future through art therapy. haloworldwide.org GeoRGINa CHapMaN The designer has joined forces with The Magic Bus Foundation, a nonprofit working to educate and empower India's youth. magicbususa.org "I'm so confident that being the first, being the pioneer, and continuing to bring products of the highest quality, nobody will ever take that place." "Many people who have succeeded in what they do have failed, many times, and they continue and they don't care if they lose their shirt. They just keep on going." this page: photography by santiago Felipe/Wireimage (Chapman); Courtesy oF moroCCanoil (remaining images). opposite page: photography by J Carter rinaldi (tal); riChard pierCe (produCts); Courtesy oF moroCCanoil (beldi Country Club) 102 bostoncommon-magazine.com