'All Hands On Deck': Minnesota-Based dpHUE Stepping Up In Pandemic's At-Home Hair Coloring Boom
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Part of the new normal means missing out on regular appointments, like going to the barbershop or salon.
A few weeks ago, WCCO's Amelia Santaniello shared online that she did her own root touch-up at home. And she's not the only one.
An industry report found the demand for at-home hair coloring is up 115% since the pandemic started.
Orders for Minnesota-based dpHUE hair products have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 outbreak began. Donna Pohlad is the company's founder.
"In the middle of March, all of a sudden we started seeing sales of our root touch-up kit start to take off, and to take off in such a way that, you know, we were just completely in shock," Pohlad said.
She said their products are meant to help color stay fresh in between salon visits. As that time continues to grow as many salons around the country remain closed, so has the demand, especially for root touch-up.
READ MORE: Salon, Barber Shop Owners Struggle Through 'Frustrating' Pause
"We thought we had a year supply of product, which was really lasting us three weeks," Pohlad said.
They worked hard to replenish stock. Another local company, Point B Solutions, fulfills the orders and handles distribution. Joe Avery is the owner and president.
"It's been all hands on deck," Avery said.
It had to find a way meet the increased demand while social distancing; up from sending hundreds of packages out a day to thousands.
"We looked to our families to step up and come in. People that were already in our household that we could trust," Avery said.
And there's another component. dpHUE offers stylists a commission for products their clients buy. During this time, the company has upped commission to 50% as a way to give back.
"We saw it as an opportunity to help the hairdresser. We actually feel grateful that we have something that we can provide to the consumer," Pohlad said.
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