L’Oréal Professionnel, the salon hair care division of the French multinational, introduced its $475 Airlight Pro hair dryer to Ulta Beauty on Sunday. This high-tech device, which utilizes infrared technology, was developed in collaboration with the Chinese tech company Zuvi.
Previously available only to professionals, the Airlight Pro will now be sold on Ulta Beauty’s e-commerce site and in more than half of the retailer’s 1,385 stores across the United States.
While the Airlight Pro is priced higher than other premium dryers, such as Dyson’s Supersonic, L’Oréal claims its infrared technology allows for faster and gentler drying. The dryer enters a competitive market dominated by well-known brands like Dyson, Shark, T3, Ghd, and Conair.
The product was first unveiled by L’Oréal CEO Nicholas Hieronimus at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show in January, where he emphasized the company’s ambition to lead in beauty technology. “The technology was the starting point,” said Mounia Tahiri, L’Oréal Professionnel’s US general manager. “What we brought to the table was our pro expertise.”
Ulta Beauty’s senior vice president of merchandising, Penny Coy, highlighted the growing trend of “skinification” in the haircare category, noting the increasing demand for gentler, more effective heat styling tools. The Airlight Pro will be featured in a branded display and used in styling sessions at select Ulta Beauty locations.
The new dryer replaces Zuvi’s original Halo model, which launched in 2022 and earned praise from Allure and Time. Later that year, L’Oréal made a strategic investment in Zuvi through its corporate venture capital arm, BOLD.
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