Davines Group was started in 1983 in Parma, Italy by the Bollati family and had been producing high-end hair care products for consumers worldwide. President and Owner David Bollati has remained committed to creating and developing products that evoke sustainability and have cutting-edge chemistry that is ethical for customers. The multi-faceted haircare line is sold in over 90 locations worldwide and features a wide range of products to serve any hair type and challenge. Their most recent launch is their curly hair line formulated and designed to help fight frizz, maintain elasticity, and leave curls bouncy and defined. We sat down to chat with the owner about their humble origins, sustainability, and curls.
Davines originated in 1983 in Parma, Italy. What has been a staple of its evolution over the years?
Founded by, and still, 100% owned and run by, the Bollati family in Parma, Italy, Davines is an international beauty company with distribution in more than 90 countries dedicated to a balance of beauty and sustainability. For the past 30 years, all Davines products have been care-crafted in Parma using the highest-quality natural ingredients and scientific rigor. As the company and environmental commitment have evolved, all product packaging is now plastic-neutral, carbon-neutral, and produced with clean energy. As a certified B Corp, the Davines Group strives to place social and environmental sustainability at the core of its ethos.
“At Davines, we believe that living a balance of beauty and sustainability, what we can “sustainable beauty”, can improve our lives and the world around us.” – Davide Bollati, President
How does your “sustainable beauty” philosophy affect your ingredients and product manufacturing?
Sustainable Beauty, the balance of beauty + sustainability, is the driving force behind our products and projects — from formulation to design to ethics and customers. We constantly push ourselves to be better and do better for the planet and our clients while creating high-performance products.
Why is having a positive environmental impact such a staple of the business?
Since becoming a certified B Corp in 2016, we have rewritten our way of doing business, looking at business as a positive force capable of generating a profit and, at the same time, creating a positive impact on people and the environment. We have also decided to align our objectives with the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the UN Agenda 2030, entrenching them into our corporate strategy.
How would you describe the ingredients sourced from the slow food presidium and included in your products?
Every Slow Food Presidia ingredient in the Essential Haircare line is cultivated by an Italian farmer who works to preserve ingredients at risk of extinction. The Essential Haircare line lets you feel good about giving your hair the custom care it craves while also helping to protect and preserve our planet’s biodiversity.
What is one piece of advice you give an aspiring entrepreneur looking to break into the hair industry?
“For a hairdresser, I would avoid the word entrepreneur altogether. I believe if you get into hairdressing to solely make a dollar, then that’s all you will ever earn. If you begin with an interest that develops into a passion, this is the correct path. I always encourage fellow hairdressers to find great mentors whose work catches their attention and learn from them, soaking every piece of knowledge they can from them and anyone else around them. Ask why, question your teachers, so you know not only how to replicate but innovate, study the history of art, music, film, fashion, and art from which catches your attention, then use all of that culture to distill into a style of work which is original to you, this will help you make a mark in whatever direction your career takes and most importantly do it for the love of the craft, not money or fame, likes or followers. If you do it for love, and there’s a good chance you’ll have a rewarding career.” – Tom Connell, Davines’ Hair Art Director
What inspired the curly hair collection?
“The desire was to experiment with the vast array of curl care and styling products available, combined with wanting to provide ideas and options for both the hairdresser and client when approaching curly hair. The lack of knowledge and fear of how to properly treat and style curls is very common among hairdressers, and we have, hopefully, addressed some of these concerns.” – Tom Connell, Davines’ Hair Art Director
A winter favorite from your collection is the “Curl Gel Oil” how would you describe its uses and benefits?
This is aCurl Gel Oil that was created for thick, coarse curls. It is an innovative gel-to-oil formula that features a gel’s soft hold and the hydration of an oil, delivering frizz-free definition to each strand, with hair left feeling natural, soft, and shiny. To achieve soft curls, apply Davines’ this is a Curl Building Serum to damp hair, then layer with This is a Curl Gel Oil and scrunch into the hair. To finish, diffuse the hair to dry. To achieve more defined curls, apply Davines’ This is a Relaxing Moisturizing Fluid to damp hair, then layer with This is a Curl Gel Oil and scrunch into the hair. Diffuse to dry, and enjoy your bouncy, defined curls!
For first-time users, what are the 2 staple products they must try from the curly hair collection?
This is Curl Building serum is a must-have product for those with curly hair. It adds elasticity and shine to the curls while blocking frizz and humidity. For wash day, our LOVE Curl Shampoo and Conditioner is perfect for those looking to control their curls, and the consumer, is sure to see immediate results.
Check out: How Young King Hair Care is Bridging the Curly Industry Gap for Young Black and Brown Men
