SoCozy filling ‘white space’ in natural category

Cozy Friedman is all about filling needs. When she couldn’t find a salon to cater to kids, she opened her own. Then, when all of the hair care items available to her were loaded with chemicals, she once again took things into her own hands, launching a youth hair care assortment called SoCozy.

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“Before my line, parents were forced to choose between using baby shampoo, brands marketed for kids without specialized formulas or using their own adult brands on the children,” Friedman said.



Not only is SoCozy free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic color and propylene glycol, the products also are free of gluten, wheat and nuts. “We have so many parents say [their kids] have allergies that we keep that in mind,” Friedman said.



The line gained quick acceptance in her salons, prompting the roll out of a retail collection. SoCozy has been added to shelves at Ricky’s and numerous Target locations. Christina Hennington, SVP of health and beauty for Target, noted, “Bringing this to Target helps further differentiate our hair care assortment while providing new natural product options for the entire family.”



There are three collections — Cinch, which is the basic cleaning and conditioning line; Behave, a styling assortment; and Boo!, a unique lice-repellant offering. Ian Ginsberg, president of C.O. Bigelow, was one of the first to add Friedman’s original products to his store and is equally excited about the repackaged collection. “It’s not a crowded space,” Ginsberg explained. “It fills a white space in our store, and Cozy has done it well.”