Inside the Brand: ApHogee

ApHogee is a reliable and established hair care brand that helps you to get into the science of how to keep your hair healthy. From their products fortified with “good” proteins and amino acids to their Curlific! family of products for curly, coily and wavy hair—they’ve got a solution for you. Read on to learn more about why protein is so important for the hair, how to protect your hair from breakage, and how to maintain your summer curls.

Many ApHogee products are fortified with protein. Tell us about why protein is so important for the hair.
Hair is made of keratin protein chains. The strength and elasticity of each strand depends on the condition of these long chains. When a weak spot occurs, a potential breakage point, amino acids (protein building blocks) are the best way to repair the hair. For example oils and butters are great and can protect, but they don't rebuild structure. Sulfur containing amino acids are particularly important for hair. Different types of protein are made of different amino acids mixes; so not all protein is equally good for hair repair.

Our June subscribers will receive your Keratin 2-minute Reconstructor. Can you debunk some of the myths surrounding the application of Keratin treatments and share how this product strengthens hair?

Keratin Reconstructor is one of our most popular products. It contains all three of the classes of compounds generally used to treat and condition hair:

Protein: Strengthen and retain moisture
Emollients: Smooth, soften and shine
Humectants; Maintain elasticity and reduce hair reaction in very humid or very dry conditions.

It's a true "One Step" fix, suitable for all but very serious breakage.

The products used today with heat for straightening contain chemical reducing agents that are responsible for the bond reformation. Sometimes this is formaldehyde, or a related compound. In this sense, "Keratin" is a marketing term and does not accomplish the straightening.

Now that summer has arrived, many women will be sporting their natural curls, coils and waves with styles like the wash and go. How can they use your Curlific! line of products to keep their curls at their best?
The Curlific! family of four products was developed in response to ApHogee customer inquiries. The cross section of a curly hair shaft is oval shaped, as opposed to round for straight hair. This generally means a more delicate cuticle (protective outer layer) for the hair shaft. When this gets damaged, loss or intrusion of moisture becomes a problem and you get frizz. Curlific uses Quinoa protein, very high in sulfur containing amino acids. It's also loaded with humectants and moisture barriers to ensure style control. Our Moisture Rich Leave-in and Curl Definer have been particularly well received.

How did your team come up with the idea for your Product Use Guide at your website--one easy document that would help women to quickly see what they can do for their specific hair issues?
Many of our products have come from user requests. In this case, a tool to help other people came from an ApHogee client in the field. We're working on a user interactive update for the website that should make it really simple to develop your own, best prescription.

What do customers most often say is their favorite thing about ApHogee products?
People like that the line is well established, reliable and focuses on Damaged and Delicate hair types. There's not "one of everything" in the ApHogee family. At a beauty show years ago, I heard it put well by a stylist. She said, " Every company has treatments--lots of them are like cough drops. You have a little tickle in your throat, you can take any cough drop, but you get Strep throat (and) you want a doctor and penicillin! ApHogee is like penicillin for hair with a real problem!"

Learn more about ApHogee at their website, and like them on Facebook.