Founded by a quartet of hairstylists based in New York, Miami and LA, haircare and hairstyling label IGK is one of the latest brands to hit Sephora Singapore stores.

IGK’s celebrity fans include Sophia Richie, Karolina Kurkova, David Guetta, Adele, and Vanessa Kirby. Their picks? The Beach Club Volumizing Texture Spray, and Down and Out Dirty Spray for that perfect morning-after grit and piecey separation; as well as the Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm with shea butter and coconut oil to nourish hair.

IGK founders Franck Izquierdo, Chase Kusero, Aaron Grenia, and Leo Izquierdo share tips on everything from getting rid of frizziness to the latest hair trends, with The Beauty Gazette.

What sets IGK products apart?
Aaron: The four co-founders are based in salons in three of the most trend-setting cities in the world – New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. We see what’s trending in music, fashion, even ingredients, and work them into to our products and branding. Also, we’re in our salons every day and working with clients. We listen to what our clients want and need in their hair care and develop our products accordingly. For example, we know our clients are always on-the-go and don’t have a ton of time to do their hair, but want it to look good and effortless. We make our products efficient and easy-to-use so our clients can get the look they want with minimal effort. We also know our clients want their haircare to be as safe as possible so we make all our products vegan, cruelty-free, and free from sulfates, parabens, petrolatum and mineral oil. They also contain high quality, beneficial ingredients like coconut oil, coconut water, turmeric, matcha, charcoal and sweet almond oil.

How can women living in humid countries keep their hair in order?
Leo: The best way to control frizz is with the products you’re using. I always recommend the Thirsty Girl Coconut Milk Leave-In Conditioner. It has a patented hyaluronic acid technology that helps control frizz for up to 24-hours and coconut milk to nourish and strengthen hair. Mist on damp hair and comb through. The Laid Back Defrizz and Anti-Static spray is great to mist onto hair when it’s wet or once it’s styled to minimise flyaways. Add volume and texture to flat hair with the Beach Club Volumizing Texture Spray or Direct Flight Multi-Tasking Dry Shampoo – mist at the roots and massage in, or mist through mid-lengths and ends for all over texture. Direct Flight will also absorb oil and sweat from the roots. 

What are some of the latest haircut and colour trends? 
Franck: Lately, the hottest hair trend is the bang. It’s sexy, fun and can look modern and blunt, or effortless and romantic. I’m seeing a French-inspired fringe too with a longer bang and undone, textured layers. Overall, women are either going for a natural, effortless look – like bends instead of waves, and an air-dry style. Or, they’re going for a super graphic, statement look – like a 70s bob or a really blunt cut.
Chase: For color, we’re seeing a lot of clients growing out their ombres and embracing a more natural look. For those who want to try color, they’re going for more dramatic, statement looks like a silver/platinum blonde, pinks, or violet.

What are some bestsellers at IGK?
Franck: Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air Dry Styler – it’s a lightweight gel that gives hair lived-in texture and shine. It’s really versatile, you can use it on any hair type, on wet or dry hair. Just finger-comb it through from mid-lengths to ends and let air dry, or twist and let air dry for more defined curls and waves.
Aaron: The First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo is part of our dry shampoo collection. It deep cleanses, detoxifies and eliminates odours. It is good for cleansing the scalp after a workout. We also have a dry shampoo for light cleansing, the Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo, and the medium cleanse Direct Flight Multi-Tasking Dry Shampoo.
Leo: Beach Club Volumizing Texture Spray is a salt-free texture spray that gives you beach waves in seconds. The easiest way to use it is to spray in sections all over for easy texture, or to twist hair in small sections as you spray for a wave pattern.
Chase: Another favorite is the Low Key Cleansing Walnut Scalp Scrub. People are starting to learn that a healthy scalp can mean better and healthier hair growth, and one of the best ways to care for your scalp is with a scalp scrub. It cleans deeper than a traditional shampoo and physically exfoliates away dirt, oil and product buildup. Low Key is salt-free with apple cider vinegar and peppermint oil to clarify and rebalance the scalp.