If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so the adage goes. For Jolen, Inc. that was clearly the case; the company’s crème bleach had remained a staple for women, and looked the same on store shelves, for more than a half-century.
 
But not any more. Jolen is celebrating its 50th year on the market with its first major packaging update.
 
“We approached the redesign of Jolen's package with trepidation; I was concerned that we might lose something important to us and our loyal users,” Evelyn Kossak, inventor and owner of Jolen, Inc., told Happi. “When we asked people in the industry, we were cautioned that our ‘retro’ design had been around so long, it was again in fashion and that the small, cube-shaped, teal-colored box stood out on store shelves. Some were even kind enough to call our old design ‘iconic.”’
 
Kossak knew today’s younger consumer expected more product information on the box and would connect with a more personal look, so her firm began the redesign progress, trying a number of new approaches and testing them on focus groups.
 
In the end, the logo and teal package color were kept the same, but the new package design freshens up the brand's look.
 
“I took a deep breath and decided to go ahead. Now we've begun shipping the new packages to stores around the country. Hopefully it's well received. I'm crossing my fingers,” Kossak said.
 
It should be, as the new design offers 20% more product and a mixing cup to make it easier for blending the ingredients at home. 
 
Why offer more product at the same price when other CPG firms have been shrinking their packages?
 
“In focus groups on the new design, a few of the participants commented that if we had a new, taller package, it would be nice to get more product,” Kossak said. “We heard this and thought, why not? It is our 50th anniversary, why not celebrate by giving our loyal users more for their money…I think consumers will appreciate this.”
 
The mixing cup was a long-time coming.
 
“For years, we've heard from some users that a cup would be easier to use than a flat tray, but most users seemed satisfied with the tray and our old box had no room for a cup,” Kossak admitted.
 
Her company is competing in a retail space that’s changed a lot since 1964. There are more options for women to downplay excess hair—from other at-home bleaching brands to fast-growing professional waxing outposts like European Wax Center.
 
“Jolen and bleaching is a basic grooming tool that is as relevant and effective today as ever…I think Jolen should be in every woman's medicine cabinet whether she uses it to bleach hair on her face, arms or body, or to soften and lighten her eyebrows. Even if a woman uses wax or hair removers, she can use Jolen to touch up her appearance between other treatments.”
 
While Kossak sees her bleach as timeless, she’s not against progress and insists that new science can lead to better beauty treatments. In fact, Jolen is adding a new hair removal product that she describes as better than “any hair remover I've ever tried.”
 
“I've never liked using hair removers because of the smell and the chemical feel and they are messy. Now, Jolen has a three-part hair removal kit that addresses all of these issues,” Kossak said.
 
Jolen’s hair remover features a soothing balm that protects the skin, a cream that “actually smells good and does a great job removing unwanted hair” and cleansing wipes that remove the cream and treat the skin.
 
Jolen, Inc. like many beauty start-ups, had a humble start.
 
“When I was a young married woman, I wanted a product for facial hair that was gentle and effective, not harsh or painful. My husband who was a chemical engineer concocted a formula for our crème bleach in our tiny fold-out closet kitchen in a studio apartment in the Chelsea section of New York City, which was a pretty run-down area then, though it is now trendy,” she told Happi. “For years, my friends and family used home- brewed Jolen samples, but we didn't try to sell the product. Then when my two boys were in their teens and I had time, my husband and I thought we might make a little business. And that was the beginning. And now it's hard for me to believe we've been selling Jolen for over fifty years.”
 
And with new advertising and promotions, a new website and the development of branded social media communities, including a new Facebook page, it appears Jolen is more than ready to embark on its next half century.