Why Officine Universelle Buly’s Handmade Combs Are Revolutionizing Hair Care in Asia
Daniel Kim Views
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VIP event held at the Cheongdam boutique; about 70 products unveiled
Brand moves beyond perfume, accelerating expansion into lifestyle
Domestic comb sales jumped roughly 2.5× in Q1, driven by gift demand
Boosting sales with experiential offerings such as engraving services
LF, the importer and distributor of the French beauty house Officine Universelle Buly, is accelerating its move into hair care by putting combs front and center. Long known for its perfumes, Buly is now positioning combs and brushes as key offerings in a broader lifestyle push.
Buly hosted a VIP event through the 24th at its Cheongdam boutique under the concept The Well‑Groomed Secret Society.
Florian Élie Baz, communications director at the brand’s headquarters in France, attended and outlined the brand’s philosophy and product range.
At the Cheongdam boutique on the 24th, the space was staged like a vintage salon and displayed roughly 70 combs, brushes and hair clips. These items were selected from Buly’s roughly 100‑comb lineup in France to reflect Korean consumer preferences.
The flagship comb is made from acetate, a premium cellulose‑based plastic developed in late‑19th‑century France, and is finished by Swiss artisans. The combs are produced through precise steps from cutting to polishing, and their tooth design is engineered to minimize irritation to hair and scalp.
The collection is divided by use, hair type and styling needs. Offerings include the compact Piccolo for portability, an Eyebrow Comb for brows, and a Casanova for trimming bangs and beards, giving customers a wider range of choices.
Director Florian Élie Baz stressed that these combs are made entirely by hand—unique in the world for being free of machine processing. He noted the production involves 15 steps and is designed to avoid damaging the scalp.
The brand introduced three brush models. According to Buly, brushes with boar bristles add shine and resilience while reducing scalp irritation. The brushes feature beechwood handles and broad heads for greater ease of use.
Also unveiled were acetate barrettes (claw‑style clips) and pins for updos. The barrettes come in a tortoiseshell‑like Tortoise pattern and a light Ivory tone, offering flexible styling options. Buly plans to expand to a total of eight hair accessory items, including these pieces.
Baz explained that Buly treats combs and hairpins not as mere accessories but as objects that embody a civilization. The act and tool of combing predate cosmetics; the comb remains one of humanity’s oldest beauty implements.
The event also included a styling session with hair artists.
Stylist Heo Shin‑ji framed Buly’s combs and brushes not simply as grooming tools but as styling implements that refine a finished look, and she demonstrated how to use each piece.
In a bangs demonstration, she showed that a classic wide‑tooth comb creates natural texture. It applies less tension than a typical tail comb, reducing mistakes when trimming or shaping bangs and producing a softer line.
She also shared blow‑drying tips. Heo advised that brushing while blow‑drying at home helps align hair cuticles and yields a smoother finish compared with drying by hand. She said a polished, blowout‑like effect can be achieved not only with a round brush but also with a cushion brush.
To add volume, she recommended using a mini brush to backcomb at the roots for lift, then lightly smoothing the surface to preserve natural body.
Updo techniques using hairpins drew strong interest from attendees.
Because the program combined product displays with hands‑on styling demos using combs and pins, attendee response was enthusiastic.
Buly’s expansion into hair is part of a strategy to broaden engagement beyond its core perfume clientele into wider lifestyle categories. The brand envisions evolving from a fragrance‑centric image into one that spans body, home, accessories and hair.
Early signs are encouraging. Buly reports that domestic comb sales in Q1 rose roughly 2.5 times year over year, driven by gift demand and premium grooming needs among niche perfume customers.
Going forward, Buly plans to strengthen personalized services—such as engraving, now offered in select stores—to capture demand for customization. The brand will continue expanding experiential marketing, focusing on the Cheongdam boutique and key department‑store locations.
A Buly representative said, “Hair requires as much time and attention as facial or body care. We will continue to expand categories—hair, body and living—to cement our position as a lifestyle brand that touches every part of daily life.”
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