Moroccanoil is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, marking a decade of taming finicky tresses.
The evolution of Moroccanoil from a basic argan oil–based hair product to a full collection of body and hair treatments with a global cult following is thanks, in large part, to co-founder Carmen Tal. Like most entrepreneurial success stories, Tal’s started when she was seeking a solution to a problem — in this case, a bad color treatment that destroyed her own hair. As a salon owner in Montreal, she had already been experimenting with the benefits of argan oil to enhance shine and texture. After using the oil to fix her own locks, she decided to try her hand at making her own product.
The brand’s teal-packaged products are now ubiquitous, and they now include shampoo, conditioner and texturizing spray. The popularity of the brand has been aided by savvy campaigns designed to empower its mostly female audience base, like its ongoing video series “Inspired By Women.” Now with a devoted legion of followers, Tal is focusing on sustainability in both formula manufacturing and packaging, as she works to develop the next generation of Moroccanoil products.
Tal shared a recent day in her life, meeting with Moroccanoil department heads, checking in on her children living around the world and spending some quality time with her dogs. The following has been lightly edited for clarity.
8:20 a.m.: My mornings are usually on-the-go. I put myself together for the day by preparing my daily juice for breakfast. I don’t have a huge appetite in the morning time, so I usually have a juice or a piece of fruit to start.
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9:00 a.m.: For some reason, I always wake up with bed hair. It doesn’t matter if I had a bad night’s sleep or a good night’s sleep, my hair looks like a total mess by the morning. I use a pump or two of Moroccanoil product to tame the frizz.
9:15 a.m.: I make some phone calls to book appointments, organize my calendar and quickly check my emails to make sure there is nothing urgent to be taken care of. As soon as I get into the office, I’m constantly interrupted, so anything that needs to be done urgently I like to get done first thing in the morning.
9:30 a.m.: Throughout the day, I check in with all of my kids. Today, I speak with my daughter who lives in London, since it’s 2:30 p.m. there and she’s in between classes at London College of Fashion. It wasn’t always easy, but I grew accustomed quickly to being a mother of three children while running a company. I think it helped me to become an even more effective manager in the office, overseeing so many different departments at the same time while needing to make important decisions quickly on tight deadlines.
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10:00 a.m.: I have an event to go to tonight, so I get my hair blown out at Pierre Michel, a gorgeous salon in the same building as Moroccanoil HQ. They carry the full line of our products and have been around for many years. I have two stylists that I’ve been going to for four years, Christina and Dora. To me, great hair really is empowering. I find that when I have a blowout done, I feel amazing and ready to conquer the day.
10:30 a.m.: I get into the office while enjoying a cup of my favorite green tea and review my schedule for the day. A typical day at work consists of meetings with different division heads, which last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours and go throughout the day. As the brand continues to grow, things are constantly evolving and no two days look the same.
12:00 p.m.: I have one-on-one meetings with my direct reports. The first meeting of the day is with our vp of product development, Lavinia Popescu. R&D is where my passion truly lies. We’re really excited today because we’re in the midst of 2019 planning, and we have an amazing new category expansion. My other daughter, Danielle, is actually attending today’s meeting as she’s one of the scientists that works on our product development team. It’s always fun to have her in these meetings; it’s such a proud-mom moment for me.
1:00 p.m.: I sneak out of the office for lunch. My dear friend and Moroccanoil global ambassador Antonio Corral Calero is in town. Antonio’s been with the brand from the very beginning. He has a way of getting my creative juices flowing and always gives me great insight as to what stylists are looking for in the field. Every time I have lunch with him, it’s a guaranteed midday pick-me-up, no caffeine required.
2:30 p.m.: I meet with our senior director of education, Robert Ham. He oversees the Moroccanoil Academy, a place of continuing education for new and seasoned stylists alike, and together we review upcoming classes and the new curriculum. I think behind-the-chair hairstylists are the authority in hair, when it comes to speaking with consumers one-on-one. Stylists are the original influencers when it comes to educating consumers about our products and their benefits, so we always ensure that they are at the top of their game.
4:00 p.m.: I have a meeting with our senior director of design, Adina Greenhaus, where we review mood boards for an upcoming brand campaign shoot. As head of marketing, I am deeply involved in overseeing all of our creative assets. As a global brand, it’s a constant juggle to ensure our brand messaging resonates globally, now that Moroccanoil has expanded to over 68 countries.
5:30 p.m.: I finish up the day and start getting ready for my event tonight. I refresh my makeup and my hair at my desk. I give my hair a little lift and apply my favorite concealer, brow pencil and lipstick from Charlotte Tilbury to brighten up my complexion.
7:00 p.m.: I arrive at The Sato Social event and see Chrissy Beckle, co-founder of The Sato Project, across the room. I beeline toward her to say hi. The Sato Project is an incredible organization dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned dogs in Puerto Rico. We have been working with Chrissy through our Inspired By Women platform for three years.
8:30 p.m.: I leave the event and make my way home. In the car, I check my email to see if anything urgent came up. Traffic in New York City is always a nightmare, so I always try to use this time to be as productive as I can.
9:00 p.m.: When I get home, I relax by taking my dogs, Ollie and Monroe, out for a walk. I find that walking for 30 minutes to an hour every day helps me to wind down after the day.
9:45 p.m.: I call my son David who lives in Montreal to check how his day was. Sometimes, if I didn’t get a chance to get through my emails during the day, I take this time to finish up the rest.
10:00 p.m.: I start to get ready for bed. My nighttime routine starts about an hour and a half before lights out. I find having a routine at night is so helpful for a good night’s sleep. I have also learned the importance of making time for oneself — my home is as important as my work, so my nightly routine is crucial. I start this routine by preparing my favorite night time herbal tea.
10:45 p.m.: I begin my nighttime skin-care routine. I swear by Moroccanoil Pure Argan Oil, which is rich in antioxidants and has incredible benefits. I add a few drops in my face cream every night, and it makes my skin look and feel amazing.
11:00 p.m.: Half an hour before bedtime is when I turn off the TV. It’s time to curl up and read a good book. Currently, I’m reading up on healthy lifestyle and nutrition, both of which I’m very passionate about.
11:30 p.m.: I put on my sleep mask and light my candle, and I’m ready for bed!
