It began with a simple request from hairdressers for better toning products. Nine years later, proudly South African haircare brand HK has grown into a full range – and it is impossible to miss on a shelf.
Some brands start in a boardroom. HK started on the salon floor. Its founder, Warrick, had spent around 15 years in the hair industry and was regularly visiting salons when he noticed the same gap again and again.
It started with silver and black
Hairdressers were asking for high-quality toning products: silver shampoos and conditioners, black shampoos and conditioners, and silver sprays to keep blonde and grey hair cool and bright. At the time, the look salons wanted was sleek black-and-silver packaging that said exclusive and high-end.
So, he sat down with local manufacturers, developed a formula, and HK was born. “It was very unofficial and very small-time,” he says. There was no trademark for a while – just a product that hairdressers believed in. Everything was, and still is, made and sourced in South Africa.
Why all the colour?
As the brand found its feet, its founder decided it was time for HK to look the way he felt about hair. “I’ve always loved colour,” he says. “I love a lot of colour rather than black and silver. I thought a nice, funky colour would pop and catch people’s eye.”
The result is the bold, graffiti-style label that now wraps every bottle. “It’s fun, and it’s something that you see and don’t forget,” he says. “It doesn’t look like one of those white products in the background on your shelf.” He had a clear customer in mind: someone young at heart and vibrant – “anybody with a little bit of energy for life”.
From six products to a full range
HK launched with just six products. One was dropped along the way, and once the brand found the right partner for its labels, it grew from a handful of products to 12. From there, the range expanded slowly but surely, adding new products only when the team found formulas they loved.
Those salon roots still shape every product. HK is designed to deliver the kind of results hairdressers expect, but in formulas that are easy to use at home – particularly for colour-treated, curly and expressive hair that needs a little extra care to stay vibrant.
Today HK covers almost every hair need, with the same promise throughout: professional performance and bold personality, at an accessible price.
A range for every hair need
Toning: the Anti-Yellow Silver Shampoo and Conditioner use violet pigments to neutralise yellow tones and keep blonde, silver and grey hair bright and cool.
Colour Boost: coloured conditioners in jade blue, pink, silver, red and purple refresh and revive bold shades between salon visits.
Hair growth: the Caffeine Hair Growth Shampoo, Conditioner and Tonic nourish and energise the scalp for fuller-looking hair.
Scalp care: the gentle, sulphate-free Rooibos Scalp Balance Shampoo and matching Conditioners are made with sensitive scalps in mind, while the Tea Tree Scalp Refresh Shampoo and Conditioner leave the scalp feeling clean and fresh.
Masks: treatments including the Hydrating Mask, Argan Moisture Repair Mask and Anti-Breakage Repair Mask give dry, brittle or chemically treated hair a deep dose of care.
Styling aids: from Style Support Blow Dry Cream and Style & Lift Volumising Mousse to hairsprays and Shape & Shine gloss, for finishing touches that hold.
Where it all began: Platinum Black
Fittingly, one of HK’s standouts comes straight from those first salon requests. The Platinum Black range pairs real charcoal with toning pigments to tackle stubborn yellow and golden warmth in blonde, highlighted, silver and grey hair.
The sulphate-free Platinum Black Shampoo, a shimmering black-violet formula, cleanses gently without stripping moisture. Because the charcoal naturally settles, it needs a good shake before each use. The Platinum Black Conditioner follows to hydrate, detangle and continue toning, while the Intense Toning Mask deposits a cool ash tone for a deeper weekly treatment. Together, they help keep tone crisp and cool between salon appointments – just as those first hairdressers intended.
Where to find HK
HK is available from The Beauty Basket at thebeautybasket.co.za, as well as on Takealot and Amazon. For hair inspiration and the latest from the range, follow The Beauty Basket on Instagram and Facebook (@thebeautybasketsa) and TikTok (@the_beauty_basket).
