Fat Joe has taken a real interest in the men’s grooming game. While hair might not be the first thing that comes to mind when folks think of the Puerto Rican hip-hop legend, Fat Joe admits he’s been dying his beard hair for years and wants to normalize that for men everywhere. That’s why the iconic rapper recently teamed up with It’s a 10 Haircare and its founder and CEO Carolyn Aronson to introduce Rewind it 10, an at-home beard- and hair-coloring collection.
The rapper first began to notice gray beard hairs on his face when he was 29 years old. “I couldn’t stand looking at it, so that’s when I first bought a product to cover it up,” he tells POPSUGAR. “From there, I started being secretive about it, sneaking into stores to buy products and it became my private routine for 20 years.”
Fat Joe was inspired to turn his insecurity about dying his beard hair into a business opportunity. He had been a fan of the It’s a 10 Haircare brand for years, and wanted to partner with them to create a product that helps men feel 10 years younger – hence the name Rewind It 10.
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“Carolyn and her husband Jeff Aronson have been the best partners. We’ve known each other for such a long time, and Carolyn is such a force in the beauty industry, so I have a tremendous amount of respect for her business acumen,” he says. “She traveled to Italy so many times to make sure the coloring was on point for the product.”
Men’s hair dye has in recent years gone from taboo to trendy. We’ve seen artists including Chris Brown and J Balvin bleach their hair blonde, for example. But that wasn’t the norm when Fat Joe was growing up. He also felt like there wasn’t a market for hair dye for beards. And the few that did exist had very limited options for men of color.
For such a long time, Black and Brown men couldn’t use other hair-coloring products because the ingredients would cause them to break out, so we made this product ammonia-free to prevent those issues.”
“For such a long time, Black and Brown men couldn’t use other hair-coloring products because the ingredients would cause them to break out, so we made this product ammonia-free to prevent those issues,” he says. “That way, men from our communities can use the product confidently and never get any bumps. It’s just another way of helping instill confidence In men.”
Men’s grooming has become significantly more popular in recent years. According to Statista, the global male grooming market is predicted to be worth a whopping $115 billion by 2028, with skincare making up around 47 percent of the men’s grooming market. Even the celebrity beauty brand craze has started to include male celebs including Brad Pitt, Pharrell Williams, and Harry Styles, who have all launched their own skincare lines.
For Aronson, all this is a good thing. “Years ago, society deemed it a little feminine for men to invest in grooming and self-care products. At the time, the notion was that men had to age naturally,” she says. “I think that they’re finding that taking care of yourself doesn’t mean that it’s a feminine or negative thing. It actually makes you feel better . . . I think that the times are just finally changing, and it’s long overdue because there’s no reason that 50 should not be the new 30. Rewinding the time, rewinding it 10, should be something that men feel comfortable partaking in.”
Rewind It 10, which is now available to purchase online and exclusively at Sally Beauty US stores, is formulated from high-quality, professional-grade Italian formulas that allow for accessible salon-quality results men can get at home. Fat Joe and Aronson even recruited several male celebs to serve as Rewind It 10 ambassadors, including DJ Khaled, Travis Kelce, Tyson Beckford, R&B singer Tank, MMA fighter Stephen Thompson, singer Jencarlos Canela, and tattoo artist, model, and musician Kevin Creekman. As part of the campaign, the brand’s celebrity ambassadors will be making appearances at Sally Beauty stores across the country.
“We’re here to shatter the stigma. The ladies are aging so beautifully, so it’s only right that men are empowered to invest in products and look their best,” Fat Joe concludes. “It’s part of taking care of ourselves – just like the confidence boost you get after a fresh cut. You want to look better, feel better, and it has this snowball effect of positivity in your life.”
