British Celebrity Hairstylist Mark Hill Brings Hair Care Collection to Walgreens

NEW YORK and DEERFIELD, Ill., July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Hill Salon Professional products, created by internationally acclaimed hairstylist Mark Hill, launches nationwide at Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) and Duane Reade this month.  The collection has attracted a large and loyal following since its launch in the U.K. in 2004 exclusively with Boots health and beauty retail stores. The debut of Mark Hill Salon Professional products marks one of the nationwide product launches from Alliance Boots since the company formed a strategic partnership with Walgreens last summer to create the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise.

Mark Hill Salon Professional will include a range of 17 salon-quality products priced under $12 and will be available nationwide at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on Walgreens.com, drugstore.com and US.Boots.com.

"I've spent more than 15 years creating a range of hair care products that are of such high quality that they are used every day in my salon. To bring an effective, yet affordable range to the U.S. is absolutely a dream come true," says Mark Hill.

"Mark has created fantastic, high-quality hair care products, inspired by the women who come to his salon every day," said Gordon Farquhar, Managing Director, Boots Retail USA.  "Mark has a very successful business in the U.K. putting his passion and expertise into every detail, and we look forward to building his brand in the U.S."

"As part of our vision to be the first choice for health and daily living, our beauty team is committed to offering customers exciting products to help them achieve the latest trends and styles," said Shannon Curtin, Walgreens Divisional Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Beauty and Personal Care. "By offering Mark Hill Salon Professional products, shoppers can now take advantage of celebrity-worthy, salon caliber hair care products at great value from their local Walgreens."

Mark Hill is one of the defining influences on British hairstyling with a constant presence in media outlets across the globe such as Good Morning America, E!, BBC Style Challenge, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Tatler and Grazia. For several years, he has been the official styling partner for the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Television Awards in London and is also one of the few celebrity hairstylists who still sees clients at his thriving, fully operating salon. Awarded the prestigious British Hairdresser of the Year and International Hairdresser of the Year twice, his signature products are well-known for producing celebrity-style results for a wide range of hair types at affordable prices.

The full range of products, available this month, includes:

• Mark Hill Defrizz-ilicious Slick Chick De-Frizz Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill Defrizz-ilicious Oh So Smooth De-Frizz Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill Defrizz-ilicious Magic Drops Rescue and Repair Treatment, $11.99
• Mark Hill Love Big Hair Big It Up! Volume Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill Love Big Hair Big Is Better! Volume Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill Straight-a-holic Get It Straight Straightening Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill Straight-a-holic Straighten Up Straightening Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill Straight-a-holic Straight Talking Straightening Cream, $11.99
• Mark Hill It's All About The Colour Colour Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill Colour Blast Shine On! Colour Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill Big Night Out! Get Ready to Party! Pre Styling Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill Big Night Out! Get the Party Started! Pre Styling Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill Big Night Out! Only Takes a Minute! 60 Second Detox Gloss Treatment, $11.99
• Mark Hill MiracOILicious Nourishing Shampoo, $9.99
• Mark Hill MiracOILicious Nourishing Conditioner, $9.99
• Mark Hill MiracOILicious 2 Minute Intensive Treatment, $11.99
• Mark Hill MiracOILicious Moroccan Argan Oil, $11.99

About Alliance Boots

Alliance Boots is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group delivering a range of products and services to customers. Working in close partnership with manufacturers and pharmacists, we are committed to improving health in the local communities we serve and helping our customers and patients to look and feel their best. Our focus is on growing our two core businesses: pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution, while increasingly developing and internationalising our product brands.

Alliance Boots has a presence in more than 25* countries and employs over 108,000* people. Alliance Boots has pharmacy-led health and beauty retail businesses in nine* countries and operates more than 3,100* health and beauty retail stores, of which just over 3,000* have a pharmacy. In addition, Alliance Boots has around 605* optical practices, of which around 190* operate on a franchise basis, and around 390* hearingcare practices. Our pharmaceutical wholesale businesses deliver over 4.6 billion* units each year to more than 170,000* pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370* distribution centres in 20* countries.

In June 2012, Alliance Boots announced that it had entered into a strategic partnership with Walgreen Co., the largest drugstore chain in the US, to create the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise.

* Figures are approximations as of 31 March 2013 and include associates and joint ventures.

About Walgreens

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become America's first choice for health and daily living. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services help improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 8,098 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

SOURCE Alliance Boots