Before rocking out to any kind of event, I usually spend twenty minutes or so fixing my hair – I have curly hair with almost-micro bangs that require some styling. Plus, I like my curls to look just so. Before Aveda’s One For All launch event on Tuesday evening, July 21, however, my hair got rained on. Thankfully, once I arrived at Public Records in Brooklyn, I realised this wasn’t going to be a problem. To the right of the entrance, there was an entire station set up with curling irons, clips and, most importantly, the brand’s new One For All Leave-In Elixir, a haircare product that has 25 benefits in one bottle. 

The One For All Leave-In Elixir, which launched on the day of the event, is a leave-in spray for all hair types and textures. Its many benefits include hydrating, detangling, curl-definition and frizz-control, all of which I was in dire need of. Ahead, here’s what went down at Aveda’s One For All launch event, celebrating the ultimate versatile hair-care product in peak New York summer.

THE PARTY WAS TRULY FOR ALL

The One For All campaign, shot by photographer and cinematographer Tom Schirmacher, featured 25 individuals representing a wide range of hair types. These hair textures were all well and truly represented across the room – by the neon green “One For All” banners, the hanging campaign imagery, the guests and also by the campaign models (which included Aveda employees) who were welcomed onto the stage for a live hair experience. Actress and producer Avantika Vandanapu, who stars in Hulu’s Not Suitable for Work, was the evening’s host. As she kicked off the demonstration, she complimented everyone’s hair across the room. “Hair is so personal and I am excited to be teaming up with Aveda to help showcase how this product works across different hair types and styles," she said. 

GOOD HAIR DAYS WERE GUARANTEED

The live hair experience brought Aveda artists Kenneth Dawson and Hannah Ruth along with Aveda guest artists and celebrity stylists Ryan Richman and Cesar Deleon Ramirez, together to style featured campaign talent Diandra Forrest, Brianna Lance, Jakob Daschek and Xiuhtezcatl in front of guests live on stage. While the stylists got to work on each of the models’ different hairstyles, Vandanapu spoke to everyone about hair’s importance in culture. “My entire life I’ve worn my braids and, as I tour, play shows and create my art, it’s an extension of me, reminding me where I come from and where I'm going,” said Xiuhtezcatl. By the end of the session, it wasn’t just those on stage who had smoother hair or more defined curls – those in the audience who had been trying the product at the styling station did too.

IT WAS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF PLANTS

Aveda’s One For All Leave-In Elixir is vegan and cruelty-free. It’s also formulated with certified organic moringa oil, from trees in Guatemala, where smallholder farmers are able to diversify their incomes by harvesting the high-value seeds. As Aveda was founded in 1978 with a mission to create a line inspired by botanicals, plant-powered sustainability is in the brand’s DNA. This was evident across every element of the launch party, from the vegan bites (served by waiters who also had notably luscious locks) to the tributes to moringa oil.

EVERYONE TOOK HOME ONE FOR ALL (AND YOU CAN TOO)

Near the end of the night – after all the blowouts and conversations around why inclusivity is so important in culture right now – DJ Kristine Barilli filled Public Records with one of her signature sleazy meets street sets. When Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” came on, everyone on the dance floor started shaking the hair that they’d just had styled. As people made their way out the door, they were gifted with Aveda merch and, of course, a bottle of One For All to try at home. You too can grab your own bottle of the new elixir online at aveda.com and in select retailers now.