Combe claims Turkish company copies Just For Men methods

Combe Inc., the White Plains beauty and personal care products company, claims that a Turkish rival is illegally selling a shampoo that mimics Just For Men hair color products.

Combe accused Inova Cosmetics, of Istanbul, Turkey, of infringing three patents, in a complaint filed Nov. 10 in U.S. District Court, White Plains.

Just For Men is used by more than 100 million men worldwide, according to Combe, and is the world’s No. 1 men’s hair color brand.

Inova boasts on its website that its White to Black Grey Coverage Shampoo uses a unique formula to restore grey hair to its original color.

Combe’s complaint does not identify Just For Men as the product line that is allegedly copied. Instead, it claims that Inova is violating three patents issued from 2016 to 2018 that describe the methods Just For Men products use to gradually color hair.

White to Black shampoo, according to the complaint, embodies the same methods for grooming, cleaning, conditioning and gradually coloring hair with repeated use.

On April 30, Combe issued a cease-and-desist letter to Inova Cosmetics and Inova Cosmetics Global Trade, a U.S. affiliate that was incorporated in September 2019 and that opened an office in Ronkonkoma, Suffolk County.

Eighteen days later, according to the complaint, Inova dissolved the U.S. affiliate. Another cease-and-desist letter was issued on June 4, but the alleged infringements have continued.

Inova did not respond to an email request for its side of the story.

Combe is asking the court to declare that its patents have been infringed, order Inova to stop infringing, make Inova pay for lost profits or royalties and award “enhanced damages.”

Combe, a privately held family business founded in 1949, also created and sells well-known brands such as Clearasil, Odor-Eaters and Vagisil.

Combe is represented by Manhattan attorneys Ha Kung Wong and Jason M. Okun.