This year, it might have been easier to ask what isn’t new. Straightening is in, but so is leaving curly hair natural; short and sassy is no hotter than long and lustrous. Some all-grays are staying gray, but many women with 30% or fewer grays are reaching for the dye.
If there’s any one trend in hair care for 2004, it is the trend of polar opposites. Sorting through the amazing array of choices, it is easy to see that individuality and personal distinction rule today’s hair care scene.
Checks and balances figured into hair care’s total sales this year as well. Regular shampoos fell 1.4% to nearly $988 million for the year ended Oct. 3, 2004, according to Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Dandruff shampoo sales declined too, to $237.1 million, a 5.1% difference from the year-earlier period.
However, hair conditioners held their own at $770.1 million, a very slight (0.2%) increase over last year, according to IRI.
Garnier Fructis hair conditioner/crème rinse led the hair conditioner pack, at $38.3 million, an impressive 71.2% increase over last year. Garnier executives might have the right approach, offering up quite a bit in what the company is seeing in trends this year. For instance, “big,” 80s style hair is in, Garnier executives said, while “messy, tousled ‘beach’ hair is another trend,” commented Lisa Morris, marketing director, Garnier Fructis. “We’re seeing the fun, carefree, surfer lifestyle completely invade the marketplace thanks to movies like Blue Crush, TV shows like The O.C. and fashion trends coming from Los Angeles and Hawaii.”
Hair color is suffering somewhat, but the situation isn’t hopeless, according to Ms. Morris. “The (hair color) category has been in decline,” she said. “But with more sophisticated products that offer amazing salon-like quality hair color, consumers will be more likely to try at-home hair color and be more pleased than ever with the result.”
Marcy Cona of Clariol Professional agreed, maintaining that having gray hair no longer means one is “old.” “Gray hair does not mean a little old lady with 100% gray hair,” she insisted. “People who are just starting to gray look to hair coloring in order to balance their color.”
Another major trend in hair care is pinpointing ethnic hair concerns, rather than pidgeonholing ethnic consumers into buying products that are not quite right for them. “Very often, African-American hair is relaxed and therefore, dry and damaged,” pointed out Mary Ann Pettorini, creative director for Culture, Vienna, VA, an ethnic hair care line. “The emergence of ethnic-specific hair care products is indicative of a growing shift in the African American and multicultural consumer to both embrace her hair texture, and insist on products that protect the hair.”
Whatever a consumer’s hair type, he or she can rest assured that an appropriate care routine either exists already, or is in the works by savvy marketers and formulators who know that in today’s hair care, individuality is key.
Squeaky Clean
A good cleansing and conditioning routine is at the root of proper hair care. Consumers are demanding more of their shampoos and conditioners; luckily, they have plenty of choices this year.
Garnier, the leader in hair conditioners for the 52 weeks ending Oct. 3, 2004, led the way again this year with the introduction of several new SKUs. In July the brand added the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine system, which includes a shampoo, conditioner and Weightless Anti-Frizz serum to care for dry, difficult-to-smooth hair.
“The product line was a great fit with our portfolio, and sales have been fantastic,” said Ms. Morris.
Garnier has big plans for next year, too. In February the brand will launch Garnier Fructis Long & Strong shampoo, conditioner and Anti-Split Ends treatment designed to meet the needs of growing long hair including combating breakage, dullness and split ends.
Garnier is “a true dual-gender brand, targeting both men and women who are young at heart,” Ms. Morris added. “The Garnier brand is about mindset and lifestyle, and less about age.”
An apple a day helps keep hair smooth and shiny, according to Lamur Professional executives. |
Executives at Lamaur Professional Products, a division of Zotos International, Darien, CT, insist an apple a day is just what the beautician ordered. Apple Pectin fortifying and moisturizing shampoos are available at professional beauty supply stores in liter sizes. Each retails for $7.99.
The Apple Pectin line includes four options. Concentrated Fortifying shampoo, for all hair types, is said to gently and thoroughly cleanse the hair without stripping natural oils. Crème Fortifying conditioner detangles the hair and provides shine; it can be left on for an extra five minutes for more intense conditioning. Moisturizing shampoo and Moisturizing conditioner cater to dry, color-treated and permed hair, leaving it soft and manageable.
Also through professional outlets, Senscience International and Shiseido Labs introduced Senscience Silk Moisture shampoo and conditioner, a cleansing and conditioning duo that provides hydration to every strand of hair, according to company executives. They are part of the Liquid Luxury prestige hair care collection. The trend in hair care is toward “feel-good” products, according to Senscience executives. Senscience Silk Moisture shampoo retails for $10; the Silk Moisture conditioner is available for $12.
Marketers have been busy in retail channels, too. L’Oréal Vive added Curl Moisture to shape and show off beautiful curls while reducing frizz by as much as 95%; Volume-Infusing for up to 30% more volume; Nutri-Moisture to moisturize and nourish dry, damaged hair and Fresh-Shine, for “morning-fresh” hair all day and night.
And for baby, Playtex launched Baby Magic Foaming hair and body wash and Baby Magic Foaming shampoo. In addition to being gentle enough for baby, both utilize instant-foam technology for mess-free, waste-free dispensing. Playtex chose Airspray N.V., Pompano Beach, FL, to create the bottles. Hair care is just one of the many categories to embrace the dispensing system, Airspray executives said. The Baby Magic products are said to be exceptionally mild.
A Designer’s Touch
There’s plenty to choose from in both drugstores and department stores in hair care this year, but some professionals insist there’s no reason for a disconnect between mass and class.
Celebrity hairstylist Christophe Schatteman, of Christophe Beverly Hills, CA, is bringing luxury to mass channels with a new collection of shampoos and conditioners for all types of hair. The products are available at CVS department stores.
Christophe Beverly Hills Hair Care includes Volulmizing, Hydrating, Smoothing and Finishing lines. They feature creatine to strengthen hair, vitamin C to neutralize free radicals and polyquaternium and quaternium ingredients to mend split ends, inhibit moisture loss, add shine and tame and calm flyaways.
Mr. Shatteman has 20 years of experience in the hair care business. “I wanted to create a line of professional, affordable, salon-quality products to make hair stronger, shiner and more manageable-whatever (the) hair type,” he said.
The line had a soft launch in June and so far has earned applause, according to Mr. Shatteman. “I get great feedback on my products,” he commented. “Each product in a given line complements the others to give maximum results. We are trying to provide the very best quality of products in CVS locations, and this is the first time that’s been done.”
Results, a 10-year-old designer hair care brand from British hairstylist Charles Worthington, will get relaunched next month. Not only are the original products now infused with more advanced technology, the new color-coded packaging divides the collection into five hair type-specific categories to make selection easy. They include Moisture Seal, Shine On, Stay Smooth, Balancing Act and Curl Perfection.
In addition to the original products, Mr. Worthington has added Curl Perfection shampoo and Curl Activating conditioner, Smooth shampoo and Smooth-All-Over conditioner, Maximum Moisture conditioning treatment and several styling products.
Results products feature Mr. Worthington’s Keraflex strengthening complex, said to make the hair “three times stronger.” All products in the newly-improved Results collection retail for $5.99.
Tender Care
While consumers reach for what’s new, some scalps require more than just cleansing and conditioning. Choices in the past for problem scalps and hair have been limited, but consumers need not compromise today. Treatment-type products, such as dandruff shampoos, offer a host of benefits to please even the choosiest consumers.
Beverly Hills, CA-based John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS) introduced Tea Tree Special shampoo, an “invigorating, revitalizing total body experience” that stimulates while fighting dandruff, according to company executives. Tea Tree Special shampoo stimulates the senses with a brisk fragrance and stimulates the scalp while it cleanses, executives said.
Tea Tree Special shampoo contains healing Australian tea tree oil, Hawaiian awapuhi, chamomile, henna, rosemary, aloe vera and jojoba. The shampoo is available at salons.
Neutrogena is also fighting dandruff with the new T/Gel Daily Control and T/Gel Daily Control 2-in-1. They contain pyrithione zinc to break down flakes and vitamin E and wheat proteins to moisturize the hair and scalp.
Neutrogena executives said consumers needn’t sacrifice hair conditioning benefits for fast-acting dandruff control. The T/Gel products are said to diminish itching and break down and wash away flakes. Neutrogena T/Gel Daily Control shampoo and Neutrogena T/Gel Daily Control 2-in-1 retail for $6.99 each. They went on-shelf in August.
Nioxin developed Smoothing Protectives to help hair and scalp. |
Nioxin, Atlanta, GA, promotes a healthy scalp in addition to cared-for hair with its new Smoothing Protectives system. The system is formulated to deeply moisturize hair without product buildup or alcohols which can be damaging to the hair, according to company executives.
The idea for the Smoothing system came from basic skin care. “Nioxin focuses on skin care first to create a healthy scalp environment which supports the body’s ability to grow healthy, beautiful hair,” said Trevor Attenborough, vice president, marketing, Nioxin. “Your scalp skin is an extension of your face, and consumers are starting to understand that.” Consumers look for products that do not contain drying alcohols, plastics or resins, all of which can damage scalp skin and reduce the healthy look and feel of hair, he said.
According to Nioxin executives, the Smoothing system works for all types of hair. It imparts volume and shine to fine hair without buildup, while medium-to-coarse hair benefits from added moisture, shine and control.
Pantene launched its new Lightweight Conditioning foam. |
The Smoothing system contains natural ingredients such as kului oil and silk amino acids in what Nioxin calls the SmoothPlex blend. “The trend toward natural and organic ingredients and hair color continues very strongly,” Mr. Attenborough explained. “Protection of the hair and scalp has also become a major trend, with many ingredients claiming to not only protect the hair and scalp from the stresses of everyday activities, but also environmental protection from UV and pollutants.”
Another consumer segment that longs for more gentle treatment is ethnic hair care. “The average annual health and beauty care spending of African Americans is 47% higher than that of any other demographic,” said Ms. Pettorini, “and of that amount, $0.72 out of every dollar is spent on hair care.”
Today’s ethnic consumers are educated, know what they want and demand much more from their products than in the past, Ms. Pettorini insisted. “The trend we’re seeing is a new sophistication of the African American/multi-cultural consumer,” she said. “They are rejecting heavy, greasy products. General market products don’t meet the full spectrum of ethnic hair care needs, and the modern empowered woman has outgrown the old-fashioned selections of the past.”
In response to these needs, Culture was born just a year ago and can already be found in 5000 doors. In addition to a variety of styling products, the line includes Moisture Aid, a product for dry, damaged hair that contains vitamins, panthenol and proteins. “Moisture Aid, like all Culture products, deeply moisturizes and conditions without petroleum or old-fashioned oils,” Ms. Pettorini pointed out.
Other Culture hair care products include Moisture Silk shampoo, with silk proteins and keratin amino acids; Strengthening no-rinse conditioner and Wet or Dry detangler, a greaseless formula.
“Culture is positioned as a family brand,” said Ms. Pettorini. “It’s safe and gentle for kids, just as it is for chemically relaxed or colored hair.” However, Culture celebrates diversity: “We don’t cater to relaxed, colored or otherwise changed hair,” Ms. Pettorini commented. “Our products are as safe, gentle and greaselessly moisturizing for natural, unprocessed hair as they are for processed hair.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Optimum Oil therapy featuring micro-oil technology, a new line from Softsheen-Carson. Micro-beads containing natural oils are said to nourish, repair and strengthen the hair. However, company executives insisted the product leaves “no greasy build-up.” According to a Soft Sheen spokesperson, Optimum Oil therapy is “the best that nature, combined with science, has to offer.”
A Splash of Color
Hair color has been in decline sales-wise, but consumer demands promise a brighter future for the category as Baby Boomers rush to salons or to store shelves in an effort to cover gray. Unfortunately, gray hair tends to be more difficult to cover with color due to its consistency, according to industry experts.
Clairol Professional, Stamford, CT, a division of P&G, offers eight shades under the Gray Busters banner. The line is not new, but this year Clairol Professional stepped up its efforts to get the word out to salons on how the product works.
“Gray coverage is a big challenge for most people coloring their hair,” said Marcy Cona of Clairol Professional. “And darker colors will often cover everywhere else but the gray.”
Gray Busters are part of the Clairol Professional line. |
Clairol Professional is currently working to educate and market to salons so that they can use Gray Busters correctly. “Gray Busters has been in the Clairol family for quite a while, but we started to recognize that people didn’t understand how to leverage the Gray Busters shades,” Ms. Cona pointed out. For example, Gray Busters can be used alone, or it can be used along with existing Miss Clairol colors to increase coverage and add vibrancy.
Women who are less than 50% gray can also benefit from the product, she added. “It gives a nice, uniform look, but it’s vibrant, never flat. It doesn’t look like ‘colored’ gray hair.”
Clairol Professional’s education effort includes shows, educational events and one-on-one training of Team Clairol Colormasters, who then work in salons across the country to deliver the most up-to-date information on how to use the products. Gray Busters was platformed starting in July, and “we’ve had a tremendous response,” Ms. Cona said.
Clairol Professional also introduced Color Drenching, a new coloring service that uses Compliments, a collection of more than 50 semi- and demi-permanent colors infused with a new, patented technology called Hydra-Drench. The system conditions hair as it colors, infusing it with moisture and added shine.
Color Drenching begins with an underlay process to create dramatic undertones. Next is the overlay process, with color being applied directly on top of the underlay formula for lighter tones. The end result is multi-tonality in one time-saving step, Clairol Professional executives said.
Goldwell USA has also been active in the professional hair color segment this year. Goldwell will soon launch Elumen Green to create a long-lasting, avant garde green look. Elumen Green can also bring the warmth of Elumen colors down to a more neutral brown, executives said. It launches in January.
“Elumen Green, with its blue-green character, is perfectly positioned on the color wheel opposite red-orange,” said Francois Mattioli, new business development manager, Goldwell USA. “Therefore, it is ideal for neutralizing warm undertones of existing Elumen shades, as well as unwanted warm color tones after a lightening process.”
John Paul Mitchell Systems is lightening up with The Blonding System, which includes two options for lightening the color of hair: Paul Mitchell Dual-Purpose lightener and new Paul Mitchell Cream lightener. It is recommended for women and men.
“Forty percent of clients who choose to color their hair, choose to go blonde,” noted Stephanie Kocielski, Paul Mitchell master associate. “And blonding clients are incredibly loyal to salons that can keep their blonde hair healthy and fabulous.”
The Paul Mitchell Cream lightener is easy to apply and contains a blend of conditioning agents and antioxidants to prevent moisture loss and excessive damage. It is “smooth, creamy, gentle and easy to apply,” Ms. Kocielski said. Both the Cream lightener and the Dual-Purpose lightener are caring to the hair and have gentle fragrances, she added.
In the retail sector, Garnier introduced 100% Color, a new haircolor brand with a technology based on nine patents. “The line delivers pure, spectacular color that’s long-lasting, and amazing conditioners that leave hair silky smooth,” said Ms. Morris of Garnier. “Consumers have responded with enthusiasm. Shares for 100 Color—and Nutrisse—have been growing steadily while our competition is in decline.”
Garnier will introduce the Nutrisse Chocolate collection of four new brunette shades next year. The company also plans the launch of Nutrisse Nourishing Multi-Lights, a new highlighting kit with nourishing avocado and vitamin E conditioners. The launch is supported with ads this spring.
Bright Ideas
Whether clients receive a professional hair coloring or color at home, color retention is always a concern, as is the potential for the products causing drying or damage. Many shampoos strip color from the hair, industry executives insist.
To keep color bright and fresh, Quantum, a professional division of Zotos International, introduced Quantum Color Protector, a new hair care system said to reduce color fade up to 60%.
Quantum Color Protector includes a shampoo, a conditioner and a leave-in treatment. The formulas include the Equilizer 4 Color Protection complex, comprising wheat protein, heligenol, vitamin E and a color protecting silicone. They all sport a fruity/floral scent. Each retails for $5.99.
Goldwell also offers solutions to the problems of fading and drying. In early 2005 it will launch the Color Glow line to preserve and enhance both natural and color-treated hair.
“Color Glow cleanses and cares for the hair while depositing color pigments for optimum color refreshment,” explained Kim Carrera, hair care and styling category manager, Goldwell USA. “Color Glow is different from all other color enhancing care lines because it has different care levels according to the color segment.” For example, blondes need more care, according to Ms. Carrera, so Live Blonde (for cool platinum tones) and Be Blonde (with warmer tones) have more caring ingredients. Other color segments in Color Glow include Feel Copper, Stay Red and Love Brown.
When it comes to maintaining color without the need for deposit-style shampoos or conditioners, however, PureOlogy executives say their company has always been No. 1, and is likely to stay there.
“We are the market leader,” said Jim Markham, founder and chief executive officer of PureOlogy. “We focus solely on care for colored hair.”
PureOlogy launched Super Straight shampoo and conditioner early in 2004. Super Straight uses nanotechnology with a particle size so small it penetrates the hair shaft. “Super Straight shampoo and conditioner both protect the hair from humidity,” Mr. Markham said. “Nanoemulsion ingredients in the formulas allow ingredients such as potent antioxidants and UVA sunscreen to penetrate, moisturize and protect hair from the elements.” The shampoo and conditioner also contain PureOlogy’s anti-fade complex.
The company also launched Thickening Masque; it went on-shelf in November. Thickening Masque warms when the hands are rubbed together. It contains highly refined volcanic ash and the anti-fade complex.
“This is really a ‘wow’ product,” Mr. Markahm insisted. “People rub this between their hands and say ‘Wow!’” The presence of volcanic ash in the masque increases the diameter of the hair without weighing it down, he added.
PureOlogy is so certain of its expertise in caring for color-treated hair that all bottles are marked with a money-back guarantee. The products aren’t cheap, but “our brand is the only one that exclusively caters to color-treated hair and contains the right ingredients, in the right amounts, to be truly effective in keeping hair color from fading and maintaining the health of the hair,” Mr. Markham said.
Though competition is fierce, PureOlogy executives said the product is so unique, it will stand up against marketers who can not afford to mass-produce PureOlogy’s ingredients. “Other companies might try copying our performance, but they will invariably fall short. We will never skimp. Our mission is to keep creating products that truly help people who color their hair.”
Quantum, a professional division of Zotos, took a leap with the Quantum Color Protector system. It combats color fade. |
Great Lengths
Hair care technology is good and only getting better, according to industry experts contacted by Happi. The results can be seen in companies that have experienced growth during the past year.
“We grew tremendously last year and we’re expecting tremendous growth this year as well,” said Mr. Markahm of PureOlogy. “We’ve been hiring. We have full distribution. We’re in pretty good shape.”
The playing field is wide-open for new formulations that appeal to various demographics as well. “Ethnic hair care is already huge, and growing,” said Ms. Cona of Culture. Marketers can also get a leg up by vamping up already-existing brands. “Here we’ve always had this jewel in the Clairol family, but just didn’t communicate properly with professional hair dressers,” said Ms. Cona of Clairol Professional, speaking of the Gray Busters line.
Hair care companies are as varied as their customers; last year, that proved to be a good thing. This year the challenge is on marketers to keep up with a variety of styles, wants and needs; with new technologies at their fingertips, the coming year promises to offer more variety than ever.
Looking for a new ingredient to incorporate into your hair care product? A list of them starts on p. 80 in the print version of Happi.