Haircare is a market segment that amounts to US$12,426.5m in 2021 with an annual expected growth of 2.55% (CAGR 2021-2025), according to Statista data. Healthy, voluminous, and lustrous hair among individuals represents one of the primary factors driving the market growth. As for many trends, the pandemic accelerated consumers’ interest in haircare to a point where it has become one of their main focus. Indeed, stress is a major cause for hair loss, lack of shine and thinning and with the last year and months being very difficult for many, consumers have been looking for ways to get their hair health back. Some solutions are directly inspired by skincare. As part of MakeUp in New York conferences 2021 on September 22 & 23, let’s explore the specificities of this trend. 

Scalp matters 

Scalp is becoming a major focus for consumers as it is becoming clear that good hair cannot be achieved without a healthy scalp. Indeed, poor scalp health can lead to visible signs like buildup, flaking, or irritation. To avoid this, consumers are looking for products that can treat and moisturize the scalp while enhancing their hair strength in the process. Brands are now offering products dedicated to that specific part of the body, like the Briogeo Scalp Revival mask, or are developing shampoos and conditioner that are more gentle to the scalp, like dermatologist haircare brand Seen.

From the inside out

Another way to care for the hair borrowed from skincare is the use of supplements. 

Philip Kingsley, one of the original hair health brands, crafted a supplement (made of vitamin B, selenium, and vitamin D) to mimic the nutritional recommendations it makes at its hair health clinics in New York and London. Other companies have developed full ranges of supplements dedicated to hair health, like Hairtamin with products like capsules, gummies or prenatal and postnatal hair nutrition. 

Personalized care

Just like it is the case for skin, it is best to consider ones specific hair type to achieve better results. That is where personalized haircare comes into play. Customizable haircare brands, like Prose or Function of Beauty, require users to complete a short online questionnaire, then evaluate results to determine the best formula and ingredients for each person’s unique hair type (some even take it a step further and take hair samples for most accurate results).

Consumers have been paying more and more attention to what they apply on their skin and what food they consume. It is now the same for their hair and scalp. Instead of pilling on products, they are more aware of what is good or not in the long run for their hair health and prefer to treat and care in order to achieve a beautiful, healthy mane. This trend will surely continue to intensify as remote working slows down and people will want to look their best when finally meeting in real life.