Let’s face it - we’re obsessed with hair. We have been so since the fable of Rapunzel, and well into the Kardashian era. While its on-trend styles and social purposes have chopped and changed over the years, the dedication to our tresses remains. But now, we have technology on our side, unveiling new and improved ways to combat all kinds of hair complaints. BD spoke to the experts to find out what’s in store for the hair care sector this year.
Hydration station
There’s nary a woman about who does not own a heat styler. The use of these, along with a number of environmental factors means our hair is far from its optimum level of health.
In a recent study, Euromonitor confirmed we are now most concerned with hydration. According to the study, in the years 2013-2018, it is expected that products formulated to nourish and repair hair will be (and remain) most popular.
The study reveals new formulations will incorporate natural oils and botanical extracts more than ever, a shift which is already evident in the number of hair care products on the market featuring coconut, almond and argan oils.
As education manager Duncan Richards explains: “Super oils, such as argan oil and African Manketti oil have been the buzzwords of the last couple of years.” The success of oil-based products in recent years support this statement. The range is a good example: its argan oil-rich products are endorsed by a huge number of celebrities. The brand has just expanded on its hair care offering with the launch of The Smooth Collection.
For co-founder Vicki Engsall, all oils benefit our locks. She believes different oils (including jojoba) will continue to be integrated into hair care. “Most shampoo and conditioner treatments only penetrate the top layer of hair. Adding jojoba to your haircare is perfect as it penetrates into the deeper layers, making it an ideal treatment for dry and dehydrated hair,” says Engsall.
Shine on
A by-product of using oils, high-shine hairstyles are trending this year. Seasoned stylist believes lustrous locks will soon be more popular than makeovers. “Shine and gloss [are back] – it doesn’t necessarily have to be about drastic colour, but enhancing your natural colour and really making it shine. Most women find this is change enough,” reveals Worthington.
Many brands are beginning to focus on high shine for the first time. For example, has formulated a new variation of its famous dry shampoo that adds shine to hair, combatting the dullness that comes part and parcel with spritzing dry shampoo.
The comeback kid
It seems that comebacks are also key to the hair care industry this year. John Frieda has reinvigorated its Beach Blonde range, S Factor by has a newly glamorous feel, and Charles Worthington has leapt back onto the Australian market with a whole brand relaunch.
Vintage hair styling products are also expected to return - with new formulations, of course. For instance, Worthington’s brand is going to promote a renewed love for mousse. “Flexible polymers and new formulas mean that mousse is not an outdated product. It’s easy to use and works so, so well. Women need to embrace mousse again!” he reveals.
This also applies to grooming appliances, such as hair dryers and straighteners. Items long available to the market have been reworked to appeal to new consumers with the latest developments in technology. Marketing manager for Conair Australia Peter Brewer says technological discoveries are now catering to the growing demand for “professional performance styling tools that allow consumers to use the same technology and performance as tools used in salons”.
Let’s hear it for the boys
The days of a quick shower and shave are far behind us, with the male grooming sector predicted to go from strength to strength in 2015. Statistica believes the marketplace will grow from US$17.3 billion in 2012 to a staggering US$26.6 billion in 2020.
The figures themselves are represented in the growing number of brands releasing male-specific hair care products. Major labels are beginning to address the gap in the male grooming market - this year alone has seen the worldwide release of ’s Label.men and the highly anticipated debut of Hanz De Fuko into the Australian marketplace.
Label.men’s international education manager Eamonn Boreham explains the brand’s launch came off “the back of the growth in both technology and the male grooming market. The industry has jumped 70 per cent in the past six years thanks to a return to traditional grooming such a barbershops”.
He adds the male market is a completely different ballgame to women’s hair care, requiring a range of gender-specific products and formulas. “Men’s hair is not only different to women’s, but men shop in a completely different way. They like simple explanations on packaging and have different concerns, such as thinning.”
Show and tell
Hair Expo remains one of the best ways to get up-to-date with the latest happenings within the hair industry. The nation’s largest trade event for 2015 was held across the weekend. A number of familiar faces were involved in this year’s shows and presentations, including Crown Brushes, De Lorenzo, Conair and Goldwell Professional.
Hair care products that BD recommends include:
ACURE Conditioner Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell
Aromatherapy Associates
AVON
Batiste
Carelli
Charles Worthington
Davroe
De Lorenzo Essential Treatments Oil Balance
Dr. Hauschka
Green People
Hask
Head of Hair
Human + Kind
John Frieda
Joico
Kerstin Florian
Luxcurly
ModelCo
nak
Nourish Naturals
OGX
Paula’s Choice
Royal Skin
Selsun
Scunci
Schwarzkopf
Styx Naturcosmetic
The Jojoba Company
VS Sassoon
Yes To Carrots Yes to™ Carrots Scalp Relief Shampoo
