Slideshows

12 Brands That Point the Way in Hair Care

Hair care is enjoying much ‘more than a moment’ as sales climbed to new highs during the pandemic—and keep on rising.

12 Brands That Point the Way in Hair Care

1. Ouidad Touches Up Hair Between Washings

Ouidad says this lightweight formula offers “the perfect refresh between wash days.” It combines the hold of a gel with the moisturizing benefits of a cream – resulting in hydrated, frizz-free curls. Key ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, and extracts of sunflower seed, olive fruit, and chia seeds work together to nourish the hair without weighing it down.

2. Kevin Murphy’s New ‘Color-Safe’ Collection

The Made in Australia Kevin Murphy brand, notable for its pioneering sustainable packaging as well as its clean products, launched its latest collection, Everlasting.Colour, a color preservation regimen that goes beyond “color safe” to preserve, protect and enhance. The collection is a new product category for the brand, combining both color and treatment benefits into one product and as such, can also be used on non-colored hair. The line includes four new products.

3. Milk Shake Launches Cold Brunette Shampoo + Conditioner

Hair Care Brand milk shake has expanded its product line for brunettes, with two new products. The Cold Brunette Shampoo and Cold Brunette Conditioner use a blue pigment that they say reduces brassiness in any shade of brunette hair. According to the brand, when brown hair is color treated or lightened, red and yellow tones come through as residual pigments, creating unwanted warm tones in the hair. The formula of the Cold Brunette products offsets these warm tones with a deep blue pigment that is designed for natural, or dyed brown, light brown or dark blonde hair. Unlike other brands, milk shake utilizes milk proteins and fruit extracts to promote strong, healthy hair.

4. NUELE’s Serum Uses All Sustainable and Reusable Materials

NUELE says it uses all sustainable and reusable materials in the packaging of the Nighttime Scalp Serum (as with all their products). The recently launched product is housed in a paper box with a metallic logo. The bottle is made of amber glass that protects the serum from sunlight. The pump is made of plastic, but is recyclable. The serum is comprised of only six 100% naturally derived, organic ingredients, and created to detox, soothe and moisturize the scalp while you sleep. Packed with antioxidants and humectants, aloe calms and soothes, while castor oil moisturizes, and argan oil detoxes and removes any harmful toxins. The natural lavender scent will help you relax and fall asleep fast.

5. Kintsugi Hair Collection Repairs and Strengthens

Drawing its inspiration from the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi, in which artisans would mend broken pottery with gold and thus create a stronger vessel, Kintsugi Hair believes in repairing what is broken rather than covering flaws. The new luxury haircare brand, for use at home and in-salon, is formulated with “scientifically-backed ingredients that help create healthy hair and glamorous results.” Each product is developed with a precise ratio of ingredients—each one hand-selected for its quality and efficacy. Dr. John Layke, a renowned Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, helped co-found and develop the 5-piece Kintsugi Hair product line, which is formulated and manufactured in the U.S. The sleek white bottle and tubes, with “golden cracks” carry the idea of the “broken and mended” Kintsugi art form.

6. Oway’s Biodynamic, 99% Plastic-Free Haircare Line Is Available in the U.S.

Founded in 1948, the Italian brand Oway, which claims to be ‘the world's first brand in the professional cosmetics industry to reach 99% plastic-free packaging,’ has launched in the U.S. With the use of certified biodynamic and organic raw materials, obtained by ensuring maximum transparency throughout the supply chain, from the field to the formulations, Oway guarantees pure plant ingredients and extracts in all its treatments respecting biodiversity. The company works with a network of certified Italian partners and with biodynamic and organic farmers who grow according to rigid agricultural and eco-friendly standards. Oway is a combination of the Organic Way, an expression that combines biology (Organic) with lifestyle (Way). Coining the term “agricosmetica,” Oway's manifesto supports their commitment to growing zero-mile plants, flowers, and medicinal and aromatic shrubs on their Ortofficina estate, which rests on the hills of Bologna, in Italy. Oway says it was the first Italian brand in the professional sector to have chosen to replace plastic in favor of glass and aluminum for all bottles and jars. "Glass can preserve and protect the integrity of the formulas' botanical extracts, shielding them from UV rays and protecting them from bacteria. Committed to becoming completely plastic-free in the near future, we are so excited to officially launch in the United States, bringing pure and infinitely recyclable products and packaging to both salons and consumers," said Sharon Nykaza, general manager of Oway United States.

8. Cantu Announces Brand Refresh Based on Customer Feedback

Cantu’s Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner— which received high marks on Amazon—has been popular in the category for years. Now, listening to their consumers has prompted a shift toward cleaner ingredients and more moisturizing properties. Cantu says they replaced the ingredients that the naturally curly community often rejects— drying alcohol and silicones—with more moisturizing and cleaner alternatives, to yield longer-lasting moisture than the previous formula. Packaging design was not overlooked. Cantu’s core product packaging updates include a color-code that indicates the specific product type, i.e. style products (maroon bar), conditioning (green bar), and detailed information on the best uses of each product. “Bolder colors and contemporary structures” have also been introduced for better impact and “findability” in retail stores, both online and offline. Cantu’s global brand director, Nikia Bowman, says: “Cantu continues to work towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry that amplifies the voice of Black and Brown consumers. Within my role … I hyper focus on identifying and addressing consumer needs via brand availability and product development. Most recently, I helped lead the reformulation of Cantu’s award-winning Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner to yield longer-lasting moisture and cleaner alternatives than the previous formula following consumer feedback we had received.”

9. Mielle Organics Launches 8 Multicultural Hair Care Products into Ulta Beauty

As “one of the fastest growing Black-owned and women-led global beauty brands,” Mielle Organics, with its collection of products for all hair types, was founded by CEO, Monique Rodriguez in 2014 with the goal “to deliver effective hair care solutions, while inspiring women in business and entrepreneurship to pursue their passions.” Rodriguez says the brand’s launch with Ulta Beauty "is the culmination of nearly eight years of building this brand with a focus on innovation and ingredients that offer solutions for textured hair." The entire collection is made with honey, which the brand says helps regulate and retain moisture; and pomegranate, which is rich in antioxidants, helping to strengthen hair follicles, eliminate frizz and nourish and hydrate hair strands.

10. Biolage Professional Releases Color Last Limited-Edition Recycled Bottles

Limited-edition bottles for bestselling Color Last from Biolage, launched in April, and are made from 100% recycled paper and plastic (excluding the pump), with 40% less plastic versus the traditional 13.5 fluid ounce Color Last bottle. The brand also sponsored a SalonCycle program for stylists to recycle salon waste where they shop. The outer shell of the packaging is made from FSC-certified, 100% recycled, water-resistant paper with wet-strength technology, making the bottle shower-safe. This outer paper packaging protects a thin plastic liner on the inside made of 100% recycled plastic and the entire bottle is manufactured in a zero water-waste facility. Drawing from the brand's connection to nature, Biolage Professional partnered with multidisciplinary Brazilian artist Barbara Malagoli to bring to life this limited-edition packaging. Malagoli's work is full of female figures and symbols that tell stories of empowerment and embody the beauty of Mother Earth. The Color Last formulas are vegan with no animal-derived ingredients, paraben and mineral oil-free, produced in a carbon-neutral factory and developed with the iconic Biolage AromaScience fragrance.

11. K-Gloss De-frizzing Product Line

Dealing with frizzy hair—especially during warmer months is a known challenge. K-Gloss aims to solve the problem with their K-Gloss de-frizzing line of products. The de-frizzing treatment and masque include an infusion of ingredients “known for their healing, calming, and hydrating properties,” that work in overdrive to reduce frizz by 90% for all hair types. The products also help to protect hair from heat and environmental stress, as K-Gloss designed them to recondition dull, dry, damaged, and over-processed hair—making it healthier while having more manageable air-dry results. Products are cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, vegan-friendly and hairdresser tested, and what’s more, the $99 12oz de-frizzing treatment is said to last up to one year.

12. Drunk Elephant Launches Trio of Hair Care Products

Drunk Elephant founder Tiffany Masterson teamed up once again with childhood friend and celeb hairstylist, Chris McMillan, to create a trio of hair care products: Silkamino Mega-Moisturizing Shampoo, Silkamino Mega-Moisturizing Masker and Silkamino Conditioning Leave-In Milk. They said, “Silkamino is the option people kept asking for—something with lather, but still moisturizing.” The three products work together “to infuse hair with silk amino acids and proteins to rebuild weakened hair bonds, strengthening and smoothing the hair shaft and giving body, bounce and shine. They also contain vanilla fruit extract, for its antioxidant and skin (scalp) – calming benefits.” The packaging is recyclable, and includes directions on how to separate the pieces to recycle.

By Jamie Matusow, Editor-in-Chief 06.13.22

Hair care—incorporating products from color formulas to scalp health to frizz taming to shampoo & conditioner—took off during the pandemic when salons were shuttered—and never looked back. Even now with openings, DIY at-home hair care continues to thrive.

According to Valuates Reports, the global Hair Care market size is projected to reach over $7 billion by 2027, up from nearly $5 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.6% during 2021-2027.

Upscale Products Are Leading the Way

NielsenIQ studied the hair wash category and noted that the “premium” and “super-premium” segments of products in the hair care category helped drive most of its resounding growth—up $879 million in two years. Packaging that evokes a premium look and feel is what could catch shoppers’ attention, as they aim to treat themselves through beauty products.

Key Trends

As with many current cosmetic industry products, clean & natural and sustainable play a key role in development and targeted consumer interest.

As far as the prestige hair care market, Larissa Jensen, VP, Industry Advisor, Beauty, The NPD Group—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors—said, within the hair category, hairsprays, gels, mousses, and other styling products returned to growth in 2021, with hair-styling product sales up 45%, versus 2020. The hair-styling segment is expected to rise another 15% in 2022. According to new data in the Future of Hair Report from NPD, growth will continue through 2024. Sales in brick & mortar increased 75%. The NPD’s U.S. Hair Care 2021 data reported Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask as the big winner, generating over $10 million—followed by Redken, Biolage, Pureology and Living Proof.

In the slideshow above, we look at a selection of hair care products launched in the past 6 months:

For more on Hair Care, see BP’s Infographics.