In this month’s issue of European Cosmetic Markets, which accompanies this issue of Cosmetic News Weekly, the focus is on hair care. What struck me most in reading the August market report was the way the language of hair care is becoming more and more similar to skin care and the ingredients from the latter are making their way into the former.
Anti-ageing ingredients and BB creams for one are promising benefits to hair formerly reserved for skin care. Pantene’s Youth Protect 7, for example, incorporates a BB cream that aims to deliver anti-ageing effects and “youthful looking hair”. It also introduced the AgeDefy line, which is said to combat seven signs of ageing and make hair look ten years younger.
The CC trend has also taken hold in hair care. Alterna introduced a leave-in hair treatment, Caviar CC Cream 10-in-1 Complete Correction, that is said to provide multiple benefits, while Kérastase Soleil CC Crem̀e is claimed to protect, repair and illuminate the hair.
In Italy it’s the filler effect that is gaining prominence, with shampoos and conditioners that promise to plump up the hair fibres and repair damage to the strands. Davines’ new Replumping range and Kemon’s Actyva Kera Fill, for example, contain hyaluronic acid and other actives to ‘lift’ the hair and provide improved hydration. And bringing the skin care emulation even further, Alter Ego Italy is planning to launch a Botox-style hair product in the autumn.
Along with this are the hair oils, which are proliferating in number and benefit. L’Oréal, Schwarzkopf and the other big hair care players are extending their ranges of products that contain argan and other oils that help to protect and nourish the hair and prevent frizz. Michael Rotermund, PR Director for Douglas Perfumeries, said: “Oil products were a major trend in hair care last year, just like in the skin care sector. Oil sprays, which are easy to use, are becoming very popular with consumers and there is now such a wide choice of oil products for any hair type and hair structure that oils have become an every day beauty product.”
But it is not only the anti-ageing and nourishing benefits that are spreading from the skin to the hair. Hair make-up is also making its presence known. L’Oréal Professional’s Hairchalk comes in eight shades ranging from pink and blue to ‘black tie’, while Kiko Make Up Milano’s Hair Shadow allows blue, fuschia or purple colour to be added to the hair.
Hair care is often said to be a difficult area in which to innovate but the new ingredients developed for the category that were on show at this year’s in-cosmetics indicate that the shift from cleansing and styling to multifunctional is likely to head down some interesting avenues in future.
Kathleen Armstrong, London