By Michelle Breyer
This year cemented the growing importance and excitement for hair-care products addressing the needs of consumers with curly, coily and wavy hair.
In 2012, more than a dozen brands launched specifically for women transitioning from relaxers to natural hair. Manufacturers included smaller home-grown companies as well as industry leaders who launched lines specifically for curly hair, including Redken’s new Curvaceous line and Paul Mitchell Curls four-product line.
Today, nearly every major brand has a curl-specific line on the market, and those that don’t are in R&D mode to make sure they don’t miss out on this large and growing segment – a segment that no longer is viewed as a passing trend or insignificant niche.
In 2012, more than a dozen brands launched specifically for women transitioning from relaxers to natural hair.
The dynamism of this market is also reflected in how and where these products are merchandised and promoted. Mass retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart and drug stores like Walgreens and CVS dedicate prominent shelf space to products for textured hair rather than relegating these products to the traditional “ethnic” sections of their stores. Hair care is no longer a black and white issue. These consumers have their own unique identity that has more to do with the texture of their hair than the color of their skin.
Retailers are aggressively going after cult curly brands like Miss Jessie’s, Mixed Chicks, Kinky-Curly and CURLS. Beauty retailers like ULTA and Sally Beauty, for example, also heavily promote their products for curls and coils, seeing the tremendous opportunity presented by this valuable consumer as curly hair consumers spend 50% more on conditioners and stylers than straight hair consumers.
The TextureTrends 2012 research also compares these findings to the straight-haired consumer
Even stores like Whole Foods Market have caught onto the value of this market. “It’s been a tremendous area of growth for the past three years,” says Jeremiah McElwe, executive whole body coordinator at Whole Foods Market Inc. Global Purchasing Team. “A few brands have emerged that have really opened things up for us, and established brands have come out with curl-focused products. The product assortment has broadened, and it has been a hot growth area in general.”
TextureTrends Wave 2 evaluates the current environment of what people with curly, coily, and wavy hair are purchasing, where they’re buying, how much they’re spending, and what is impacting their purchasing decisions.
In 2012, the TextureTrends research also compares these findings to the straight-haired consumer.
For more information: texturetrends@texturemediainc.com
