Multi-step haircare routines and wellness rituals are catching on with European consumers looking to improve hair health and create the perfect hairstyle. Social media platforms (in particular, TikTok) are instrumental in shaping trends and reaching consumers across different demographics with advice on hair product usage and product recommendations. 

Shampoos Dominate European Sales

The European haircare market witnessed growth of 3.3% in 2025, according to Euromonitor International, to reach sales of $23.2 billion. The majority of sales took place in Western Europe, which accounted for more than three-quarters of the total. Euromonitor attributes the growth predominantly to mass brands responding to consumer demand for more premium offerings and features at a more affordable price point than salon professional alternatives. 

The stand-out sector has been shampoos, valued at $7.6 billion of the total European market, which has benefited from unit price increases and category premiumization. 

“Premiumization has become a more common theme in recent years as brands look to recover category share that they have lost to salon professional haircare,” Euromonitor stated in a recent hair care report covering the UK. Further dynamism has been recorded in hair loss treatments, although growth here is from a low base compared to other segments. In particular, Euromonitor has noted younger consumer interest in hair loss treatments, suggesting a proactive approach to hair maintenance compared to previous generations. 

Another dynamic growth category is styling agents, which is forecast to grow by 5.1% across all European regions in 2026. Euromonitor attributes this rise to an increase in consumers washing their hair less and turning to various styling products to maintain their hairstyle throughout the day. 

The Power of TikTok 

These days, many consumers look for the latest haircare trends on social media, particularly TikTok, where new ideas and concepts are put to the test and promoted by influencers, haircare experts and stylists. Haircare trends on TikTok now even have their own hashtag: #hairtok. 

The impact of TikTok is far-reaching, particularly among the younger generation. Simon Pitman, founder and beauty, food and natural products expert, Pitman Comms, comments, “TikTok has proved to be by far the most powerful social media platform for younger haircare consumers. Social media posts with bold, creative and innovative hairstyles and vibrant eye-catching color have won over these consumers. Dramatic styling and color add to shareability and drives popularity.”

Head spa and scalp facials are two of the newest trending concepts that mirror trends found in the professional haircare sector. The two trends are interlinked as they focus on a full regimen of thorough cleansing, massaging pressure points and scalp treatment using a variety of techniques drawn from across Asia including China, Japan and India. 

Hair cycling is another popular TikTok trend for 2026, which promotes the use of different products in order to avoid product build-up and the overuse of certain ingredients. The idea first took root in the 1980s following the popularity of two-in-one shampoos and conditioners that left hair lanky due to a build-up of silicones in the formulation. Hair cycling is a handy new marketing term used to describe skipping products and allowing the hair and scalp to rest and regenerate. It also refers to the use of several products in rotation instead of using the same one each time. 

Generation Gaps

In a market as competitive, even saturated, as haircare, brands continually look for new consumer groups to target. Pitman contends that Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers are a growth opportunity because they are treating hair as part of their broader wellness and self-expression routines. “They are embracing the crossover between skincare and haircare, preferring products that feel indulgent to use and fit seamlessly into a curated aesthetic lifestyle,” he maintains. 

Visually striking packaging with playful colors has strong youth appeal, which are not only attractive but often backed by science. For example, UK-based haircare brand Hairburst focuses on an authentic story and inspires social engagement. “These are the types of brand that resonate most with these younger cohorts,” affirms Pitman.

Older consumers, too, are of major interest to haircare brands. According to the World Health Organization, one in six adults will be over the age of 60 by 2030, suggesting that longevity will be a key requirement for beauty and haircare new product development. 

A recent study on aging hair by French multinational company LVMH focuses on the impact hair can have on physical appearance and self-perception. One of the interesting points raised was the growing importance of enhancing scalp skin health as a means to promote healthy hair growth and the age-associated alterations to the scalp skin and microbiome. 

This older cohort is investing in haircare products to address issues such as thinning hair, hair loss, coarseness and loss of pigment. Examples of hair products targeting older consumers include The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density, which comes in a lightweight formula featuring a blend of peptide technologies such as high-solubility caffeine for thicker, fuller-looking hair and plant-based extracts. 

Another hair treatment said to benefit aging hair is L’Oréal Professionnel Kérastase Chronologiste, a revitalizing shampoo infused with hyaluronic acid, abyssine and vitamin E.

Leaning Into Skincare 

The haircare market is shifting towards skincare-inspired multi-step routines driven by the recognition that scalp is skin. Scalp skincare is therefore crucial to healthy hair and opens up an opportunity for beauty brands to develop scalp-specific treatment products aimed at different demographic groups, especially older consumers. 

The future looks bright for beauty and personal care brands that offer layered hair regimens that feel more clinical and premium, that offer an extension beyond shampoo and conditioner and include products such as pre-wash exfoliants and leave-in treatments.