Europeans Care for Their Hair And Their Scalps, As Well!

These days, caring for one’s hair and scalp is considered to be as important as caring for one’s skin. European consumers are better informed and more demanding of the haircare products they use and expect the same performance criteria as they can get from skincare. Scalp health, skin-influenced ingredients and the microbiome are developing strongly into this space. Meanwhile, a growing concern for the environmental impact of hair products used is pushing demand for eco-ethical brands.

During the past year, cost of living and inflationary pressures have impacted sales of haircare in Europe, as more savvy consumers look for savings from essential products, while expecting high efficacy and multifunctionality as standard.

According to Euromonitor International, the European haircare market is expected to grow 3.4% this year and reach $20.2 billion. Western Europe is forecast to account for three quarters of haircare sales by value, led by Germany, $4.1 billion and the UK, $2.2 billion. Reflecting demand for high performance products, each country is growing 8.2%. Russia remains the dominant market in Eastern Europe, valued at $2.0 billion, although sales have been hard hit since the war with Ukraine, and are expected to grow less than 1% this year.

Healthy Growth For Scalp & Hair

Euromonitor’s VIA platform, a global SKU database that tracks areas such as ingredients and claims, found that the number of haircare SKUs with skin health attributes, including “hydrating,” “age defying” and “hypoallergenic,” increased by around 30% since 2020. Healthy scalp and hair growth enhancers are notable claims that have been increasing in importance in the European haircare market.

Connor Spicer, senior research beauty analyst, Euromonitor International, observes that these claims have been driven by new players such as The Inkey List, Dr Barbara Sturm and Drunk Elephant, while existing brands such as Philip Kingsley, a UK brand with clinical expertise in trichology for many years, have added to their product line.

“Such long-standing expertise provides consumers with a sense of trust that is increasingly important in this emerging segment,” Spicer explains.

A recent addition to the Philip Kingsley line is Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum, which claims to work with the skin’s circadian rhythm at night in order to balance oil, hydration and microflora to help support long-term scalp health.

On the Inkey List website, products are sold in bundles, providing haircare regimes for specific needs. For example, Clean & Healthy Scalp Duo consists of a Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Scrub and Salicylic Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, formulated to exfoliate and stimulate hair follicles, thereby promoting healthier hair growth. Its 3 Month Hair Growth Trio is recommended for use overnight and contains caffeine, a well-known scalp stimulant.

“Consumer demand within haircare is shifting from wanting reactionary features that treat existing symptoms, such as dandruff and hair loss, to products and claims that prevent these issues from occurring. This includes scalp health, as consumers become more aware that a healthy scalp can improve hair growth and reduce shedding and dandruff prevalence,” comments Spicer.

The top four ingredients of note, per Euromonitor, are hyaluronic acid (such as L’Oréal’s Hydra Hyaluronic Acid range), salicylic acid, niacinamide and microbiome ingredients.

Consumer Consciousness

Ingredient transparency is more of a concern among haircare consumers than sustainable packaging and products, says Spicer. Natural ingredients remain the No. 1 desired eco or ethical feature for haircare in 2022. However, consumer interpretation of “natural” can include a variety of features, such as organic, vegan or cruelty-free, as well as plant-based or botanical ingredients. This lack of clarity and lack of a standardized claim has, in some cases, led to “green washing” and is a likely reason for the acceleration in importance of ingredient transparency.

New haircare launches by indie brands tend to adhere to stricter eco-ethical principles, such as Briogeo, whose products claim to be consciously packaged and use recycled materials and clear recycling instructions. The brand was acquired by German haircare giant Wella in April 2022. Meanwhile, Bali-inspired hair and beauty brand Coco & Eve is expanding its European presence in the UK, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Its first product, Like a Virgin mask, has sold 1.5 million units worldwide and is formulated with a so-called clean, short formula that is said to restructure the hair fiber. Botanical ingredients are sourced from Ecocert-approved partners and include coconut, fig, cacao and mango from traceable sources that claim to have a negative effect on the environment.

“Conscious beauty is rising in prominence in the category, defined by products that place as much importance on a product’s development in terms of extrinsic factors, like the environmental impact of sourcing ingredients, as intrinsic factors; such as proven efficacy and refillables,” explains Spicer.

Spicer cites Rahua, a haircare and bodycare company that seeks to preserve the biodiverse tribal lands in the Amazon rainforest through its ingredients. The brand is carbon neutral through its work alongside Amazonian indigenous natives and has produced legal tools for the full protection and preservation of roughly 150,000 acres of pristine rainforest: the forests sequester five tons of carbon dioxide per acre per year, totalling 750,000 tons of CO2 annually. Its packaging is recyclable and reusable with many refillable options. Ingredients are plant-derived and organic, selected to create high-performance formulations, according to the company. Enchanted Island Vegan Butter is a new addition to the range; it contains rainforest grown rahua oil to hydrate, nourish and add shine, and Amazonian earth clay to give curl pattern control and improve frizz resistance.

Growing concerns over high water consumption has led to a sharp increase in more solid haircare formulations. The market segment includes existing brands as well as new entrants to the market. Examples include Lush Honey I Washed My Hair, Head & Shoulders Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff, Percy & Reed All Lathered Up and Little Soap Company Eco Warrier Dry Hair shampoo bar.

Conscious beauty is a trend that is likely to increase over time and reflect the growing purchasing power of Gen Z and Millennials. Issues such as ingredient sustainability and packaging recyclability are expected to remain strong, particularly as concerns surrounding global warming intensify.

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Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk
 
Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.