Trend-Forward Insights: What’s Next for Haircare in 2025?

Award-winning entrepreneur, business speaker and media leader, Cornell McBride Jr. is the president of McBride Research Laboratories (MRL), a global force in hair care manufacturing for salon professionals and multicultural consumers for nearly 35 years.

Starting in the family business at just eight years old, he later earned a marketing degree from Howard University and worked across every department at MRL, gaining hands-on experience in R&D, sales, education, IT, distribution and finance. His entrepreneurial drive led him to secure a hair salon in the Olympic Village during the 1996 Olympic Games, further solidifying MRL’s industry presence.

In 2010, his father, MRL’s founder, passed the baton and named Cornell Jr. president. Under his leadership, MRL has received numerous accolades, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Small Businessperson of the Year Award, Sheen Magazine’s Legacy Torch Award,and a nomination for the NAACP Benjamin L. Hooks Business Award. His expertise has also been featured in Black Enterprise, Essence, Hype Hair and Sheen Magazine.

Beyond these achievements, he has been instrumental in expanding the Design Essentials footprint globally, particularly across the African diaspora, forging strong partnerships and increasing accessibility to high-quality hair care solutions tailored to the unique needs to textured hair. Through strategic market expansion and distribution markets, he continues to position Design Essentials as a trusted brand in international markets, empowering beauty professionals and consumers worldwide.

A dedicated philanthropist, Cornell spearheaded MRL’s $1 million donations to Spelman College and the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship, empowering the next generation of Black entrepreneurs.

As a sought-after speaker and industry leader, Cornell has graced stages at renowned events like the International Beauty Show, MogulCon and the Natural Hair Industry Convention. He continues to drive MRL’s global expansion, launching innovative products and shaping the future of Black entrepreneurship and beauty innovation.

This well-versed haircare expert took time to chat with Happi.com about the latest hairstyle trends at salons and beyond.

Happi: From your perspective as hair care entrepreneur and business owner, what are consumers looking for in professional hair care at salons today? And why do you think these needs are evolving?

CM: There are a couple of things that consumers are looking for today. Most importantly at this time, consumers are looking for the ability to go and have a service done within a timely manner. As consumers visit salons, they are looking for diversity because style trends and style choices are everchanging.

CM: Like fashion, you may go from natural waves, to extensions, to braids, to blowing your hair out, so salons that offer a diverse range of styles on the market are what we are seeing trending. Consumers are changing their styles from one week to the next, all according to how they feel or what’s going on in their lives at that time.

Happi: What are some of Design Essentials’ best-selling products and what makes them so popular among professionals and clients?

CM: Design Essentials’ carries products made to enhance your natural curl pattern or allow you to wear your hair straight. If you are going to the salon, some of our top products are in the cleansing category with the Honey Crème Moisture Retention Shampoo ($14) the Honey Crème Moisture Retention Masque ($20) and then we have the Rosemary & Mint Stimulating Super Moisturizing Shampoo ($15) and Conditioner ($14). For those in need of scalp treatments we have the Peppermint & Aloe Collection, followed by a variety of styling products for all hair needs.

Happi:  Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, what are your predictions for the future of professional hair care?

CM: Professional hair care is ever evolving, and now it’s more about the individual than the larger chain or commission salons. There’s a lot more individualism in the salon space, driven by salon suites and people setting up shop at home, so what we’re seeing is a decentralization of salons where the focus is really on the stylist.

CM: We’re also seeing the conversation shift from being about ethnicity to being about texture. Stylists are learning to work with all hair types and textures, whereas before, things were more segmented—Caucasian stylists focused on certain hair types, and African American stylists on others. Now, those worlds are coming together, and true stylists are embracing the craft of doing all textures. That’s one of the biggest differences we see happening today.