Hair Care Is a Focus in Africa

The practice of caring for the length, texture, style and hair health globally is centuries old. African communities and early African civilizations are no different. Caring for hair is a social and communal activity among African women.

Hair care and their iconic hair styles have been one of the early identifiers of African civilizations and date back as early as ancient Egypt. Often used as a symbol of fertility and feminine power, hair care plays a central role in the life of the African consumer.

Wigs, braids, cornrows and dreadlocks, including attachments such as wool, animal skin, precious metals and stones palm fibers, are often incorporated in these hairstyles and represented one’s status in society and a measure of one’s wealth. Braiding is popular in Western Africa, and the intricate geometric patterns are commonly worn as trophies. Braids made a statement as a woman of substance in society walked out of a room and left behind the sight of the back of her head for others to take notice of and make a lasting impression. The style of braid and general styling symbolize a woman’s, or a girl’s, stage in life.

Early African shampoos were multi-purpose bars of soap and the practice of what is now popularly known as conditioning was primarily used for growth, strength, curl enhancement and styling. Typically, they were homemade and created to be leave on products of oils, butters, milks, powders and resins.


Self Care and COVID-19

While the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the rise of self-care and DIY recipes, this shift in consumer behavior created consumer interest in caring for her own hair alongside a growing natural hair movement where curls and kinks are celebrated and worn fashionably. The trends sparked product innovation by local and international brands. Consumer-centric samples include intensive conditioner products for salon quality shine to treat and deeply nourish hair.
Conditioners and treatments are the fastest growing products, according to Euromonitor’s recent report, Hair Care in the Middle East and Africa.

These radical changes have ushered in a new marketplace. There’s a drive to bring in a more diverse offering to the marketplace. Products must cater to the unique curly, kinky and textured hair requirements of African consumers. No longer considered a homogeneous consumer group, the African consumer is creating and demanding differentiation.

Natural hair care for the Black African consumer often includes sulfate-free shampoos; co-wash products, such as cleansing conditioners;  and deep treatment products, such as masks, hair oils, scalp care and curl care, which can include gels, freeze control and curl friendly foams and tamers.

According to a recent Technavio market report, the African hair care market is expected to grow 7% a year through 2024. Segmented by product type and distribution channel, Revlon, L’Oréal and Alberto-Culver have all started to invest into the African hair care market by acquiring companies that cater to the African consumer.

The rise in disposable income and population among a predominantly female consumer base correlates with the growth in the hair care market we see today. Key players such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Henkel, L’Oréal, Unilever, Amka Products (Pty) Ltd. and Estée Lauder are leading growth with shampoo and conditioners.

Taking a closer look at the important South African market, Mordor Intelligence estimates hair care sales will increase 5.7% a year through 2026. Health and healthy lifestyles continue to be at the top of the agenda especially given the consumers mortality has been questioned and continues to be questioned for the foreseeable future.

The R&D race to cater to the consumer lingers amidst the operational challenges of the last 18 months as the market continues to grow.

New launches such as dry shampoos for all textures by Procter & Gamble in South Africa has meant that for the first time Africans are seeing their hair care solutions mirror that of their European counterparts. Players like Procter & Gamble launched globally their first retail hair care range after four years that also included the African continent; a mirror of the potential growth opportunities within the segment.

“A single hair falling from your head does not make you bald.”
– African Proverb

Local Distributors Hold Sway In The Market

Italian perfume and cosmetics brand O Way entered South Africa in 2019 with a “100% green,” sustainable and PETA-approved range. The company says it speaks to the agendas for most African nations aiming for Net-Zero economies given the surge in pollution that correlates with the growing populations. Thanks to a strong local South African distributor, Emsa Distribution (Pty) Ltd., OWay’s launch into the local market ensured that products reached the hands of professionals.

Taryn Gill, founder of The Perfect Hair, launched a 100% vegan range for curls in a leading nationwide drug store chain, Clicks in South Africa, during the pandemic. Gill, a well-known session and hair stylist, built her career on curl care. Her mission was to bring to market an accessible range of products for women who had curls like her and allow them to care for their curls at home. Making use of indigenous ingredients, Gill wanted to take advantage of the gap in the market.

“I knew I wanted the products in the hands of the real consumer and the only way to do that was to partner with a distributor that allowed me to focus on other parts of my business that I was good at,” explained Gill during a recent Instagram live session in which she shared her career trajectory.

According to Euromonitor’s Hair Care in the Middle East and Africa report while Africa is a smaller market for hair care products compared to other regions, it offers great opportunity, particularly due to its growing population.

With a population of nearly 1.4 billion and a growth rate of almost 2.5%, Africa represents a growth market for hair care product manufacturers and their suppliers. 

---

Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Malée, Founder
office@maleeonline.com

Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao is an entrepreneur, influential speaker, sought-after brand consultant and freelance columnist with a focus on Innovation, sustainability and leadership in the cosmetics, luxury goods and start-up industries. As the founder of Malée, Africa’s first global luxury fragrance and body care brand, an advisory board member at Innocos, the world beauty innovations summit, Oriaikhi-Sao has established herself as a leader in the African-made luxury goods market. She has been featured on CNN, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail. She hosts the podcast Third Culture Africans, and inspires a vast audience with entrepreneurial and lifestyle Insights at zezeonline.