Colourants drive innovation in hair care

According to new research from Mintel, hair colourants is the only hair care sub-category to have increased its share of global product development, accounting for 15% of global new hair care product launches in 2012, up from 11% in 2008.

Mintel revealed that India will be the star performer in the hair colourant market in Asia Pacific over the next five years. The market, worth $382m in 2012, is set to grow 110% between 2012 and 2016. Currently, the largest market for hair colourants in Asia Pacific is Japan, with $1bn in sales in 2012. And South Korea, valued at $230m in 2012, is also forecast to grow rapidly – up 120% between 2012 and 2016.

"There is scope for the hair colouring category to recruit new users with new formats and formulations that promise ease of application and enhanced performance,” said Vivienne Rudd, Director of Global Insight, Beauty & Personal Care at Mintel. “In developing markets such as India, these developments will help to encourage consumers to trade up from traditional, low cost products to more sophisticated products that use familiar ingredients and claims, and add a more cosmetic twist, promising luxuriant, shining colour and professional results at home.”

Globally, the most popular claims in hair colouring new product launches are those that help to brighten or illuminate the hair; 72% of new hair colouring products launched between January and September 2013 carried the claim. Long lasting accounted for 62%, while ease of use was 54% and botanical/herbal claims were made for 44% of new hair colourant launches.