Anti-ageing the biggest concern

Anti-ageing concerns are the main priority in the market, according to German haircare company Alcina, which translates into fighting hair loss and retaining fuller, thicker hair.

The brand’s ethos is to design haircare that is as specific to the user as skincare, or type-matching. With this in mind, they are launching in the UK Plantur39, which uses caffeine in order to prevent hair loss during menopause, when hormonal changes result in thinner hair that falls out prematurely, receding hairline, and a weakened scalp. The phyto-caffeine complex of Plantur39 protects the hair roots, preventing testosterone from attaching to the roots and restricting the supply of energy.

Scalp treatments are also becoming specialised into oil and dry categories, which closely mimic skincare. Moroccanoil®, the company that launched Argan Oil to worldwide fame, recently launched an Oily Scalp Treatment and Dry Scalp Treatment. The oily scalp treatment is formulated with antioxidant-rich Argan oil and organic ginger oil to stimulate the scalp and regulate sebum production, resulting in less greasy hair. Used pre‑shampoo, it soothes the scalp and keeps it from getting too oily or dry. On the other hand, the dry scalp treatment aims to soothe scalps that suffer from flaky, scaly skin with a combination of Argan oil, geranium and lavender oil, which penetrate the scalp deeply for more lustrous hair.

Conclusions

The need for specialist anti-ageing hair products will likely continue to grow, with more consumers keen to keep the ravages of time at bay. While the science of skincare remains a huge source of inspiration to most of the technological breakthroughs, the market is also experiencing a backlash towards what are deemed unsafe ingredients. While many consumers are targeting hyper-specialist, high-end, dermatology-inspired care, many others are mobbing the aisles at Wholefoods looking for a ‘safer’, more ‘natural’ way of caring for their hair.

The consumer will also be focused on the toxicity of their lifestyle in general: from exercising to food, all the way to their beauty routine. Nourishing the scalp and hair via strong pill concentrates is another ongoing trend worth exploring, with most detoxing regimens extolling the virtues of clean eating to improve the condition of the skin and hair.

Nutricosmetics have been gaining traction as a result of increasing consumer desire to go beyond traditional beauty solutions. L’Oréal tapped into this trend when it partnered with Nestlé to launch Innéov, which makes nutritional supplements for hair and skin. The company introduced an anti-dandruff treatment in 2010 to add to its arsenal of 12 clinically-tested products. Innéov is due to launch Densilogy, which works from the inside out to boost volume and thickness with actives such as vitamin D, Omega-3 and zinc.

The trend towards hyper-specialist haircare that offers deeper nourishment and protection is only going to grow exponentially from here on, with mass‑market brands like Pantene quickly jumping on the bandwagon with its Expert Age Defy.

Since a more specialist part of the market is devoted to premium brands, the authors’ recommendation to physicians is to waste no time, and add a smart selection of anti-ageing haircare products to the shelves.