Daily dose of style: can targeted formulations and versatile cuts that give consumers more than one look boost sales of hair styling products?

Household & Personal Products Industry, May, 2008 by Christine Esposito

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MONDAY TO FRIDAY, they are well-groomed professionals, but come Saturday night, they're clubbing with friends or enjoying a quiet dinner out before it's off to Sunday brunch with the in-laws. Today's women (and men) want hairstyles that reflect all aspects of their lives, and are demanding versatile cuts and targeted styling products that allow them to sport a sleek and sophisticated style one day, and funky and chunky the next.

"People want options in how they style their hair. That is the overriding theme, and that is what we are adapting to," said Brooke Carlson, vice president and general manager of Rusk, Inc. "They want to look one way on Monday and different on Friday night and different again on Saturday."

According to Stephanie Sprankle, senior education development manager with PureOlogy, today's hottest hairstyles offer women a "sophisticated wearable everyday look," with "a second look that is designed to be more sassy."

Leading manufacturers hope the versatility of today's popular haircuts will entice customers to purchase more styling products. According to Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 24, 2008, sales of hair sprays/spritzes rose 3% and styling mousse and gels were up 0.6%, combining for sales of just over $1.0 billion in supermarkets, drugstores and mass merchandisers excluding Wal-Mart. In salons, styling product sales rose from $655 million in 2006 to $673 million in 2007, representing 2.7% growth, according to market research company Mintel.

Style Trends

What looks are women after? Think Veronica Lake. Hair is "about glamour now. Hair has nice soft waves. Even when it is in a ponytail it has an elegant, modern feel," said Ms. Sprankle.

"We are going back to a more feminine approach," agreed Todd Barnes, regional education manager with Rusk, Inc. According to Mr. Barnes, now that women have achieved a level of power in the workforce, they are showing their femininity. "Women can be alluring and sexy and softness is coming back to hair," he said. "Volume is coming back and women are embracing natural textures and tones. It is more natural."

"It is a natural look, but not without products," added Ms. Carlson.

She's right; products are very much a part of process. Research shows that women use on average three different styling products to create their desired style, not to mention an army of plug-in styling devices.

"As consumers try to achieve a certain look, they often need to use heat styling appliances like curling irons, flat irons and blow dryers, and daily use of these can take a toll on your hair," commented Anne West, chief marketing officer of SSB LLC, the Chicago firm behind the recent rebirth of Salon Selectives.

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To protect hair during hot ironing, women can turn to PureOlogy's Super Smooth Hot Iron Protection Spray. Launched quietly approximately a year ago--prior to the firm's acquisition by L'Oreal--PureOlogy is now "seeding the market with professional client promotions that have great take-away," commented Sean Harrington, marketing director.

In addition to traditional gels, mousses and sprays, marketers are touting leave-in products that set the stage for the styling processes.

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Chemistry Salon Labs--a new brand from Beautology Brands Company--offers Prep hair priming blow-dry tonic, part of its eight-SKU line sold exclusively at Walgreen's.

"Think of priming a wall before you paint to make it adhere better--Prep allows your styling aids to bond to the hair shaft without stripping the follicles," said Stuart Straus, president and CEO of Beautology Brands, Chicago. "Plus you get the added benefit of quicker blow-dry time and a terrific uplifting fragrance; simply a great in-between step after you condition and before you begin styling," said Mr. Straus.

You Go, Curl!

When it comes to creating elegant locks, curly hair presents its own set of challenges. Marketers are formulating specialized styling products for hair with texture.

Alluring Curls Curl Enhancing Styling Elixir is a new lightweight gel from Nexxus that delivers long-term curl definition. The formulation, which contains marsh mallow root, sweet almond protein and lavender and soy bean oils, maintains definition 94% after eight hours and 90% after 24 hours, according to the Alberto-Culver brand. Nexxus also offers new Gorgeous Curls Curl Enhancing Styling Foam, a lightweight styling foam that delivers similar benefits as the elixir.

One of the biggest challenges for curly hair is frizziness, and Joico is tackling the issue head on with Design Collection Humidity Blocker. The formulation contains Joico's Total Defense Complex, a combination of lightweight polyurethane resins, UVA/UVB filters and Quadramine Complex--an exclusive blend of low molecular weight and size proteins that ensure maximum protection and reconstruction from the cuticle to the cortex.

Mass market brands Charles Worthington London and Sunsilk are addressing wavy hair, which can also be difficult to style.