Hair Care

Drug Store News, May 21, 2001

Toward the latter half of 2000, the hair coloring segment began to make some major headway in the hair care category, and is expected to continue to drive sales even further as the trade moves deeper into calendar year 2001, according to several retailers.

With the category trending up 4.2 percent in drug stores, hair color brands such as L'Oreal's Preference and Casting ColorSpa posted double-digit growth during the 52-week period ended Dec. 31, 2000, according to data provided by Information Resources Inc. In addition, Garnier's Nutrisse line, which only launched roughly five months ago, has already made IRI's top 10 list of best hair color brands in the drug channel.

"Hair color is a healthy business," said Tom Dean, Garnier's assistant vice president. The company is launching a new brightening cream called Lumia in the wake of Nutrisse's early success. Garnier's Lumia "should develop its own little niche," one retailer commented.

Revlon is also targeting a bigger piece of this burgeoning segment of the business. The company is unveiling a new 10-minute permanent hair color called High Dimension--its first hair color launch since 1997.

At least one retailer with whom Drug Store News has spoken believes that the existing business--not to mention all those potential customers not currently buying into the hair coloring category--is strong enough to sustain the arrival of these newer entries. Especially, if these manufacturers provide the ad support necessary to entice new users. "I think [Revlon] will be able to get some [new] users into the [hair color] category," this retailer said, as long as it backs the new line with ample advertising and the product sticks to its claim. Same thing for Clairol's new Herbal Essence hair color: "As long as they put money behind it, I think it will be successful."

Certainly, Garnier will do its part to keep the wheels of growth moving in hair color. According to Dean, the company will spend $50 million this year to advertise Lumia.

                    Drug chains' scorecard hair care
Segment              $ sales      %
                   in millions  change
Shampoo              $258.7      3.7%
Conditioner           201.0      8.3
Hair color            447.7      8.2
Hair spray/spritz     108.9      5.7
Hair styling gel/
mousse                135.1     14.4
Source: Information Resources Inc.
for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2000
SHAMPOO
Mass                  $769.1 [*]   +2.9%
Food                  $673.7 [*]   +1.6%
Drug                  $328.4 [*]   +0.4%
Total F/D/M:        $1,771.2       +1.9%
CONDITIONER
Mass                  $451.6 [*]  +10.7%
Food                  $351.0 [*]   +5.8%
Drug                  $248.3 [*]   +5.0%
Total F/D/M:        $1,050.8       +7.7%
HAIR COLOR
Mass                  $537.8 [*]   +8.4%
Food                  $297.0 [*]  +10.8%
Drug                  $567.4 [*]   +4.2%
Total F/D/M:        $1,402.1       +7.1%
HAIR SPRAY/SPRITZ
Mass                  $271.8 [*]   +1.1%
Food                  $186.8 [*]   -0.5%
Drug                  $138.4 [*]   +3.0%
Total F/D/M:          $597.0       +1.0%
STYLING GEL/MOUSSE
Mass                  $245.5 [*]  +15.5%
Food                  $178.5 [*]  +13.8%
Drug                  $168.6 [*]  +10.8%
Total F/D/M:          $592.6      +13.6%
Source: Information Resources Inc. for
the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2000
(*.)All sales in millions
Note: Table made from pie chart
Brand                               $ sales in millions
Top brands in drug stores: shampoo
Pantene Pro V                             $25.2
Clairol Herbal Essences                    22.3
Head & Shoulders                           13.5
Pert                                       10.5
Thermasilk                                 10.5
Neutrogena T Gel                           10.4
Nizoral                                     8.3
Suave                                       8.2
Head & Shoulders 2 in 1                     7.8
Top brands in drug stores:
hair conditioner
Frizz Ease                                $16.4
Pantene Pro V                              14.6
Clairol Herbal Essences                    12.9
Infusium 23                                12.0
Thermasilk                                 10.7
Alberto VO5                                 9.7
Finesse                                     6.0
L'Oreal Colorvive                           4.6
Citre Shine                                 4.6
Alberto VO5 Hot Oil                         4.4
Top brands in drug stores:
hair color
L'Oreal Preference                        $67.4
L'Oreal Feria                              49.5
L'Oreal Excellence                         49.1
Clairol Nice 'N Easy                       44.1
Just for Men                               31.8
Clairol Natural Instincts                  30.7
Clairol Hydrience                          23.7
L'Oreal Casting Color Spa                  20.3
Clairol Ultress                            19.1
Garnier Nutrisse                           18.8
Top brands in drug stores:
hair spray/spritz
Rave                                      $10.9
Suave                                       7.4
Pantene Pro V Elastesse                     6.5
Aquanet                                     5.5
Pantene Pro V                               5.4
Sebastian Shaper                            5.3
Salon Selectives                            5.2
Clairol Herbal Essences                     5.0
Alberto Consort                             4.3
Finesse Touchable                           4.3
Top brands in drug stores:
hair styling/setting gel/mousse
Pantene Pro V                              $7.7
L.A Looks                                   6.9
Clairol Herbal Essences                     5.8
Suave                                       5.6
Dep                                         5.3
Frizz Ease                                  5.0
John Frieda Sheer Blonde                    4.7
Citre Shine                                 4.5
Thermasilk                                  3.8
Salon Selectives                            3.7
Source: Information Resources Inc. for
the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2000