A world of texture: new sources of innovation spark the ethnic hair care market.

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HOW DO YOU QUALIFY the word "ethnic" as it pertains to hair care? Does it address particular textures, such as curly, kinky, wavy, relaxed and/or dry? Can it apply to certain styles, like braids, dreadlocks or twists? Would the brand marketing target a select demographic that prefers specific ingredients?

The answer is all of the above.

"Ethnic hair care products are specifically designed to be effective for a smaller subset of consumers (mostly African-Americans) that have unique hair care needs or desires. They are not mass marketed or of interest to the universal population, so by definition, this is a niche market," says Carrie Mellage, director, consumer products, Kline & Company, Little Falls, NJ.

According to Kline, the ethnic hair care category accounts for 4% of the U.S. hair care market. Sales of the entire ethnic personal care category totalled $249 million in U.S. supermarkets, drugstores and mass merchandisers excluding Wal-Mart, according to an Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) report that ended Jan. 20, 2008. This includes $196 million for African-American hair care and $6.5 million for Hispanic and other ethnicities.

Just For Men topped the African-American hair care list at $20.9 million, followed by Organic Root Stimulator at $15.2 million and Motions at Home for $8.6 million. In the Hispanic and all other ethnicities hair care category, La Bella lead the sector at $1.8 million trailed by Three Flowers at $1.4 million and Pantene Pro V Extra Straight (Liso) at $1.1 million.

According to a January 2008 report from market research firm Euromoritor International, the ethnic segment is putting the shine back into the hair care market. "Ethnic hair care has become an important new source of innovation, enabling manufacturers to tap into underserved consumer segments within the more mature markets, but also giving them leverage in emerging ones," notes Euromonitor Senior Analyst Virginia Lee.

She adds that the ethnic hair care range does not just open up opportunities for new brand extensions, but also drives growth in smaller or less buoyant sectors, particularly conditioners and relaxants. In the U.S, the conditioners sector was the only hair care category to achieve real growth over 2001-06, according to Euromonitor.

Dollars and Sense

Trends toward more natural styles and less damage to hair through chemical processing have resulted in lower sales in relaxers, which is significant to the overall ethnic hair care market, according to market research company Mintel in a June 2007 report. New product trends within the market in the past three years include continued emphasis on natural/organic products, products that reduce breakage, men's hair care lines, while trading chemical straightening for heat styling is keeping the need for therapeutic and moisturizing products high.

Introductions of Hispanic-focused brands by major mainstream manufacturers are drawing some Hispanics who once used African-American hair care products out of the market, notes Mintel. This has resulted in declining sales due to loss of potential consumers who may have hair issues similar to those of African-Americans. This significant growth has led several of the major mainstream manufacturers to introduce brands specifically formulated for Hispanic hair in 2006 including Pantene Pro-V Extra Straight/Extra Liso and Unilever's Sunsilk Anti-Sponge/Anti-Esonjado (anti-frizz).

In fact, Mintel notes that Sunsilk is the No. 1 selling brand in Latin America, so familiarity with the brand is of considerable importance due to the number of foreign-born Hispanics in the U.S. The Sunsilk Anti-Esponja Collection is designed to address a common issue that impacts 34% of Hispanic women: hair gets bigger and bigger when it dries and tends to take on a sponge-like appearance. Avocado works to deeply hydrate hair and seal the hair fibers. The Sunsilk Anti-Caida Collection targets dry and damaged hair that tends to break and fall out. The line features nopal, a Mexican plant in the cactus family that hydrates the hair.

And Asian hair has different care and styling requirements than other ethnic hair textures altogether, according to Michael Shaun Corby, global creative director of Alterna Professional Hair Care, Los Angeles, CA.

"Asian hair is usually strong but quite dry, can be naturally wavy, and doesn't often respond to typical styling products or hold a style for long. This type of hair requires a product that won't weigh hair down, but has enough hold to style."

Shopping for Specifics

Consumers in the ethnic hair care category look for products that deal with the requirements of their particular hair texture and address such issues as frizz, versatility and manageability, notes Ms. Mellage of Kline, who adds that more and more, consumers moving away from chemical relaxing treatments. "As such they look for products that provide deep conditioning and heat protection against damage, since many consumers will implement heat as an alternative to the chemical relaxers."

"Consumers are truly looking for products that help manage, protect, and style that support their individual personality. Because of the S-pattern of multicultural hair (i.e. tightly coiled), manageability takes on a new meaning from the general market. Products that straighten, remove frizz, add moisture, bring out the natural shine and prevent breakage are a must in order for a multicultural consumer's style to look its best," says Tiffanie E. Jones, global marketing manager, Alberto Culver, Melrose Park, IL, whose company manufactures popular ethnic hair care brands such as Soft & Beautiful Botanicals, TCB and a children's collection, Soft & Beautiful Just for Me.

For Spring 2008, Soft & Beautiful Just for Me will introduce two new products--a Smoothing Gel and Curl Smoother Creme for moms who desire gentle styling and maintenance to suit their daughters' active lifestyles and unique hair textures.

"Just for Me will be the first ethnic brand to offer a styling gel for children," said Ms. Jones. "Our team listened intently to feedback from moms who let us know they were using alcohol-based adult products to tame their daughters' unruly locks. We created products better suited for young girls' fragile strands."

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From young to old, damaged tresses are a paramount concern in the ethnic hair care market.

"Since naturally curly hair tends to be dry and then you add color treatments and environmental stresses to the mix, these consumers are searching for products to hydrate, nourish and sometimes repair damaged, brittle hair," says Antonio Lopez, a hair technician at Phyto, whose company markets the PhytoSpecific line for textured, curly hair. According to the New York-based company, PhytoSpecific provides three levels of hydration and emollients in its beauty program. The newest addition to the collection is a shine spray.

Besides treating existing damage, consumers are also looking for products that strengthen the integrity of the hair. According to Kiesha Galloway, a stylist at the Mario Russo Salon, Boston, MA, many ethnic women have chemically treated hair and require products to protect and moisturize. "They are in need of intensely rich shampoos and conditioning treatments, since ethnic hair tends usually to be on the dry, sometimes brittle side," says Ms. Galloway, who recommends Mario Russo's olive oil-based product line to deliver moisture and shine while enhancing hair health.

In the Hispanic category, consumers want a shampoo that thoroughly cleans their hair, and are more likely to use a leave in conditioner to really get that soft and silky feeling hair, says Teca Gillespie, a scientist at Pantene whose Pantene Pro-V Extra Straight/Extra Liso collection was specifically designed for Hispanic women who want smooth and extra straight hair.

In regard to Pantene's other ethnic hair care line, Relaxed & Natural, when Pantene created the collection, it leveraged years of scientific research and listened to what consumers were saying to develop a product that would effectively address her needs--soft and beautiful hair through a healthy foundation, according to Rachelle Brown, assistant brand manager, P&G/Pantene, Cincinnati, OH.

"This consumer is seeking education. She wants to learn as much as possible. And as the market continues to change, many of the brands that she trusted and used may not be available on store shelves. This consumer wants products that will deliver superior conditioning and help maintain or bring her hair to a healthy state. She now understands that having healthy hair will help her achieve the look," Ms. Brown tells HAPPI.

For those who choose to add a little bit extra to luxurious tresses, L'Oreal's SoftSheen-Carson is launching Weave Care for Spring 2008, a line targeting consumers with hair extensions and weaves. Styling is also a top trend, as seen at Soft Sheen-Carson, with the expansion of its top-selling Let's Jam line of styling products and the introduction of the product line Sportin' Style by Sportin' Waves for men.

Alluring Aromas