If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that a one-size-fits-all approach to skincare and beauty just won’t wash anymore. Consumers come in all different shapes, sizes and skin tones, and they want their personal care and beauty products to reflect this.
Manufacturers, on the whole, have listened to their consumer. Morphe has released a new 60-shade foundation range, while Pantene has taken age diversity to a whole new level, appointing a grey-haired eldery woman, alongside a, wait for it, baby. And he has his own Instagram page too (@babychanco), if you’re interested. Of course, not all brands are doing it – as my colleague mentioned some time ago, Malin + Goetz has bucked the trend by bringing back a simple 2-step regimen for face, hair and body. However, if the huge personalisation leaning in both cosmetics and skin care is anything to go by, there’s definitely a movement away from mass commodity products that simply cater to a one-dimensional buyer.
Indeed, the mass hair care market is also evolving, with an increasing amount of consumers driving the trend and prompting manufacturers to divide and conquer. A simple wash and go will no longer cut the mustard. And it seems that the aforementioned personalisation trend is no longer just the go-to sales driver of beauty and skincare, mass hair care offerings are getting in on the action too, with customization set to be a huge development going forward.
Speaking of the need for the mass hair care market to expand and evolve its offering, Lauren Vaynberg, Associate Planning Director for brand transformation company Burns Group, told WWD.com, “There are so many different hair needs and a lot of trial and error and switching to satisfy them all. Mass hair-care brands today have different products dedicated to each of those benefits, so it forces you to make a choice and it leaves those other needs unsatisfied.”
However, as we know, the modern consumer doesn’t like to feel unsatisfied, and they don’t need to. With so many brands fighting for market space, if you’re not offering what they want, they’ll move on. And mass commodity manufacturers are beginning to heed these words of warnings with the likes of Prose, Belle Bar and Function of Beauty offering personalised hair care products.
Prose co-founder Paul Michaux told Adweek, “If you have more than two different concerns with your hair, basically you have to mix and match a few different products in your bathroom but nothing might actually be working for you. It’s hard to find something that will cover all your needs.
“The way we see Prose is not one-stop products. You’re not going to have one formula that you follow for your whole life.”
And that’s just it. Hair care is, and will continue to, evolve as skin care and beauty has. Because what we know is that catering to individuality is key in the modern world of personal care.
