Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
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- Figure 1: Black consumer spending and forecast on regimen haircare products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on Black haircare
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- Figure 2: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on Black haircare, August 2020
- Opportunities and challenges
- Companies will offer promotions to keep consumers in the brand, but will need to extend other benefits and tangibles
- People with low or moderate skills who improve during lockdown serve as a prime permanent convert
- Value-priced brands should push brand benefits and efficacy vs competitors
- Understand Black consumers’ varying approaches to haircare to develop messaging, product mix for targeted appeal
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- Figure 3: Black female haircare segmentation, April 2020
- Category and consumer insights and implications
- Recommend multiple product options to match consumer hairstyle flexibility
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- Figure 4: Hairstyles worn in the past three years – women, by current hairstyle, April 2020
- Ensure influencer strategy focused on stylists’ recommendations is prominent in communications
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- Figure 5: Influencers on haircare maintenance and style, April 2020
- Emphasize hair health with specific product benefits to drive sales
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- Figure 6: Expectations from haircare products, April 2020
- Focus on “clean” haircare product benefits and ingredients over services
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- Figure 7: Haircare trends of interest, April 2020
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Haircare regimen estimated spending expected to be flat 2020-21
- Styling segment drives greatest share of regimen spending, but forecast to fall through 2025
- Volatile economic situation impacts Black consumers who remain in the category
Market Size and Forecast
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- Regimen haircare spending will fall slightly as volume remains flat
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- Figure 8: Black consumer spending and forecast on regimen haircare products, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 9: Black consumer spending and forecast on regimen haircare products – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Macroeconomic data
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- Figure 10: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2019-25 (Updated July 31, 2020)
- Impact of COVID-19 on Black haircare
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- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on Black haircare, August 2020
- Lockdown
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- Figure 12: Black consumers’ lifestyle and consumption priority change – appearance, April-August 2020
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- COVID-19: US context
- Learnings from the last recession
Segment Performance – Black Consumer Spending
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- Product use driven by increasing focus on conditioner
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- Figure 13: Black consumer share of spending on regimen haircare products, by segment, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
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- Figure 14: Black consumer spending on regimen haircare products – table, by segment, at current prices 2018 and 2020
- Shampoo sales will grow as consumers continue to buy for hair health plus cleansing
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- Figure 15: Black consumer spending and forecast on shampoo, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 16: Black consumer spending and forecast on shampoo – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Protective as well as natural styles will drive up conditioner and treatment use
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- Figure 17: Black consumer spending and forecast on conditioners, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 18: Black consumer spending and forecast on conditioners – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Styling products are used every day, but smaller dosage may result in less frequent purchases
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- Figure 19: Black consumer spending and forecast on styling products, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 20: Black consumer spending and forecast on styling products – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Relaxer sales continue to fall, but share declines expected to lessen
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- Figure 21: Black consumer spending and forecast on relaxers, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 22: Black consumer spending and forecast on relaxers – table, at current prices, at current prices, 2015-25
- Hair color sales surge due to lockdown may be temporary
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- Figure 23: Black consumer spending and forecast on hair color, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 24: Black consumer spending and forecast on hair color – table, at current prices, at current prices, 2015-25
Market Factors
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- Crown Act passes in select states, but discrimination persists in institutions
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- Figure 25: The Crown Act Instagram “save the date” announcement, June 2020
- Temporary drop in unemployment and reduced financial relief show mixed economic reality
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- Figure 26: Monthly total and Black labor force participation and unemployment rates, January 2010-August 2020
Market Opportunities
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- Provide virtual hair/scalp consultations for challenged consumers
- Showcase multifunctional uses for styling products to increase frequency and purchase
Black Consumer Targeted Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Greater product choice on the store and digital shelf lifts all Black-targeted spending
- Spending growth, but little share change across brands between 2019-20
- Independent company acquisition and incubator strategies drive continued mainstream sales
Black Consumer Targeted Haircare Sales and Shares
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- New product launches and increased distribution drive sales increases
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- Figure 27: Multi-outlet sales of Black haircare regimen products by Black haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Hair color sales grow even amidst a desire for natural ingredients
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- Figure 28: Multi-outlet sales of Black haircare relaxers and hair color, by Black haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- SheaMoisture remains the category leader; mid-size brands show greatest gains
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- Figure 29: SheaMoisture Facebook Advertising, 2019-20
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- Figure 30: Multi-outlet sales of Black haircare products, by leading Black haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Mid-priced consumer favorites capture share from shampoo segment leader
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- Figure 31: PDC Brands/Cantu avocado haircare products, 2020
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- Figure 32: Multi-outlet sales of shampoo, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Growing desire for healthy hair drives conditioner and treatment sales increase
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- Figure 33: Multi-outlet sales of conditioner, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Styling favorites see sales and share growth
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- Figure 34: Multi-outlet sales of styling products, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Relaxer category consolidation drives change by brand and product lines
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- Figure 35: Multi-outlet sales of relaxers, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Consumers covering gray on their own at home drive hair color sales
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- Figure 36: Multi-outlet sales of hair color, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
Brand Strategies and Product Innovation
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- Black independent brand acquisition extends to mid-size mainstream brands
- Unilever launches Emerge, a purpose-driven, haircare brand for naturals
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- Figure 37: Unilever/Sundial Emerge haircare products, 2020
- “Old-school” brands’ resurgence shows desire for updated effectiveness among familiar names
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- Figure 38: J. Strickland & Co. Blue Magic Video, October-December 2019
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- Figure 39: AfroSheen Instagram Post, April 2020
- Celebrity haircare brand founders use established name to generate instant trust and trial
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- Figure 40: TPH by Taraji Instagram post, January 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Haircare segments defined by attitudes toward hair health and style flexibility
- Black women switch between textured and protective styles, need products for all looks
- Few differences in product purchases across various financial situations
- Influencers whose style and identity mimics the consumers’ drive maintenance and product trends
- Hair goals, then course correction drive product purchase
- Product claims are stronger purchase and trial drivers than ingredients
Black Haircare Consumer: Trends and Segmentation
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- Healthy hair takes on different meaning and practices among Black consumers
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- Figure 41: Mintel Global Trend Drivers – Rights, Identity, Value
- Black women’s attitudes and engagement in hair trends drive her product and tool usage
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- Figure 42: Black female haircare segmentation, April 2020
- Conservative Connie sticks to classic looks
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- Figure 43: Demographic profile of Conservative Connie haircare segment, April 2020
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- Figure 44: Attitudes toward haircare, by all women and Conservative Connie, April 2020
- Easy-going Erica likes to look her best using the right products
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- Figure 45: Demographic profile of Easy-going Erica haircare segment, April 2020
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- Figure 46: Attitudes toward haircare, by all women and Easy-going Erica, April 2020
- Lively Layla will use any product and method to achieve her perfect hairstyle
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- Figure 47: Demographic profile of Lively Layla haircare segment, April 2020
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- Figure 48: Attitudes toward haircare, by all women and Lively Layla, April 2020
- Clean living and looks drive Natural Nicole’s style
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- Figure 49: Demographic profile of Natural Nicole haircare segment, April 2020
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- Figure 50: Attitudes toward haircare, by all women and Natural Nicole, April 2020
- Black men gravitate toward simplicity in their style and product choices
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- Figure 51: Black male haircare segmentation, April 2020
Hair Texture Classification
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- Hair type classification shows differences in engagement, skill and processes
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- Figure 52: Hair texture classification, by gender, April 2020
- Fewer Black women say they have straight texture as they abandon relaxers
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- Figure 53: “Straight” hair texture classification – women, 2017-20
Hairstyle Preferences and Trends
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- Textured hairstyles are preferred, protective hairstyles offer flexibility
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- Figure 54: Hairstyle preferences and trends in the past three years – women, April 2020
- Black women more likely to take advantage of flexible hairstyles
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- Figure 55: Hairstyles worn in the past three years – women, by current hairstyle, April 2020
- Young men most likely among all Black men to experiment with styles, products and tools
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- Figure 56: Hairstyle preferences and trends in the past three years – men, by age, April 2020
Haircare Product Purchase and Usage
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- Black women most likely to be product switchers based on need and expected results
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- Figure 57: Count of types of haircare products purchased in the past year, by gender, April 2020
- Black women will buy any product deemed necessary to achieve preferred styles
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- Figure 58: Haircare product purchases in the past year – women, by current hairstyles worn, April 2020
- Black men who wear varied styles use the greatest number of products
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- Figure 59: Haircare product purchases in the past year – men, by age, April 2020
- Financial position has little impact on product purchase
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- Figure 60: Haircare product purchases in the past year, by current financial position, April 2020
Influencers on Haircare Maintenance and Style
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- Personal sources who help rather than sell are most trusted
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- Figure 61: Influencers on haircare maintenance and style, April 2020
- Personal, well-known haircare influencers appear in real life and online for young women
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- Figure 62: Influencers on haircare maintenance and style – women, by age, April 2020
- Hairstyle choices dictate a preference for everyday vs aspirational influencers
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- Figure 63: Influencers on haircare maintenance and style – women, by current hairstyles, April 2020
What Black Consumers Expect from Haircare Products
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- Black consumers buy products first to transform then correct hair issues
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- Figure 64: Expectations from haircare products, April 2020
- Styles that require the greatest manipulation also drive increased use of course correcting products
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- Figure 65: Expectations from haircare products – women, by current hairstyles, April 2020
- Black men who experiment with their looks want longer hair for greater style flexibility
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- Figure 66: Expectations from haircare products – men, by age, April 2020
Marketing Innovation Trends of Interest
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- Product claim with a clear benefit for hair issues drive interest
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- Figure 67: Haircare trends of interest, April 2020
- Chemical-free women want natural, “clean” products that promote hair health
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- Figure 68: Haircare trends of interest – women, by expectations from haircare products, April 2020
- Young, experimental men gravitate toward natural, multipurpose products
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- Figure 69: Haircare trends of interest – men, by age, April 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 70: Black consumer spending and forecast on regimen haircare products – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 71: Black consumer spending and forecast on regimen haircare products – table, at inflation adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 72: Black consumer spending on regimen haircare products – table, by segment, at current prices 2018 and 2020
- Figure 73: Black consumer spending and forecast on shampoo – table, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 74: Black consumer spending and forecast on shampoo – table, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 75: Black consumer spending and forecast on conditioner – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 76: Black consumer spending and forecast on conditioner – table, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 77: Black consumer spending and forecast on styling products – table, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 78: Black consumer spending and forecast on styling products – table, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 79: Black consumer spending and forecast on relaxers – table, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 80: Black consumer spending and forecast on relaxers – table, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 81: Black consumer spending and forecast on hair color – table, at current prices, 2015-25
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- Figure 82: Black consumer spending and forecast on hair color – table, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 83: Multi-outlet sales of Black haircare products, by leading Black haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 84: Multi-outlet sales of shampoo, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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- Figure 85: Multi-outlet sales of conditioner, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 86: Multi-outlet sales of styling products, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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- Figure 87: Multi-outlet sales of relaxers, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 88: Multi-outlet sales of hair color, by leading Black haircare companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
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