With hair colours selling like hot cakes, retailers are expected to launch more hair colour products to provide consumers a wider range to choose from  Long gone are the days when the traditional Indian consumers used hair colours only to camouflage their greys. Hair colour today is not only popular among consumers from the older generation but has become a style statement among today’s youth. People have become more open to experimenting with their looks and style. Colouring the hair has become an essential aspect of fashion statement. The colour of hair also speaks volumes about a person’s personality. Perfect outfits and shoes are not sufficient to complete the look; an ideal hairdo and hair colour have become necessary requisites too.What sets the trend?
Consumers in the country have become more conscious of what is in vogue and what is not. Now-a-days they pay a lot of attention to their appearance. Hair colour has now become a part of hair accessory for youngsters. With improvement in consumers’ purchasing power, they are now willing to spend more on personal grooming with hair care taking precedence. With the demand for hair colour products rising in the domestic market, more and more retail brands are launching wider range of such products.
Hair colouring trend is becoming increasingly popular due to easy availability of products that are safe for consumer use. Consumers can choose from a wide range of shades such as bright burgundy or copper brown to create a fashion statement. However, a section of the youth prefers to sport the natural look as well.
Global hair colour trends along with advertising of colour brands have drawn consumer attention to purchase hair colour products with the urge to flaunt their shiny and coloured tresses. The influence of the West and exposure to international stars and television shows has instilled a sense of style among the present-day youth. Also, the urge to look good and ‘in style’ sets in early among today’s youth.
Current market scenario
It has been noted that the size of the hair colour market in the year 1999 was Rs 200 crore, while in 2009 it increased to Rs 1,100 crore. Previously, streaked hair used to be restricted only to the elite class and celebrities. However, it has now become common among the general mass too. The players in the hair colour market manufacture products in a manner that suit the Indian skin tone. It is evident that the hair colour industry surged by more than five times since the last 10 years and is presently growing at 14% on a year-on-year basis. The hair colour market is now increasingly seeking to penetrate deep into the domestic market and cater to the ever growing consumer demand.
It should also be noted that apart from hair colour, beauty salons are also witnessing an upward trend. The Indian beauty salon market has been witnessing 42% growth annually.
The trend to colour hair is definitely here to stay in the Indian market, thereby boosting the demand for hair colour and associated products. Players dealing in hair colours are vying for consumer attention in order to create brand loyalty among them.
Ashish Chhabra, director of Hygienic Research Institute Pvt. Ltd (HRIPL), manufacturer of hair colouring products in Mumbai |
