In an ever-increasing digital era, where image through social media has never been so focal, the importance of social platform users’ image and look should lead to increased sales of beauty products, such as color cosmetics or hair styling agents. Yet, the overall hair styling market has been seeing a slight contraction, in both volume and value, for the past five years.

While other beauty categories benefit from this trend, there is still potential for growth for hair styling products over the longer term, if brands owners can change the image of styling agents through brand engagement, clever packaging and strong communication to the main target audience, the millennials and generation Z.

Photos in the slideshow above: 2. Chart: Metal Aerosol Cans by Region/source: Euromonitor International; 3. The author, Mylan Nguyen.

Metal Aerosol Cans Are The Preferred Format For Styling Agents

Styling agents include a wide range of products, such as hairsprays, mousse, gels, creams, oils, waxes, lacquers, powders and de-frizzing serums. Still, the most common pack type for styling agents remains the metal aerosol can, which accounts for 29% of all styling agents packaging in 2015, equating to 600 million cans.

Metal aerosol cans however continue to lose share as consumers increasingly prefer other styling products, such as creams, pastes and waxes, which come in plastic jars. This is particularly the case in Asia Pacific and Western Europe, where the shift to styling agents in other plastic jars is more noticeable. As a result, by 2020, other plastic jars are expected to gain three percentage points globally to account for 21% of all styling agent’s pack types globally, while metal aerosol cans are anticipated to lose share to reach 26%.

Representing 18% share in 2015, squeezable plastic tubes is also another common pack type for styling agents, typically used for gels. HDPE bottles, at 17%, are applied to a number of products, including hairsprays and creams.

Germans Are The Largest Users of Hairsprays Globally

Western Europe dominated volume sales of styling agents in metal aerosol cans in 2015, accounting for 61% of global sales. German consumers are particularly enthusiastic about hairsprays with the country accounting for most of the volume sales in the region. In fact, it is almost equivalent to the volume sales of the UK, Spain, France and Italy combined.

Nevertheless, sales of hairsprays in the region stagnate as the market increasingly matures. In countries such as France, styling agents in metal aerosol cans are perceived as old-fashioned and become less and less present in consumers’ hair care routines.

Looking at value sales, Western Europe’s decline stems from lower unit prices. Indeed, sales of styling agents decline faster in value than in volume as consumers continue to watch their spending, preferring cheaper styling agents. Within the largest Western European markets for styling agents, only the UK is seeing growth as younger British consumers are highly influenced by social media and the selfie culture, and like to experiment with new looks.

Packaging Innovation And Social Media To Revive Hair Styling Products

While Western Europe is foreseen to continue to largely dominate metal aerosol cans in styling agents globally, all regions’ performances are expected to remain flat between 2015 and 2020. Middle East and Africa is the exception, forecast to post a CAGR of 6% over 2015-2020, however from a small base.

In such a stagnant market, only brand owners with a strong product and packaging strategy will see their brand succeed. Indeed, packaging differentiation is a way to give hair styling agents a fresher look. For instance, for its TIGI Bed Head brand, Unilever tends to choose unique aerosol can shapes for its hairspray product range, including its Headrush, Masterpiece and Superstar products.

L’Oréal opted for a different strategy by diversifying its offer, extending its hairspray range to revive its Elnett brand. The company recently launched Elnett Satin Crème de Mousse, a hair styling product in a metal aerosol can with a pump closure, a new format that will stand out on retail shelves, in the brand’s distinctive gold color.

It is also essential for brand owners to have an active online presence and use social media networks as a marketing tool to reach the millennials and generation Z groups, who drive sales of styling agents globally. Increasingly, brand owners engage with influential bloggers, such as L’Oréal that created the L’Oréal League in 2016, working with 15 bloggers to spread the brand message on social media platforms.

Creating strong bonds with influential bloggers can help brand owners promote their products through tutorials and reviews. Furthermore, reaching a wider consumer base could also give metal aerosol cans in hair styling agents a much needed boost in the longer term.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mylan Nguyen is a packaging analyst at Euromonitor International.