The use of most hair colourants has remained largely unchanged since 2020. Consumers aged 25-34 are the most engaged users, but participation drops as age increases. Most German consumers use hair colourants every 2-3 months, while nearly a third uses them monthly.
Hair health shapes the category since 74% of at-home colourant users agree that maintaining hair health is more important to them than achieving the perfect colour. Further, moisturising and scalp-caring products have become staples among users of at-home hair colourants. Brands can support frequent users with caring products such as colour masks or root care products.
Plant-based hair colourants, albeit still niche, are most commonly used by younger consumers. However, interest among those aged 55-64 is high. Brands can sway sceptical consumers to plant-based hair colourants through user testimonials, a focus on longevity and convenient application solutions.
Hair colouring is a social activity, with 48% of German users usually asking friends or family members to help them colour their hair at home. Brands can share in these experiences and foster loyalty by offering two-for-one deals, teamwork rewards, specialised tools or virtual help.
This report looks at the following areas:
- The usage of hair colourants
- Natural hair colours and types
- The frequency of application of hair colourants, with most consumers colouring every 2-3 months
- Hair colourants consumers tried or are interested in trying, with a focus on moisturising and scalp-caring products
- Reasons for using purely plant-based at-home hair colourants, such as perceptions of gentleness for hair and scalp
- Concerns about purely plant-based at-home hair colourant products, with money and shade selection being key concerns
- Behaviours towards hair colourants
- Launch activity and innovation
To reinvigorate the hair colourants category, focus on hair health, make hair dyeing a bonding experience and explore niche products such as plant-based colourants.
Henrike Philipp, Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines the German hair colourants market. For the purposes of the Report, Mintel has used the following to define the hair colourants market:
- permanent (does not wash out of hair)
- semi-permanent (lasts between six and eight weeks)
- temporary colourants
- tone-on-tone hair colour (including restorers and removers)
- products that have conditioner attributes but the main focus is colouring
Excluded: professional and hairdresser sales to consumers
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size and forecast
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Focus on hair health
- Hair health is a key concern for consumers, one that plant-based hair colourants can address
- Hair health claims are gaining momentum across Europe
- Prioritise root care for healthier hair colouring
- Ingredient researchers are conscious of hair health
- Highlight the longevity and environmental-friendliness of plant-based colourants
- Plant-based hair colourant users skew younger and use colourants frequently
- Graph 1: interest in trying purely plant-based products, 2024
- Major barriers are shade range, lack of convenience…
- …and inconsistent results
- Leverage testimonials to bridge the information gap
- Facilitate a supportive, enjoyable and seamless at-home hair colouring experience
- Develop products and tools for shared experiences
- Tailor products to specific hair types
- Give extra support to consumers dyeing just their roots
- Josh Wood offers help on colouring at home
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CONSUMER
- Hair colours and types and the use of hair colourants
- Usage remained similar to 2023
- Graph 2: usage of at-home hair colourants, 2023 vs 2024
- Brands can engage more men with grey coverage
- The most prominent hair colour is medium blonde, followed by dark brown
- Graph 3: consumers’ natural hair colours, 2024
- The most common natural hair textures are straight and wavy
- Graph 4: consumers’ natural hair textures, 2024
- The frequency of hair colourant application
- Most consumers use hair colourants once every 2-3 months
- Support ‘super users’ with maintenance between salon visits
- Hair colourants consumers tried or are interested in trying
- Caring hair colourant products are the most popular with Germans
- Graph 5: hair colourants tried or interested in trying, 2024
- Protection from environmental stressors is the most interesting to older consumers
- Use personalisation as an opportunity to upsell
- Purely plant-based hair colourants
- Who are the plant-based colourant users?
- Graph 6: interest in trying purely plant-based products, by age, 2024
- Reasons for using purely plant-based at-home hair colourants
- Plant-based appeal lies in its gentleness to the body and planet
- Plant-based colourants offer greater hair protection benefits to women
- Long-lasting natural colour appeals to root colourers
- Barriers to usage of purely plant-based colourants
- Price is the main deterrent for non-users
- Graph 7: reasons for avoiding purely plant-based at-home hair colourant products, 2024
- Address consumers’ concerns
- Behaviours towards hair colourants
- Hair health plays a crucial role in root colouring
- Covering greys is still important to consumers
- Hair colouring can be a bonding experience
- Lead with colour-safe claims in shampoos
- Graph 8: behaviours towards at-home hair colourants, 2024
- Environmental impact is important to consumers
- Graph 9: behaviours towards at-home hair colourants, 2024
- Ingredient researchers care about their hair health
- Germans stay true to what they are used to doing
- Graph 10: behaviour towards at-home hair colourants, 2024
- Non-natural colours prove to be popular with Younger Millennials
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INNOVATION
- The top claims in Germany involve brightening/illuminating and long lasting effects
- Graph 11: top claims in hair colourants, 2023 vs 2024
- Haircare claims in colourants are on an upwards trajectory
- Graph 12: hair colourant launches with select claims, 2020-24
- The focus on hair health is seen in launches with strengthening aspects
- Make hair colourants more sustainable through upcycled ingredients and reusable hair colour
- The global slowdown in innovation also appears in hair colourants
- Graph 13: launch types in hair colourants, 2023 vs 2024
- International inspiration: fun formats…
- …and plant-based hair colourants
- L’Oréal Colorsonic finally launched in 2024
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- The cost of living continues to keep consumers out of salons and at home
- The ageing population threatens hair colourants
- Environmental concerns can drive the category
- Market size
- Market growth has picked up after the post-pandemic slump
- Graph 14: value market size for hair colourants, 2020-24
- Market segmentation
- Growth across all hair colourant segments
- Market forecast
- Mintel forecasts stagnant growth, buoyed by rising prices
- Sustain growth through a focus on hair health and grey coverage
- Market share
- Two main players dominate the market
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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