Hair oil usage in India is on the decline, particularly in urban areas and among younger consumers, who perceive the format as inconvenient for their fast-paced, modern lifestyles. This trend is further underscored by a notable drop in product launches within the category.
To regain relevance and drive innovation, brands must reposition hair oils as versatile, multi-functional solutions that address modern challenges such as pollution, UV exposure and hard water. Additionally, with stress increasingly recognised as a significant internal factor affecting hair health, hair oils have a unique opportunity to capitalise by positioning themselves as an effective stress-relief ritual.
Consumers are increasingly prioritising efficacy in their haircare choices. To meet these expectations, brands can enhance credibility and appeal by blending tech-driven formulations with trusted traditional ingredients. Following the skinification trend in haircare, incorporating proven actives further strengthens a product’s effectiveness and trustworthiness.
Ingredient innovation can drive differentiation and reignite growth in the saturated hair oils market. This Report highlights consumers’ preferred ingredients, and explores the specific haircare concerns these ingredients can effectively address.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Key trends in India’s hair oils category
- Understanding the demographic nuances of hair oils’ usage
- Identifying perceived hair stressors that help reposition oils as modern-day protectors
- Willingness to pay more for science-backed benefits, and opportunity to elevate hair oils with advanced features
- Understanding consumer interest in ingredients, and opportunities for differentiation
Reignite hair oils' relevance, evolving them from traditional nourishers to modern protectors. Strengthen efficacy through science, and drive growth with ingredient-led innovation.
Tanya Rajani, Principal Analyst, Beauty & Personal Care, India
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Mintel’s perspective
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- The outlook for India’s hair oil category
- Evolve hair oils from traditional nourishers to modern protectors
- Graph 1: factors that consumers claim negatively affect hair, by hair oil users, 2025
- Unlock growth by blending tradition with science
- Graph 2: awareness of ingredients in haircare products, total vs Science-driven Hair Oil Users, 2025
- Leverage multi-oil blends to deliver targeted, efficacy-focused solutions
- Graph 3: features considered when choosing one hair oil over another, by region, 2024
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KEY TRENDS AND MARKET FACTORS
- What you need to know
- Hair oil innovation momentum shifts from India to North Asia
- India’s innovation edge in hair oils slows as China’s accelerates
- Graph 4: share of hair oil launches, 2020-25
- North Asian markets are setting the pace for hair oil innovation
- Hear more from our global experts
- Hair oils can shift from general care to concern-led formulations
- Opportunity for hair oils to expand beyond traditional hairloss positioning, addressing a broader range of hair concerns
- Graph 5: hair concerns, 2024 vs 2025
- Opportunity for hair oils to expand beyond traditional hairloss positioning, addressing a broader range of hair concerns
- Graph 6: claims landscape for hair treatments, 2025
- Innovate, differentiate and broaden hair oils’ relevance by positioning them as multi-benefit, concern-focused solutions
- Look to North Asian markets, and put hair concerns front and centre
- Use ingredients to demonstrate hair oils’ functional impact of hair oils
- Efficacy in haircare is being increasingly validated through science
- There is rising demand for efficacy-driven haircare innovation
- Haircare brands leverage scientific evidence to demonstrate credibility
- Growing demand for efficacy is driving the rise of active ingredients
- Graph 7: interest in purchasing beauty and personal care products with select features, 2025
- Actives are becoming central to hair serum innovation
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- What you need to know
- Position oils as targeted solutions for hair issues caused by ‘modern factors’
- Hair oil usage sees early signs of decline
- Graph 8: hair oil usage, by generation, 2024 vs 2025
- Graph 9: hair oil usage, by city tier, 2024 vs 2025
- Make hair oils the new defense against external aggressors
- Graph 10: select factors that consumers claim negatively affect hair, hair oil users by generation and city tier, 2025
- Graph 11: features willing to pay more for in hair oils, hair oil users by generation, 2025
- Environmental protection claims remain niche in India
- Graph 12: share of hair oil launches, by select environmental protection claims, 2022-25
- Now: position hair oils as a daily defense solution for urban consumers exposed to harsh environments
- Reposition oils as treatment solutions for hairloss in a polluted world
- Conceptualising a hair oil with Mintel Spark that offers environmental protection and addresses users’ key concerns
- Environmental stress redefines scalp concerns
- Graph 13: factors that negatively affect the hair, hair oil users with scalp concerns vs those without, 2025
- Lead innovation by embracing the scalp care trend
- Graph 14: microbiome claims on shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment launches with scalp claims, 2020-25
- Next: offer hair oils that care for the scalp microbiome and offer barrier support
- Reimagine hair oils as scalp-barrier-boosters through ingredient innovation
- Address stress’ impact on hair health
- Graph 15: factors that consumers claim negatively affect hair, by hair oil users, 2025
- Now: elevate ‘champi’ into a modern wellness moment
- Now: recreate the calming ritual of a salon hair massage at home through easy-to-use formats
- Designing hair oils with Mintel Spark that calm the mind while caring for the hair
- Next: incorporate adaptogens as a way to bridge beauty and wellbeing
- Tulsi: an untapped adaptogen for hair oils
- Graph 16: share of hair oil launches containing tulsi (or ‘holy basil’), 2020-25
- Future: neurocosmetics in scalp health
- The future of hair oils lies in marrying trust in nature with scientific proof
- Blend tradition with science to unlock growth
- Unlock growth by blending tradition with science
- Demographic profile of Science-driven Hair Oil Users
- In a traditionally natural category, expectations around efficacy and proof are evolving
- Now: champion dermatologically tested claims to appeal to science-driven consumers
- Graph 17: shampoo and hair oil launches with a ‘dermatologically tested’ claim, 2020-25
- Now: innovate with scientific features
- The next evolution of hair oils blends botanicals with actives
- Graph 18: awareness of ingredients in haircare products, by total vs Science-driven Hair Oil Users, 2025
- Awareness of actives is high, but understanding of their hair benefits is low
- Graph 19: awareness of ingredients in haircare products among Science-driven Hair Oil Users, 2025
- Anchor active ingredients in clear, benefit-led messaging
- Now: leverage biotin and keratin science for stronger, fuller hair
- Next: integrate popular skincare ingredients to enhance efficacy and modern appeal
- Next: redefine haircare with science-backed skincare ingredients trending in South Korea
- Graph 20: active ingredients in shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment launches, 2022-25
- Unlock hair oil growth through ingredient innovation
- Coconut oil remains the undisputed leader in hair oils, but regional favourites create opportunities for differentiation
- Graph 21: top five single hair oils used in the past six months, by region, 2025
- Multi-oil blends drive the majority of recent product launches
- Leverage multi-oil blends to deliver targeted, efficacy-focused solutions
- Graph 22: features considered when choosing one hair oil over another, by region, 2024
- Tap into region-specific ingredient preferences to unlock fresh opportunities for innovation and growth
- Turn ingredient interest into a catalyst for brand differentiation
- Graph 23: hair oil launches, by select botanical ingredients*, 2022-25
- Concerns fuel greater openness to try new ingredients
- Graph 24: ingredients of interest in hair oils, total vs Ingredient Adventurers, 2025
- Position hair oils with innovative ingredients as targeted follicle therapy
- Graph 25: top four hair concerns experienced, total vs Ingredient Adventurers, 2025
- Now: use avocado oil for stronger, softer hair
- Now: soothing ingredients for scalp sensitivity can draw premium
- Graph 26: scalp concerns experienced, total vs Ingredient Adventurers, 2025
- Now: innovate with soothing ingredients suitable for sensitive scalp consumers
- Fenugreek’s potential in hair oils is underleveraged
- Graph 27: ingredients of interest in hair oils, total hair oil users vs those with hairloss and dry hair, 2025
- Make fenugreek the next big ingredient in hair oils
- How onion hair oils won: a four-part strategy
- Mintel Spark demonstrates the potential of methi seed oil
- Now: capitalise on rose oil’s scalp caring efficacy and sensory appeal
- Graph 28: ingredients of interest in hair oils, by total vs those with oily and itchy scalp, 2025
- Now: counter dryness with licorice
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APPENDIX
- Ingredient list
- Consumer survey methodology
- Social data research methodology
- Repertoire analysis
- TURF analysis
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