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- US Black Haircare Market Report 2022
Unlock the potential of the US Black hair care market with our comprehensive report. Our Black hair care industry analysis examines consumer attitudes towards Black hair care products, Black hair care trends, and the impact of inflation on the Black hair care industry. You’ll gain invaluable insight into the Black hair care market size in the US, as well as market projections, segmentation, and the latest Black hair care trends. With our extensive Black Hair Care Market Report, you can gain a better understanding of how to respond to changing consumer demands and take advantage of new opportunities to stay ahead of your competition. Download your copy today.
The Black Hair Care Industry: Current Market Landscape
The US Black hair care market was hit hard by the pandemic due to a reduction in out-of-home activities, which led consumers to experiment with less product. This has resulted in a long-term trend toward minimalism and efficiency.
The Black hair care market is projected to remain flat through 2027, as a prolonged period of economic uncertainty will lead to continued cautious spending habits. With only small gains predicted due to inflationary pricing, natural Black hair care product positioning will be key to retaining relevance. Once the economic outlook improves, more prolific spending in beauty categories will pick up again.
Black Hair Care Trends: What Consumers Want and Why
Black American adults strongly associate their hair with personal identity. What they want, are Black hair care products that help them create their overall look, indicating Black hair care goes beyond nice-to-have beauty/hygiene helpers to being essential tools in establishing and communicating oneself to the wider world.
Mintel’s Black hair care industry analysis has identified natural hair trends as a result of the pandemic and inflation. Shoppers are pulling back on non-essential purchases amid inflationary pricing, and their preference for natural styles may imply a simplification in product repertoires, however, the cyclical nature of styles will likely mean return to more manipulated and cost-intensive haircare routines.
- Black Hair Care Consumer Behavior: 71% of Black American adults agree their hair is important in creating their overall look and contributes to their personal identity.
- Black Hair Care Trends: The natural hair trend has established itself following the pandemic with 81% of Black adults saying that healthy hair is the ultimate beauty accessory.
- Hair Care Products Market Share: With 78%, shampoo holds the largest share in the US Black hair care market.
- Black Hair Care Market Opportunity: Only half of Black hair care consumers (52%) see their hair texture represented in ads, pointing to opportunity to deepen relevance and connections for Black hair care companies to expand the types of hair represented in media and marketing.
Market Opportunities in the US Black Hair Care Market
The strong association of hair styles with personal identity gives Black hair care companies the opportunity to help consumers establish and achieve their look. While women aged 18 to 54 are the categories’ main target demographic, young men are expressing interest in trying new styles, making them an audience for education efforts.
As economic uncertainty continues to impact consumer spending, Black hair care companies must focus on necessity, value, and fun in experimenting with new styles to encourage shoppers. As a result of natural Black hair care trends, hair health is an ideal investment for brands. They can offer buyers clean/natural Black hair care products without harmful chemicals to meet consumer demands.
To discover more about the Black Hair Care Market, read our US Shampoo, Conditioner & Hairstyling Products Market Report 2022, or take a look at our extensive Haircare & Grooming Market Research.
Quickly Understand the Black Hair Care Industry
- Natural hair texture and hairstyles worn.
- Black hair care products and styling tools purchased.
- Black hair care products purchase location.
- Influence of social media on Black hair care.
- Attitudes toward hair and style.
Covered in this Report
Products: Haircare products specifically formulated and marketed to Black consumers, general haircare products purchased by Black consumers. These include shampoo, conditioner and treatments, styling products (hair spray), relaxers, home hair colorant, hair accessories (brushes, hair clips, headbands), wigs, weaves, extensions, electric haircare products (straightening irons).
Brands: heart braid, Got2b, Unilever (MULO, Shea Moisture), Ecoco (Ecostyle), Procter & Gamble (Mielle Organics), Ulta Beauty, Sally Beauty, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart, PDC (Cantu), L’Oréal, Revlon, Camille Rose Naturals, Miss Jessie’s, Namasté Laboratories, Strength of Nature, and more.
Expert-Insights into Black Hair Care Trends
This report, written by Courtney Rominiyi, a leading multicultural analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current black hair care trends in the US Black hair care market, and adds expert context to the numbers.
Haircare products straddle multiple identities, with some products viewed as purchase essentials, and others as nice-to-haves. Amid this inflationary period during which shoppers are spending conservatively, Black hair care companies will want to stake the claim that their full repertoire is seen as essential must-haves that serve as foundational to personal hygiene and personal identity.
Courtney Rominiyi
Multicultural Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Forecast fan chart of expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, conditioner, and styling products, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 2: Black haircare outlook, 2023-27
- Opportunities and challenges
- Focus on hair health can increase essential natural of category
- Figure 3: Agreement with attitudes toward hair and style*, 2022
- Majority of respondents look for clean/natural products
- Figure 4: Shopping and hairstyling statements – Products, 2022
- Opportunity to step in as a more natural proxy for chemical relaxers
- Figure 5: Percent change in expenditures by Black consumers for styling products, shampoo, conditioner, hair color, and relaxers, 2017-22
- Brands are not resonating on social media
- Figure 6: Influence of social media on Black haircare, 2022
- Key consumer insights
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Market Size and Forecast
- Black haircare spend declines when adjusted for inflation
- Figure 7: Forecast fan chart of expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, conditioner, and styling products, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 8: Expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, conditioner, and styling products, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 9: Expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, conditioner, and styling products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Black haircare spend declines when adjusted for inflation
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Segment Performance
- Draw of natural styles, cost savings evident in segment sales performance
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- Figure 10: Expenditures by Black consumers for styling products, shampoo, conditioner, hair color, and relaxers, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 11: Percent change in expenditures by Black consumers for styling products, shampoo, conditioner, hair color, and relaxers, 2017-22
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Market Factors
- Inflation continues to hover near 40-year high
- Figure 12: Consumer price index change from previous period, 2020-22
- Unemployment starts to creep up from 50-year low
- Figure 13: Unemployment, 2020-22
- Largest share of Black households earns less than $25K annually
- Figure 14: Household income distribution, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2020
- Figure 15: Median household income, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2020
- Cleaning hair leads Black adult beauty/grooming priorities
- Figure 16: Top three beauty/grooming priorities, 2022
- Health concerns may stall sales of relaxers and related products
- Black hair in the legislative and cinematic limelight
- Figure 17: The Hair Tales, 2022
- Inflation continues to hover near 40-year high
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Market Share
- Unilever controls nearly a quarter of MULO Black haircare market
- P&G acquisition of Mielle secures spot in the Black haircare leader board
- Ecoco benefits from style trends
- Figure 18: Edge Styler, 2022
- PDC’s Cantu posts first losses in several years, turns to star power for help
- Figure 19: Share of multi-outlet sales of black haircare, by leading haircare companies, 52 weeks ending November 6, 2022
- Figure 20: Multi-outlet sales of black haircare, by leading haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2021 vs 2022
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Natural positioning is a path to value
- Figure 21: BPC brand preferences, 2022
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- Figure 22: Beauty/grooming value indicators, 2022
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- Figure 23: Leading claims among hair product launches featuring the ethnic claim, 2020-22
- Figure 24: Leading claims among hair product launches featuring an ethnic claim, 2020 vs 2022
- Figure 25: Beauty/grooming product impulse purchase, 2022
- Professional recommendations help get the foot in the door
- Figure 26: BPC shopping behaviors and influences, 2022
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- Figure 27: Motivations for BPC impulse purchasing, 2022
- Old Spice reminds that bald is a hairstyle too
- Figure 28: Bald is a hairstyle too, 2022
- Appeal to parents with parents
- Figure 29: Father and son finger coil magic, 2022
- Haircare as a launch pad to wider product/lifestyle range
- Figure 30: Father and son finger coil magic, 2022
- Figure 31: Pattern + M.A.C. lipstick, 2022
- Natural positioning is a path to value
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The Black Haircare Consumer – Fast Facts
- Only half of Black adults commonly see their hair represented in ads
- Majority of respondents currently wear their hair natural
- Respondents stick to preferred style, but experimentation is seen
- A third of haircare product buyers purchase 5+ types of products
- Brands are leaving social media influence on the table
- Hair and hair health are essential to appearance
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Natural Hair Texture
- Majority of respondents have coiled hair
- Figure 32: Pattern conditioners, 2022
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- Figure 33: Old Spice Wavy Curly, 2022
- Figure 34: Natural hair texture, 2022
- Opportunity exists for hair education among older men
- Figure 35: Curl Guide: Tight Textures, 2022
- Figure 36: Natural hair texture, by gender and age, 2022
- Only about half of Black adults see their hair represented in ads
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward hair and style – Texture, 2022
- Majority of respondents have coiled hair
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Hairstyles Worn
- Majority of respondents currently wear their hair natural
- Figure 38: Current hairstyles worn, 2022
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- Figure 39: Current hairstyles, by gender and age, 2022
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- Figure 40: Transition Mask use with wig, 2022
- One in five Black adults have worn 4+ styles in the past three years
- Figure 41: Transition Mask, 2022
- Figure 42: Number of hairstyles worn in the past three years, 2022
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- Figure 43: Attitudes toward hair and style – styles, 2022
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- Figure 44: Shopping and hairstyling statements – styles, 2022
- Young women are the strongest audience for style exploration and trial
- Figure 45: Repertoire of hairstyles worn in the past three years, by gender and age, 2022
- Figure 46: Recreating Tracee Ellis Ross’s braided style, 2022
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- Figure 47: Shopping and hairstyling statements – Styles, by gender and age, 2022
- Figure 48: Agreement* with attitudes toward hair styles, by gender and age, 2022
- Respondents with coiled hair most likely to experiment with styles
- Figure 49: Number of hairstyles worn in the past three years, by hair texture, 2022
- Majority of respondents currently wear their hair natural
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Haircare Products Purchased
- While shampoo/conditioner lead, hair oil purchase is strong
- Figure 50: Haircare products purchased, 2022
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- Figure 51: Haircare products purchased, 2020-22
- 62% of Black women age 18-34 purchase edge control products
- Figure 52: Edge Styler, 2023
- Figure 53: Edges for everybody, 2022
- Don’t forget men
- Figure 54: #MenHaveHairToo, 2022
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- Figure 55: Hair has no gender, 2022
- Figure 56: Haircare products purchased, 2022
- A third of haircare products buyers purchase 5+ types of products
- Figure 57: Repertoire of haircare products purchased, 2022
- Young women have wide carts, older men prefer multi-taskers
- Figure 58: Number of haircare products purchased, by gender and age, 2022
- Coiled hair leads to wider product repertoires
- Figure 59: The secret to styling afro curly hair, 2022
- Figure 60: Number of haircare products purchased, by hair texture, 2022
- Majority of respondents look for clean/natural products
- Figure 61: Attitudes toward hair and style – products, 2022
- While shampoo/conditioner lead, hair oil purchase is strong
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Haircare Product Purchase Location
- 84% of respondents have purchased haircare products online
- Figure 62: Haircare product purchase location, 2022
- Young shoppers gravitate toward dollar stores
- Figure 63: In-store purchasing, by gender and age, 2022
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- Figure 64: Online purchasing, by gender and age, 2022
- Beauty retailers can gain young Black women by expanding offerings
- Figure 65: Dissatisfaction with beauty store product offerings, 2022
- Figure 66: Dissatisfaction with beauty store product offerings, by gender and age, 2022
- 84% of respondents have purchased haircare products online
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Hair Styling Tools Used
- Combs/brushes have widest reach
- Figure 67: The Shower Brush, 2022
- Figure 68: Hair styling tools used, 2022
- Men cut their own hair, women shape it
- Figure 69: Hair styling tools used, by gender and age, 2022
- Combs/brushes have widest reach
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Influence of Social Media on Black Haircare
- Only a third of respondents say social media helps them find new styles/products
- Figure 70: Influence of social media on Black haircare, 2022
- Social media has slightly stronger resonance among young Black women
- Figure 71: Influence of social media on Black haircare, by gender and age, 2022
- Figure 72: Social media as avenue for product discovery, by gender and age, 2022
- Only a third of respondents say social media helps them find new styles/products
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Attitudes Toward Hair and Style
- Hair and hair health seen as essential to appearance
- Figure 73: #RockYourPattern, 2022
- Figure 74: Wash day, 2022
- Figure 75: #HonorYourPattern, 2022
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- Figure 76: Agreement* with attitudes toward hair and style, 2022
- Hair wins out over makeup among women
- Figure 77: Attitudes toward hair and style – Any agree (net*), by gender and age, 2022
- Hair and hair health seen as essential to appearance
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 78: Expenditures by Black consumers for styling products, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 79: Expenditures by Black consumers for styling products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 80: Expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 81: Expenditures by Black consumers for shampoo, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 82: Expenditures by Black consumers for conditioner, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 83: Expenditures by Black consumers for conditioner, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 84: Expenditures by Black consumers for hair color, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 85: Expenditures by Black consumers for hair color, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 86: Expenditures by Black consumers for relaxers, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 87: Expenditures by Black consumers for relaxers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
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Appendix – Companies and Brands
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- Figure 88: Multi-outlet sales of black haircare, by leading haircare companies, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Figure 89: Multi-outlet sales of shampoo for Black haircare, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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- Figure 90: Multi-outlet sales of conditioner for Black haircare, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Figure 91: Multi-outlet sales of styling products for Black haircare, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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- Figure 92: Multi-outlet sales of relaxers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Figure 93: Multi-outlet sales of hair color for Black haircare, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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