Products with natural and/or organic ingredients were named among the hottest trends among buyers and sellers at ECRM’s Hair and Ethnic and Ethnic Hair Care Events held last month in Atlanta. More than one-third of the 64 buyers and sellers interviewed during ECRM’s Event Debriefings (one-on-one meetings between ECRM staff and event attendees) cited demand for such products as the top trend in hair care.

Indeed, this is consistent with the increased demand for natural products across all beauty segments, according to Felicity Fromholz, Director of Sales and Partnerships for Beauty Box 5 and Lilee, a beauty and lifestyle subscription box company and regular buyer at ECRM’s HBC events.

“Our subscribers are very savvy,” says Fromholz. “They all have access to social media, they have access to each other and blogs, and the natural products are up and coming and they aren’t going away. The most successful products that we have seen are the products that have been able to blend natural ingredients with a few man-made ingredients so that they stand up better to wearing, to travel, and they last longer. We definitely recommend exploring natural – whether its beauty, oral care, or hair care – because consumers are definitely looking for items with those natural ingredients.”

Among some of the key natural trends mentioned by attendees were products with oils such as coconut, macadamia nut, and of course, argan oil, which is very hot at the moment. Products with shea butter, as well as sulfate-free shampoos are also popular with consumers.

Best New Product
With the popularity of natural, it’s not surprising that the ECRM/Drug Store News Best New Product Award winner at the Hair & Ethnic event was Topganic, a New York-based provider of natural hair care products. Topganic’s hair care line combines natural oils, extracts and minerals from the Dead Sea to provide a natural approach to protect and nourish hair. Its shampoos, conditioners, masks and other products work to prevent further damage from chemicals, heat styling and pollution, according to the company.

Natural products were also popular among ethnic hair care products, though when it comes to ethnic, treatments or various kinds were the hottest trends, including texturizers, products that help manage curls, and products that are developed for specific ethnic hair types.

Attendees also discussed the “mainstreaming” ethnic products due to rising demand – both the availability of more ethnic products in stores, as well as more ethnic product lines by mainstream product suppliers. No longer are these products restricted to several “ethnic brands” or a thin slice of the hair care aisle. Just as the ethnic population is expanding, so is the volume of new products tailored to this market.

Getting rid of Grey
While 50 Shades of Grey may be a popular movie, it seems as if consumers don’t want any shades of grey when it comes to hair color. In fact, bright colors and color streaks – or at a minimum products to remove the grey – were popular among shoppers, according to attendees. Black cherry and deep red are trending colors, as well as special effects colors and root touch-up products.

Complementing these bolder colors are more innovative styles made possible by accessories for braiding, as well as “long hair, wavy hair, and ponytail helpers,” according to one attendee. And since many consumers have the propensity to overuse some of these products, treatments to repair damaged hair – or even reverse hair loss – are a must for many.

Inside-Out
It’s interesting to note one new hair trend that’s happening came from ECRM’s Diet Vitamin and Sports Nutrition event, held last month, and that is the treatment of hair from the inside – via supplements.

Beautiful Nutrition is a new beauty, diet, health and fitness brand of Spartan Brands that is touting the concept of “Whole Body Supplements.” Its products contain advanced nutritional ingredients both topically and internally, and its collections are formulated specifically for women to provide a whole body system to enhance both appearance and well-being.

The brand’s Healthy Hair Diet supplement – which was a finalist for the ECRM/Drug Store News Best New Product Award for the Vitamins and Supplements category, contains a blend of active ingredients including biotin, zinc, vitamins C and D, Fo Ti Root, and PABA, which have been shown to be necessary for the production of collagen protein found in healthy hair, support hair thickness, promote less graying and help prevent hair loss due to insufficient vitamin D, according to the company.

Join us next year for our Hair Care and Multicultural Hair Care events:

Hair Care & Multicultural: June 6 to June 9, 2016 at Rosen Centre Hotel (Orlando, FL)
Multicultural Hair Care June 7 to June 9, 2016 at Rosen Centre Hotel (Orlando, FL)