The hair colourant market is predicted to decline in value by 5% in 2014, largely due to discount retailers offering cheaper brands. However, with 31% of people colouring at the salon in the last 12 months (higher amongst those aged 16-34), the growing availability of online discount vouchers for salon services offered by websites such as Groupon may also be impacting the retail hair colourant market. The period October 2013-October 2014 has seen a rise in value of temporary hair colourants, with the launch of brands such as Bleach, offering bright and pastel temporary colours, driving this. Type of colour/shade, brand name and low price are the three most important purchasing factors in this category, and when it comes to all-over colouring products (such as permanent or semi-permanent colour) consumers stick to shades close to their natural colour.

Within this report we investigate people’s natural hair colour and grey levels, as well as most popular dyed shades and top factors influencing purchase of hair colour. This report also investigates the perceptions associated with different hair colour formats (such as liquids, creams and foams).

The hair colourants sector includes the following product categories:

• Permanents (do not wash out of hair)

• Semi-permanent (last between six and eight washes)

• Temporary colourants

• Tone on tone hair colour (including restorers and removers)

• Colour-enhancing shampoos (also known as colour glazes)

• Hair cosmetics (eg Luscious Locks hi-lights hair mascara, The Glow Company UV Hair Mascara, TIGI Bedhead Wigged Out hair mascara) are excluded from market sizing, although these are discussed in the context of the report.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail sales value (RSV) unless otherwise stated. Market sizes at constant 2014 prices are calculated using Mintel’s Chemist Goods deflator.

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