Shampoos, hair tonics, anti-aging hair care, and UV protection are the great basics of the daily hair care ritual of Asian women, who are real trendsetters in cosmetics. Here are some explanations and selections of innovative products made by the Information & Inspiration agency at the 2014 Beyond Beauty show in Paris.
Information & Inspiration is a French monitoring agency specialized in Asian cosmetics markets (market follow-up, product collection in situ , setting up of a product database, follow-up of the current and emerging key trends, understanding of consumers in the field, deciphering of changes…). At the 2014 Beyond Beauty show BB Lab, the agency presented several selections of about fifty new hair care launches from Asia (China, South Korea and Japan). They comprised both men and women products, local niche brands (there is a huge number of them in South Korea), or major international names from the mass market or selective distribution, and, as usual, very colourful, original, and playful packaging examples (with the shape of bees’ nests, illustrated with manga characters, refills…), westernized names (Oh My God!!, Scalp UV, Ice Crystal, Wax K.O. Shampoo…), and formulas that tend to highlight naturalness (silicone-free, paraben-free, no derivatives from the oil industry…, honey as a star ingredient). Oils were at the forefront, both in compositions and as a texture, as well as scalp care, anti-aging, UV protection, and the emergence of masks to be applied under a fabric bouffant cap. However, there were no scalp scrubs, or dry shampoos, as they are not …