The beauty and personal care market experienced another strong year in 2012, improving upon its 2011 performance despite the deepening of the economic crisis in Europe and a slowdown in China’s economic growth. There have been changes in what the recessionary consumer views as "value". Consumers are now more willing to pay for convenience, with "experience" also becoming increasingly important in the value equation.
More and more companies are focusing on how consumers experience their brands and services. This new profile can be likened to that of beauty consumers, with the trend having moved into the beauty arena.
A hair treatment a day keeps the salon visit away
Consumers over the past couple of years have been searching for ways to look and feel as good as possible, as well as prolong the gap between visits to the salon in an effort to save money. This has led to a growing consumer desire for products which can help them to nourish and care for their hair. The ongoing healthy performance of conditioners enabled the hair care category to achieve the second strongest absolute growth in beauty and personal care during 2012 coming just short behind skin care.
The hair care industry has been taking advantage of this increasing desire for nourishment and health by promoting a multi-step routine similar to that in skin care, as well as by introducing more specialized treatments. This multi-step routine now includes pre-shower/bath treatments such as oils as well as leave-in treatments, overnight treatments and hair masks to be used in the shower or bath, representing a massive change …
