While beauty‘s post-pandemic growth may be tempering overall, hair care is still up — and likely to stay up.
In 2024, the category grew 9 percent in the prestige market and 3 percent on the mass side, and Circana’s senior vice president and beauty industry adviser Larissa Jensen anticipates hair will see a double-digit sales surge in the prestige market this year.
Certain sectors — styling and scalp care, for instance — are particularly poised for further growth, but momentum is all around. Here, WWD spotlights six standout hair launches this spring — from Color Wow’s hopeful next cult-favorite to Curlsmith’s inaugural curly-hair curling iron.
Founder Tracee Ellis Ross is bolstering Pattern Beauty’s scalp-care suite with its first scrub. Made with pink Himalayan sea salt, cucumber, ginger root and fenugreek, the offering is meant to exfoliate dead skin cells and product buildup, also reducing scalp itchiness as a result. The brand did not specify sales expectations for the launch, though industry sources estimate the scrub, which debuts at Sephora before entering Ulta, Macy’s and nordstrom.com, could do between $2 million and $5 million in first-year sales.
Color Wow has created a cult-favorite before, and with its next humidity-proof offering (and some Beyoncé-adjacent positioning), it’s looking to do it again. Best known for its $28 Dream Coat treatment spray, one of which is sold every 4.4 seconds, the brand is debuting its second and heaviest-duty hairspray yet. Tested in 60 percent humidity conditions, the Texas Hold ‘Em spray was found by the brand to deliver 82 percent style retention eight hours after use, on average. It also claims to feature 50 percent less alcohol than other aerosol hairsprays, while requiring less product for more hold. Or in the brand’s words, “less wetter — holds better.”
Comprised of eight styling products each priced at $11.99, Tresemmé’s A-list collection aims to offer luxury-inspired hair care offerings at an affordable price point. The line includes a smoothing cream; priming, texturizing and shine sprays; a styling stick, bonding oil and even a hair fragrance — which marks a vanilla- and sandalwood-infused first for the Unilever-owned brand. The line also debuts a new, elevated “T” monogram for Tresemmé as part of its luxury-inspired bid.
Designed specifically for use on natural curls, this Curl Reviving Wand features four interchangeable attachments meant to enhance one’s natural curl pattern across varying hair types — from loose waves to ultra-tight coils. Suitable for a second- or third-day refresh, the tool offers 13 temperature settings ranging from 220 to 400 degrees Farenheit. Industry sources estimate Curlsmith’s sales to be around $50 million annually.
Mass market curly-care darling The Doux, which according to Circana holds the number-one position among textured-hair mousses with its $16.99 Mousse Def foam, is introducing an innovative format. Bonita Bubble Balm Foaming Pomade, $17.99, is a cream-to-mousse styler meant for lightweight, medium hold. Suggested as a prep step for braiding or twist-outs, or for loose-curl definition, the pomade is formulated with versatility in mind. Available at Target, Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Sally Beauty and more, The Doux reports 72 percent year-over-year growth.
Powered by a patented squalane-and-omega-9 pairing, this four-step regimen from Wella Professionals aims to smooth strands and fight frizz for up to three days. The collection entails a shampoo, conditioner, a hair mask and a hero Miracle Oil Serum, which claims to nourish strands while creating a protective barrier against environmental aggravators.