Hair care ingredients to watch, from Mintel

Andrew McDougall, Global Haircare Analyst at Mintel, recently revealed​ his expert insight into key ingredients trends to follow.

They are:

• Build on healthy eating perceptions

• Use botanical/herbal extracts in anti-pollution haircare

• Jump on the turmeric bandwagon

• Use natural/food remedies for a daily hair detox

“As consumers become more aware of the ingredients they eat, drink or use for beauty purposes, interest in natural and food-based ingredients is rising,”​ he explains.

“Using natural food ingredients that are rich in antioxidants can be positioned to help protect hair and lessen pollution damage concerns.​

“ As food and antioxidant-rich ingredients cross into beauty and personal care, look for the following haircare trends that are starting to emerge.”​

Healthy eating​

As McDougall notes, food and beauty has long been linked and now, formulating for hair care with food ingredients taps into the rise in consumer interest in wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, and naturals.

Use trending food ingredients that are linked to better hair and skin, and vitamin and mineral claims relating to hair maintenance, suggests the market analyst.

Herbal focus​

Moringa, a purifying extract that is commonly used to remove pollutants and counteract free radical damage caused by pollution, and the Indian Lotus Flower are both ingredients to watch, suggests McDougall.

The Kakadu plum, native to Australia, is also an ingredient likely to trend in this area.

“Brands should look to other natural ingredients that have similar potential as an anti-pollution extract to help tell the botanical/herbal story​,” says McDougall.

Turmeric: wonder ingredient?​

Turmeric can help cleanse the scalp and hair of toxins caused by pollution exposure, suggests Mintel's analyst, meaning it can tap into consumer interest in anti-pollution claims

Further to this, its antibiotic properties make it a natural exfoliator, making it one food ingredient that meets a lot of rising consumer demands in hair care.

“Turmeric can also be used to help prevent hair loss, as it keeps the scalp healthier and helps to prevent hair fall thanks to its active chemical curcumin,​” says the analyst.

Natural remedies for ‘detox’​

“As well as protecting hair, brands should also look to natural food remedies that help cleanse and detox the hair and scalp from exposure to the elements​,” suggests McDougall.

The Mintel analyst says that tumeric again has potential here, as well as pink salt.