Bulldog edges into hair care with ‘natural hero ingredients’ range

Launched last month following two years of development, the Bulldog hair care range featured three styling products – a pomade, cream and salt spray – all vegan certified and packaged using post-consumer recycled or plant-based plastic packaging. The range had been launched online via various platforms and across the UK in Boots stores, in France exclusively with Monoprix, and across Scandinavia.

James Barnes, general manager of Bulldog Skincare, said the shift into hair care had been a natural and strategic move.

‘Effective natural styling agents’​

“Our target consumer is men that want quality hair styling products that don’t compromise,”​ Barnes told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.

“That’s why each product has been specially developed using effective natural styling agents – in place of traditional synthetic ones – and natural hero ingredients known for their caring properties.”​

The range featured several key ‘hero’ natural ingredients, he said, including argan oil and shea butter – both responsibly sourced and fully traceable. The styling spray also starred sustainably sourced Mediterranean Sea salt as its central ingredient.

The overall goal of shifting into hair care, Barnes said, was to bring Bulldog’s skin care expertise to the category, offering men products that could ‘care’ for their hair whilst still delivering on style.

And its not Bulldog’s first shift outside of skin care. Bulldog was also present in the beard care and shaving categories, expanding its offering in 2020 in the latter with a second sustainable bamboo razor designed for sensitive skin​. The goal of this expansion had been to plug an ongoing gap in men’s shaving, according to management.

‘Hero’ hair care movement with a natural twist?​

Last year, beverage major Vita Coco launched into hair care​ with a range of shampoos, conditioners and treatments featuring the company’s star ingredient: coconut.

Vita Coco’s EMEA managing director said the company’s “wonderful brand equity”​ put it in good stead in the fiercely competitive natural hair care market along with the fact it was working with such a well-known ingredient with proven benefits.

International beauty major L’Oréal also filed a patent last year on a curly hair styling formula​ made using a blend of sugar compounds and plant fibre – a development it said plugged a need for light weight, natural alternatives to film-forming polymer and silicone products.