Hairstyling is back—along with increased socialising and appreciation for aesthetic

The summer of 2022 is a time to socialize. According to the Morning Consult, 66% of U.S. adults feel comfortable socializing with people in public places. That’s up 11% from May of 2021, highlighting the rising comfortability and desire to socialize. People genuinely missed the getting ready process—from showering to picking out an outfit to hairstyling and makeup, the yearning for the ritual has re-emerged with vigour. 

Hairstyling products on the rise 

With the rise of the ritual comes the rise of an integral part of that process—hairstyling. Hair can make or break a look, and after over a year of messy buns and infrequent washes in quarantine, people are ready and excited to spend time experimenting and perfecting their hair care. According to SPATE, there is an average of 17.4 million searches for hairstyling products per month in the last year. The search term “hairstyle” has garnered +8.5% year-over-year growth with a predicted +4.6% predicted growth in the next year. 

(SPATE, 2022)

The number of product launches in North America released for hairstyling increased 27% from 2020 to 2021 (Mintel GNPD). The sales of hair styling agents are predicted to increase 14.3% from 2020 to 2022 (Euromonitor). With hairstyling products flying off the shelves and with the market showing no signs of slowing down, it is important to be in-the-know about the latest hairstyling trends consumers are perfecting.

(Euromonitor International, 2022)

Top trends in hairstyling

Any time a trend resurges, there are bound to be outliers that stand out among the rest. Here are a few hairstyling trendsetters:

Fluffy Hair: The trend of fluffy hair refers to a smooth, shiny appearance in between a messy texture and a blowout.  

Croda’s Choice: Volume is a key component for the fluffy hair look. Voluminis™ is a hair volumizing active that leaves hair looking and feeling fuller, without the frizz. Check out our Root Lifting Spray with @katie_and_the_chemists!

Heatless Curls: Thanks to TikTok and DIY videos, the new styling technique for achieving curls without heat are gaining popularity. Using anything from a designated heatless curler to socks, many are opting for this option over a curling iron. 

Croda’s Choice: Since heatless curls typically require at least 6 hours to achieve, consumers are looking for ways to prolong their style. Mirustyle™ CP provides exceptional curl memory and retention benefits for high-energy, well-defined curls. It also reduces frizz without affecting the feel or shine of the hair.

Liquid Hair: Liquid hair is a trend that describes hair that is so glossy and straight that it looks like cascading water.  

Croda’s Choice: If you are looking to achieve the liquid hair look, our Lustreplex™ is the smooth solution for you. Lustreplex™ increases hair’s humidity resistance factor to keep hair looking sleek and frizz-free all day long. It delivers shine retention, detangling, and conditioning benefits all while resisting build up.

Textured Hair: Young consumers are increasingly embracing their natural curls and waves, leading to an increase in hairstyling products that aid natural textures and enhance dimension. 

Croda’s Choice: To enhance natural, textured hair, Volarest FL™ provides excellent curl retention properties and controlled, targeted delivery from sprayable emulsions. Volarest™ FL is a polymer that can work as a viscosity builder while maintaining unique suspension and flow properties.

Protective Hairstyles: Protective hairstyles keep the ends of hair tucked away to minimize manipulation and exposure to harsh weather conditions to promote health and growth of natural hair. A few examples of protective hairstyles include Marley twists, box braids, Bantu knots, and long faux locs. 

Croda’s Choice: Protective hairstyles are often susceptible to wear-and-tear from lifestyle and environmental factors. Crodarom® Violet Rice has superior moisturizing and soothing properties to keep the style frizz-free. This 100% natural ingredient has anthocyanin which provides antioxidant properties, amino acids and sugars for soothing, and minerals and vitamins for revitalizing effects.

Coloured Hair: Vibrant, saturated colour is on the rise this summer. SPATE reports 3.3 million searches on average for “hair dye” over the last year. Social media is a heavy influence on hair colour trends as well, and brands are taking notice. For example, Sally Beauty responded to a viral TikTok video with the mantra “having coloured hair doesn’t make you unprofessional” with an entire campaign dedicated to vibrant colours and self-expression. SPATE reports the YoY growth for “TikTok hair” to be +14.5%, with +41.6% predicted growth through 2023. 

Croda’s Choice: A common cause of fading hair color is UV damage, since the rays break down the chemical bonds in your hair. ChromAveil™ offers hair color protection against harmful UVA rays and can be used in daily use products. It also has excellent substantivity to hair surface, even from rinse-off systems. 

Multifunctional hairstyling: Another hairstyling trend that transcends is a rise in demand for multifunctional products. According to Mintel, 28% of U.S. consumers are doing more to improve their hair health and 69% of global consumers look for ways to simplify their lives. Products that can kill two birds with one stone are more appealing to today’s consumer, especially as hair health gains momentum alongside hair appearance. The number of products released in North America with convenience as a claim increased +28% from 2020 to 2021 (Euromonitor). 

Croda’s Choice: If you are looking for something to help hair health while providing impeccable style, Nutrinvent Balance™ is the choice for you. Nutrinvent Balance™ employs unique encapsulation technology to ensure targeted delivery and controlled release of actives onto scalp and hair. It provides consumer perceivable improvements in scalp oiliness and hair aesthetics, offering consumers the opportunity to adapt their usual hair wash routines, for hair that looks and feels cleaner for longer.

With the momentum of hairstyling, explore Croda’s range of products and formulations to optimize your output. Don’t forget to check out these other blogs on hair care to stay up to date on the latest trends and insights in the beauty and personal care industry!