“It’s the humidity”: Product Tailoring for the Hair Care Industry

Humidity can wreak havoc on hair. With the upcoming Middle East summers, hair care manufacturers can target their product offerings to combat frizz.

Posted in Hair and Nails


When Monica of famous American comedy Friends visits Barbados, it results in her usually sleek hair taking on a life of its own and turning into a ball of frizz. Monica tries to defend the state of her hair and is eventually left crying out in exasperation to a restaurant full of people, “It’s the humidity”.

It is certainly true that humidity can wreak havoc on the tresses. High moisture levels in the air can cause extreme frizz for many hair types and consumers are constantly on the look-out for the next best product to help combat the problem. The Middle East’s harsh climate is certainly capable of causing plenty of Monica moments, particularly in the long, humid summer months.

This has not gone unnoticed by the multi-billion dollar hair care industry. Cosmetics players have come up with a whole host of innovative hair care products to combat frizz caused by the humidity. In what is a fiercely competitive environment, these products are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with any number of compounds deployed in order to market it as being the most effective yet. 

Product tailoring and customisation
Such product tailoring is becoming increasingly popular as the major cosmetics players scramble to increase market share and profitability. Playing on weather variations is one such ploy, particularly effective in the hair care industry, with hair care products tailored for different seasons of the year and varying scenarios e.g. beach protection, humidity, extreme sun, wind etc. 

Furthermore, sophisticated techniques mean that the hair care industry can market the same one product to a number of different audiences. That is the magic behind product tailoring. Henkell, for example, recently launched a shampoo for Middle Eastern women whose hair is prone to damage due to the harsh climate. The product formula is the same as that for damaged hair in other markets. All Henkell required was a customised promotional campaign in order to capture a new market with a pre-existing product.

There is any number of hair care products targeted to deal with frizzy hair caused by humid conditions. What the hair care industry has cottoned onto is that these products can also be marketed to suit different target audiences and hair care categories. Below are some examples of how hair care products can be adapted for multiple uses.
 
         
Hair care product type                                      
 
Humidity fighters
 
Product tailoring
Shampoos and Conditioners                  
 
Smoothen; nourish 
 
Straight styling
         
Leave-in conditioners
 
Add moisture to reduce frizz
 
Suitable for those prone
to dry hair
         
Oils and shea butter
 
Tame hair; help mend split ends
 
Helps control thick and coarse hair.
Increasingly promoted in Middle East
and Africa markets
         
Beach formula sprays
 
Helps control frizz
 
UV-protection for use on the beach;
also used as a styling product to get
that ‘just-off-the –beach’ look
         
Hair serums and finishing sprays
 
Will seal ends to stop frizz; nourish and protect             
 
Also used for protecting hair when using heating products, for sealing styles and conditioning
dry hair
         
 


Substantiating the claims
Before introducing a product to the market, it is important that any claims made can be substantiated. While a product can have any number of features as part of its USP (unique selling point), any claims about its benefits must be verifiable. This is best done by way of clinical trials prior to the product being launched, negating the possibility of reputation damage from any industry challenges. 

Therefore, products claiming to fight frizz caused by humidity, for example, must have conducted trials which will corroborate this claim. Marketers can also list product features and quote sources which cite the benefits and uses of particular ingredients. Such information is often provided by the raw material supplier, as part of their own selling propositions.  

So, with the Middle East’s long humid summer months up ahead, the hair care industry should be ready to look at product tailoring and launch campaigns which highlight hair care products for humid conditions. 

Here’s to no more Monica moments this summer.
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