74 HAIR CARE


Celebrating the natural beauty of textured hair


Melanie Waeckel, Emmanuel Martin, Aude Baudrier - DSM-Firmenich


As our ‘crowning glory’, our hair is intrinsically linked with self-confidence. No wonder then that many consumers round the globe see haircare as an essential part of looking and feeling well. However, for people with textured hair,


haircare can be complex. As well as the specific challenges associated with these hair types, traditional care and styling regimes can be lengthy.


Finding products that are both effective


and pleasant to use also takes up additional time and money. Around 60-70% of the world’s population is estimated to have some form of texture in their hair,1


yet this segment is still not


well understood or catered for. We have been working with a specialist


textured hair consultant and end consumers to develop solutions that can address this texture gap.


Typical challenges for consumers with textured hair In consumer studies from 2022, 79% of women in Brazil, 68% of women in the USA, and 53% of women in France described their natural hair as wavy, curly, or coiled.2


Here, we use texture to


refer to hair types which would be classified as curly (type 3) or coily (type 4) under the Walker Hair Typing System. By its nature, textured hair presents various


challenges. Because curly and coily hairs are more entangled, they require greater combing force than straight hairs, but their elliptical and flattened fibre shape already makes them more prone to damage and breakage. Curly and coily hairs also accumulate sebum


at their roots which does not progress along the hair fibres. On the one hand this leads to oily scalp conditions, but it also contributes to dry and dull hair, especially as these hair fibres are porous and have lower water sorption anyway. When it comes to taking care of textured hair and finding effective products that are pleasant to use, the challenges intensify. Our own recent global survey of 1,500 women with curly and coily hair found that typical haircare routines take up to three hours3


, and involve more


products and stages. Furthermore, because their routines are


more complex and require more time, these consumers generally need to plan ahead and so tend to wash their hair less frequently. Many people in this segment report that the choice of products available to them is limited


PERSONAL CARE June 2024 or inadequate,4 and feel ignored by beauty


brands. They are also more likely to have to travel further and to spend more money to find appropriate products in the first place. With the textured hair market expected to reach US$15 billion by 2033,5


there are


compelling commercial reasons to tap into its potential. However, in our diverse and socially


conscious world – where actions speak louder than words – the arguments for recognising, respecting, and meeting the needs of consumers in this sizeable but overlooked segment are equally powerful.


Putting consumer voices at the centre of textured haircare solutions Studies show that as well as wanting effective haircare solutions that address their needs, many textured hair consumers are looking for natural and clean products.6


open to skin inspired ingredients than their non-textured hair counterparts.7 After listening closely to the voices of


participants in our global survey, we worked with a specialist textured hair consultant to develop a dedicated haircare line for this segment. We involved a panel of external consumers in this process too by asking them to test the final products and routine for us for one month. The outcome of this collaborative approach


is a line of formulations designed by, with, and for textured hair consumers, which combines vitamins, natural origin actives and a pleasurable fragrance to deliver deep care and make haircare routines easier and more enjoyable.


They are also more


Respecting the planet, choices, and natural hair texture The concept behind the line, which we call ULocks, is built firmly on respect. By offering an alternative that meets consumer expectations for pleasurable, user-friendly, and natural routines, it respects the choices of the many people around the world with textured hair. In recognizing and addressing the specific


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