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Evolving consumer trends with enhanced focus on self-care due to the pandemic can help hair oil companies win back consumers in metro cities through innovations. According to market research firm Mintel, the perception of hair oiling being an arduous task is driving away consumers living in metros from this highly penetrated category.
In a survey, the market research firm found that a large chunk of consumers who use hair oil live in low-tier cities. "Three in five hair oil users (61 per cent) live in low-tier cities and 44 per cent of hair oil users are low-income earners," Mintel stated. The survey was conducted among 3,000 Indian consumers aged 18 and above.
Tanya Rajani, Beauty & Personal Care Analyst at Mintel India, said: "Trends usually flow from metros to smaller cities and towns. With increasing access to internet, consumers in smaller towns are getting influenced by metro consumption trends. So there is a threat of losing out on users even in lower-tier cities in the long term. So winning back the metro consumers is critical for hair oil companies."
Trendier formats
The survey findings indicated that metro-dwelling consumers are moving towards easier to use and trendier formats for hair care products, which has led to the decline in the hair-oil usage. For instance : Women respondents aged 18-24 pointed out the inability of being able to step out of the house immediately after applying hair oil. "As life gets more stressful, consumers are finding beauty solutions which can save time and effort and which can help in de-stressing them." the Mintel report stated..
Rajani said with increased focus on self-care and de-stressing due to the pandemic, hair oil companies have immense opportunities to innovate, especially in the light-hair oil category, and offer sensory experiences for relaxation. "In-shower application provides an untapped opportunity. For post-shower formats, fragrance and format can play a critical role," she added.
According to the survey findings, 54 per cent of men said they oil their hair after showering. "Men's grooming is a fast-growing category in India. Brands must find ways of positioning hair oils as styling solutions for men to ensure daily usage," the Mintel report added.
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