Demand for Hair Straightening in Asia (GSP 2004)

(Straightening, relaxing, services, products, professional, retail, requirements, chemicals.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS............. 2

THE GSP SERIES... 5

PRODUCTS AND TOOLS USED TO STRAIGHTEN HAIR 6

How terms are used.... 6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............... 7

MARKET TRENDS 8

THE SIZE OF THE STRAIGHTENING MARKET 8

Some comparisons: China and the UK...... 8

MARKET CHARACTERISTICS 9

Age of consumers........... 9

MARKET DRIVERS 9

CONSUMERS’ HAIR CONCERNS........... 10

Summary......... 10

Table 1 Top consumer hair concerns......... 10

THE RISE OF STRAIGHT HAIR.... 10

Any return for the curl?.. 11

The fall of the curl 11

The unfashionable and the unsafe permanent wave. 11

One chemical bad, two chemicals worse 11

Chemical combiners......... 12

Bleached black hair......... 12

Liability waivers 12

CONSUMER SEGMENTS FOR HAIR STRAIGHTENING IN ASIA.... 12

Table 2 Consumer segments for hair straightening...... 12

Straightening curly and straight hair.... 12

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS – CHEMICAL STRAIGHTENERS. 13

Summary......... 13

Safer straighteners to avoid bad hair days.. 13

Table 3 Chemical perils. 14

FORMULATIONS FOR ASIAN HAIR.... 14

The uniqueness of Asian hair.... 14

“Foreign” formulations...... 14

A SIMPLER PRODUCT RANGE AND PROCESS....... 15

A simpler product range. 15

One size fits all. 15

Safe on natural and treated hair.... 15

The straightening cycle......... 15

A multi-functional perm product 16

Simpler process 16

Shorter product development times......... 16

Example product(s)......... 16

Requirements of professional-only products......... 17

Restricting sales to quality salons 17

Strong demand for add on products......... 18

Table 4 Check list of product requirements “the dos”.. 19

Table 5 list of product requirements “the don’ts” 19

DEMAND FOR PERMING SERVICES IN GSP ASIA.... 20

Table 6 Markets in Asia in GSP series. 20

Table 7 Demand for perming services in 10 countries......... 20

Table 8 Demand for perming services by type in 7 countries......... 21

SAMPLE PRICES OF PERMING SERVICES IN SALONS 22

Table 9 Average spending......... 22

Table 10 Prices for perming services 22

HAIR STRAIGHTENING BRANDS IDENTIFIED IN GSP ASIA.... 23

Summary......... 23

The unregulated market......... 23

Table 11 Companies and brands –Europe and USA– in GSP Asia......... 23

Table 12 Companies and brands – Japan (16) – in GSP Asia......... 24

Table 13 Companies and brands – Korea (11) – in GSP Asia......... 25

Table 14 Companies and brands –Taiwan – in GSP Asia... 25

Table 15 Companies and brands – other countries – in GSP Asia... 25

Salon own label products......... 26

APPENDICES......... 27

APPENDIX GLOSSARY OF TERMS. 27

Table 16 Glossary of hair perming and straightening terms......... 27

The new vocabulary to avoid the p… word. 27

APPENDIX HAIR STRAIGHTENING – CHEMICAL PROCESSES........... 28

Table 17 The chemical formulas and popular terms. 28

Lye and no lye 28

Thio and Acid-Based formulas......... 28

How the chemicals work. 28

APPENDIX HAIR STRAIGHTENING IN SALONS 29

Table 18 Hair straightening process in salons 29

Summary......... 29

The salon consultation........ 29

Pre-treatment test.... 29

Are tests carried out?... 29

Applying the scalp protector and chemical formula 30

Rinse and apply neutralizer......... 30

Thermal straightening...... 30

On-going care of straightened hair. 30

Table 19 Product development times and duration......... 31

APPENDIX REGULATORY SYSTEMS............. 32

The “Western” and “Asian” systems 32

Harmonization for AFTA 32

Product categories......... 32

Table 20 Hair care products by regulatory category......... 33

APPENDIX PROBLEMS ESTIMATING THE SIZE OF PERMING MARKET............. 34

Table 21 Hair care market retail and professional in China......... 34

Hair market 34

Table 22 Basic data on hair salons and hair care products in China......... 35

APPENDIX PROFILE OF COMPANIES AND BRANDS 36

Problems with accurate identification and spellings......... 36

INDEX OF COMPANY AND BRAND NAMES 49

DIAGONAL REPORTS STATEMENT........ 53

Symbols used in tables. 53