麻豆传媒

When it comes to shampoo and conditioner, many consumer trends echo broader trends seen in the personal care space. Above all, shoppers want products that are effective, smell nice and formulated to address their unique characteristics. Increasingly, they鈥檙e also looking for products they perceive as more sustainable or natural.

These trends can present formulation and manufacturing challenges. Diving into shampoo and conditioner more specifically reveals a few key insights of special interest to manufacturers, marketers and product development teams who are modifying their hair care product lines to better cater to customer values.

Considering the shampoo market size is expected to grow from $32.9 billion in 2023 to $41.5 billion by 2028, largely due to increased spending on hair care products among millennials and Gen X consumers globally (Reportlinker, August 2023), keeping pace with consumers鈥� evolving preferences may present significant opportunities to capitalise.

Shampoo and conditioner trends that reflect evolving consumer priorities 

Companies are responding to consumers鈥� demand for shampoo and conditioner products with more sustainable, personalised and transparent ingredients.

1. Reduced water content to increase sustainability

Waterless formulations 鈥� which may include dry, solid or concentrated products 鈥� have emerged as a leading method for making hair washing more environmentally friendly (UL Prospector, October 2023). The sustainability benefits come from using less water during manufacturing or usage, packaging reduction and end products that are smaller or lighter in weight, which are consequently less carbon intensive to ship.

Unlike some other sustainability efforts, these characteristics have the advantage of being clearly visible to the end user, helping them identify products that speak to their values in a competitive market.

2. Customised formulations to provide more personalisation

Offering products or product variants that cater to certain hair types or aesthetic goals is table stakes. Now, in the quest to offer the most tailored, efficacious products, some category leaders are offering individualised shampoo and conditioner formulations that not only accommodate a buyer鈥檚 hair type, but also their lifestyle factors and approach toward styling. While hyper-personalised products won鈥檛 make sense for every household, they do underline heightening expectations when it comes to product efficacy and experience (Exploding Topics, April 2023).

3. The rise of label reading to give consumers ingredient transparency

Global consumers are increasingly likely to avoid ingredients they perceive to be unhealthy or damaging. Topping the list of potentially problematic ingredients are sulfates, parabens and phthalates (Polaris Market Research, June 2023), which are widely believed to be drying, carcinogenic and hormone disruptors, respectively (WebMD, November 2021).

On the other hand, there are other categories of ingredients that are becoming more sought after. So-called biotechnological ingredients 鈥� which combine biology with chemistry to create personal care ingredients that are grown in a lab but are identical to what is found in nature, but with lower environmental impact 鈥� are one eminent example (Global Cosmetic Industry, August 2022).

Consumer trends exacerbate manufacturing and formulation challenges

Maintaining product efficacy and stability while increasing sustainability or avoiding problematic ingredients is a perennial challenge for product formulators.

For example, sulfates are among the most widely used primary surfactants, which give cleansers their characteristic lather. There are sulfate-free surfactants available, but they often lack the foaming and viscosity characteristics that most users associate with cleanliness (International Journal of Cosmetic Science). They are also in limited supply and cost more, leading to higher retail prices. As 鈥渇ree-from鈥� trends accelerate, formulation challenges increase.

Scalability, supply chain interruptions and price volatility are other manufacturing challenges that further complicate product formulation decisions, especially for large or growing companies (Kline & Co., December 2022). Shampoos have historically been one of the personal care products most susceptible to pricing, often closely related to the cost of the primary surfactant (Cosmetics & Toiletries, July 2020).

Which strategies can help growing and global brands evolve hair care formulas at their desired pace and scale?

Manufacturing, marketing and product development teams have several strategies available to address hair care formulation challenges and consumer demands for products that are more sustainable, effective and safe.

1. Leverage bio-based performance chemicals

Specially engineered solutions can help formulators provide the performance and scalability advantages of conventional ingredients using bio-based chemicals instead. For example, Shell Chemicals now offers a  of bio-based Shell NEODOL鈸� alcohols, ethoxylates and bio-based Shell NEODENE鈸� linear alpha olefins well suited for shampoo, conditioner and other personal care products.

Bio-based Shell NEODOL has excellent emulsification and cleansing properties and is miscible with many other ingredients. The high purity of Shell NEODOL alcohols helps maintain the formulated product colour and does not contribute to yellowing. They are also ideal to manufacture intermediates for cleansing agents and solubilisers.

Bio-based Shell NEODENE linear alpha olefins offer versatility in product manufacturing and are very well suited as intermediates to increase foaming performance in cleansing agents.

An example bio-based formulation below provides effective cleansing and a pleasant sensory experience.

2. Utilise mass balance to add transparency to sustainability claims

Mass balance is a broadly accepted accounting approach that allows the manufacturing supply chain to mix sustainable materials with conventional materials using existing infrastructure without the need for new facilities. In this approach, an independent third-party verification organisation tracks each step of the value chain, from the sourcing of sustainable resources to the co-processing of final products, certifying that a verified quantity of sustainable resources has displaced non-sustainable resources.

By tracking the flow of materials, mass balance can help provide assurance, transparency and credibility for sustainability claims in a manner that could be cost-effective for manufacturers in making their operations and products more sustainable.

3. Pursue third-party certifications

A proprietary global consumer intelligence study conducted by Shell Insights and Foresight Factory in 2023 found that consumers feel better about buying products containing ingredients of concern (such as sulfates) if those products have third-party certifications (Foresight Factory Study, 2023). Pursuing certifications can therefore be a viable means of product differentiation, building trust and educating consumers about a product鈥檚 quality, performance or environmental claims, depending on the type of certification.  

Certification examples include the EPA Safer Choice Program and the EU Ecolabel program, which verify claims about the non-toxicity of ingredients and other factors. Products containing bio-based grades of Shell NEODOL can qualify for these designations. 

4. Explore procurement options

Lastly, procurement strategies may be taken into consideration for overcoming formulation strategies related to cost, scalability and supply chain disruptions. Partnering with the right supplier is often essential for negotiating tailored solutions and obtaining the most reliable supply at scale. 

Sources

"Shampoo Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)," Global Newswire, 2023
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/08/17/2727611/0/en/Shampoo-Market-Size-Share-Analysis-Growth-Trends-Forecasts-2023-2028.html

UL Prospector Staff, "Emerging Trends in Shampoo Formulation: A Comprehensive Guide for Cosmetic Formulators and Raw Materials Suppliers," UL Prospector, 2023
https://www.ulprospector.com/knowledge/15610/pcc-emerging-trends-in-shampoo-formulation-a-comprehensive-guide-for-cosmetic-formulators-and-raw-materials-suppliers/

Howarth, Josh. "6 Beauty Industry Trends (2023 & 2024)," Exploding Topics, 2023
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/beauty-trends

"Sulfate-Free Shampoo Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Form (Solid, Liquid, and Others); By Packaging Type; By Application; By Distribution Channel; By Region; Segment Forecare, 2023 - 2032," Polaris Market Research, 2023
https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/sulfate-free-shampoo-market

Brennan, Dan. "What to Know About Shampoo Ingredients," WebMD, 2021
https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-to-know-about-shampoo-ingredients

Herich, Denise. "2022 Consumer Hair Care Survey," Global Cosmetic Industry, 2022
https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/hair-care/article/22030705/2022-consumer-hair-care-survey

Cornwell, P. A. "A review of shampoo surfactant technology: consumer benefits, raw materials and recent developments," International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12439

Kline team. "Personal Care Ingredients: How Supply Chain Disruptions and Clean Beauty Are Affecting the U.S. Market," Kline, 2022
https://klinegroup.com/personal-care-ingredients-how-supply-chain-disruptions-and-clean-beauty-are-affecting-the-u-s-market/

Klien, Ken. "Shampoo Formulation: The Basics," Cosmetics & Toiletries, 2020
https://img.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/files/base/allured/all/image/2020/07/ct.CT_119_05_064_03.pdf