Global Hair Care Trends and
the Role of Silicones
Kevin Murphy
Beth Johnson
Feifei Lin
Robin Hickerson
oday’s hair care market thrives on the growing and changing needs of global consumers.
Within an increasingly competitive and segmented marketplace, formulators are challenged
to respond to diverse hair types, ethnicities, cultures and regions. They also need to
accommodate emerging economies, a savvy youth market, and an expanding group of fashionforward shoppers.
T
Silicones are recognized as multifunctional ingredients in a variety of hair care products. With
their unique set of chemical and physical properties, these highly versatile materials not only
condition hair, but they can be used to add shine, make combing easier, provide color protection,
help guard against damage from heat styling, enhance hair strength, repair damaged hair, give a
perception of moisturization, aid curl retention, control frizz, add volume—or even reduce
volume. In short, silicones can play major roles—whether in shampoos, conditioners, colorants
or styling products.
Consumers Shape Hair Care Needs
The global hair care market reached $67.6 billion USD in 2010, second only to the skin care
segment, and is forecast to reach $84.3 billion USD by 2015, led by shampoos and conditioners.a
Within a dynamic market of more than 10,000 new launches per year,b approximately 60% of
these hair care products will contain at least one silicone material, and often more in the case of
conditioners. Clearly, the ongoing growth and continued presence of this broad family of
ingredients fulfills a range of formulating needs, influenced by trends in the hair care market.
Among these are consumer trends such as:



Individualism
Sensory effects
Health and well-being
Societal trends also influence the market, and they are related primarily to changing
demographics:


Aging population in the developed world
Rising prosperity in the developing world
Consumer Trends Influence Hair Care
Individualism. Because consumers want to portray their individuality—as well as manage
specific grooming challenges based on their hair type, its condition and desired style—the
concept of products tailored “just for me” has taken hold. Today’s global hair care market
encompasses a vivid spectrum of consumer wants and needs based on hair type, ethnicity,
cultural practices, climate, economics, and of course, fashion trends. Combining and juggling
this diversity of consumer desires and preferences has led to increasing market segmentation and
a
b
Euromonitor (October 2011)
Mintel launches between Jan 2011 and Jan 2012 (August 2012)
2
an evolving array of product line extensions. Most finished products offer a combination of
benefits to cater to individual hair care needs.
Silicones can offer solutions to the individual variety of wants and needs associated with the
ideal hair care regimens of consumers. In the shampoo and conditioning segments, and in some
styling applications, easy combing is a must. Products are increasingly designed for dry, fine,
curly or kinky hair; colored or damaged tresses; and styles ranging from short to long, sleek to
voluminous. Conditioning levels can range from light to intense, with options for color and heat
protection, and even frizz control. In Asia, for example, with increasing disposable income and
more women in the workplace, the simple, straight bob is giving way to curled looks, exotic cuts
and vibrant color—even in the ranges of reds and blond.
To achieve their look of choice, consumers use more hair colorants and heating appliances such
as curling irons and hair dryers. These approaches can stress hair, causing dryness, breakage,
split ends and a dull appearance. To be effective, products need to offer conditioning from mild
to intense, adapted to hair type and condition—and silicones provide the answers. (Table 1).c
Table 1. Solutions for Tailored Conditioning
Product
Conditioning Level
Application
Hair Type
Shampoo
Dry damaged
Conditioner
All hair types
Conditioner
Dry, damaged
Conditioner
Dry, damaged

Shampoo
Dry, damaged

®
Shampoo
Dry, damaged

®
Shampoo
Thin, dull
®
Shampoo
Damaged, colortreated
®
Leave-in conditioner
Frizzy
Mild
®
Dow Corning 8500 Conditioning
Agent
®
Dow Corning 8411 Smooth Plus
Emulsion
Moderate
Intensive



®
Dow Corning 5-7113 Silicone
Quat Microemulsion
®
Dow Corning AP 8087 Fluid
XIAMETER® MEM-1664 Emulsion
XIAMETER MEM-1784 Emulsion
XIAMETER OFX-5330 Fluid
XIAMETER MEM-0949 Emulsion
XIAMETER MEM-8194 Emulsion





Protecting hair from excessive heat is clearly a need among many consumers. Hair dryers and
other heated appliances first soften the keratin of the hair. If the appliances are too hot, they can
actually cause water in the hair to boil, forming minute bubbles of steam inside the softened hair
shaft, weakening the fiber and potentially leading to total fracture.
c
The examples provided in Tables 1 through 8 are not comprehensive. They represent only a sampling of the
potential benefits that may be achieved by matching the right silicone with an application and a given hair type.
3
Silicones are thermally stable and spread easily on the hair, forming a protective film to help
prevent water loss from the hair shaft caused by the heat of dryers or heated styling tools. Table
2 shows silicone solutions for leave-in conditioners and styling products.
Table 2. Heat Protection Solutions
Product
Leave-In
Additional Benefits

Hair repair

Hair repair
®

Long-lasting shine
XIAMETER PMX-1501 Fluid

Shine
XIAMETER® PMX-9027 Fluid

Shine
®
Dow Corning 8500
Conditioning Agent
®
Dow Corning HMW 2220 NonIonic Emulsion
Dow Corning 2-2078 Fluid
®
 = Excellent fit;  = good fit
Colored hair has become a common statement of individuality, youth and fashion. Fully 50% of
women in the Western countries use hair colorantsd—and the market for hair coloring is
expected to see continued growth. Shining, lustrous hair color needs protection from repeated
washing and UV exposure. Silicones can offer the answer, by helping color last longer, retain its
vibrant look, protect and enhance color brilliance and revive color and shine. Table 3 features
silicones that are useful for color protection from rinse-off and leave-in conditioners as well as
styling products.
Table 3. Color Protection Solutions
Product
®
Dow Corning CE 8411 Smooth
Plus Emulsion
®
Dow Corning 5-7113 Silicone
Quat Microemulsion
®
Dow Corning CE 7080 Smart
Style
®
XIAMETER MEM-8177 Emulsion
Rinse-Off
Leave-In
Additional Benefits


Moisturization


Volume enhancement


Flexible styling


Medium conditioning, clear
systems
 = Excellent fit;  = good fit
Products that enhance body and volume help hair keep its desired look and style. Thanks to the
versatility of silicones and the creativity of formulators, consumers can select more volume or
less, depending on their hair type. This ability to address such dissimilar ends of the styling
spectrum is typical of the adaptability of silicones.
d
COSSMA (February 2009)
4
Volume can be a key concern for aging consumers who may have thinning hair. At the same
time, those who seek enhanced body and volume still expect a light feel that won’t weigh hair
down. Where volume is concerned, the ideal conditioning and styling products add body,
fullness, and a perception of hair thickness—yet without contributing to buildup or drag while
combing. Once again, the adaptable nature of silicones can offer the solutions consumers need
(Table 4).
Table 4. Solutions for Body and Volume Enhancement
Product
Rinse-Off
Additional Benefits

Intensive conditioning

Medium conditioning

Intensive conditioning; when
incorporated into cream colorants,
adds shine and improved combing
performance
®
Dow Corning 5-7113 Silicone Quat
Microemulsion
®
Dow Corning CE-8170 AF Microemulsion
®
XIAMETER MEM-0949 Emulsion
 = good fit
For those with curly or kinky hair, reduced volume or volume control may be a necessity (Table
5).
Table 5. A Solution for Volume Control
Leave-In
Product

®
XIAMETER OFX-5324 Fluid
 = Excellent fit
Consumers who need yet another form of conditioning have helped the market for frizz control
products grow. These conditioners help maintain the style and condition of hair, whether for
smooth, straight hair, or for tight or loose defining curls. Pomades, gels, and similar products
created for frizz control are designed to leave a smooth finish with silky shine, help repair split
ends, and seal hair cuticles. Silicones also offer formulating solutions for these applications
(Table 6).
Table 6. Frizz Control Solutions
Product
Leave-In
Styling
Additional Benefits
®


Flexible styling
®

Heat protection

Medium conditioning
Dow Corning CE 7080 Smart Style
Dow Corning 2-2078 Fluid
®
XIAMETER PMX-1502 Fluid
 = Excellent fit;  = good fit
5
Sensory effects. Along with their multifaceted performance characteristics, silicones play to the
sensory experience associated with using a hair care product. In other words, while consumers
expect products tailored for individualism, they also are drawn to those that impart unique
sensory effects related to emotional benefits and experience. They value the sensation from a
product in terms of pleasure, intensity, delight or a pampered feel.
Products that perform as described are essential, yet novel sensory effects or distinctive textures
clearly help make the sale. Consumers seek mousses that feel like rich whipped cream, or thick
conditioners that transform to silky liquid that skims lightly over hair. They want shampoos with
the long-lasting fragrance of a tropical garden or shine serums that add gloss but leave hair
weightless and flowing. And they look for pomades that liquefy outside their container and leave
a healthy-looking film to help control kinky hair.
Among sensory preferences, “moisturizing” is one of the most popular attributes of today’s
premium hair conditioners and shampoos. Consumers delight in hair that glides through their
fingers like a river of silk: supple, smooth, shining and lightly flowing. They want shapely,
manageable hair with body, bounce and volume. Moisturization is clearly associated with the
desire to have healthy-looking hair, with the option for damage repair.
Claims related to the benefits of moisturization are increasingly included on packaging, in part
inspired by skin care benefits. Typical consumers with Caucasian hair perceive it to be
moisturized when it shines, feels smooth, and conveys a nourished appearance.
Table 7 suggests silicones that can provide the perception of moisturization in hair. Among the
materials in the table, Dow Corning® CE-8411 Smooth Plus Emulsion was designed to add a
moisturizing feel and conditioning benefits to shampoos and conditioners. It is useful for
formulating products for all hair types. It adds increased slipperiness, smoothness and flexibility
without decreasing hair volume or weighing hair down.
Table 7. Solutions for Moisturization
Product
®
Dow Corning CE 8411
Smooth Plus Emulsion
®
Dow Corning CE 1689
Smoothing Emulsion
Leave-In
Additional
Benefits
Shampoo
Rinse-Off


Shine, light weight


Specific for Asian
hair

®
XIAMETER OFX-5324
Shine
 = Excellent fit;  = good fit
Health and well-being. Aspects of the trends toward individualism and enhanced sensory effects
also contribute to the overall concept of health and well-being, relating to the importance of
appearance to both men and women. Consumers are increasingly focused on hair products that
help convey an attitude of vitality and healthful living.
6
From a hair care perspective, consumer-perceivable benefits such as shine, frizz control, color
protection and other visual cues play a role that can be enhanced by the effects of silicones.
Because hair is one of the first impressions the world sees, products that express well-being stand
out among buyers. Lustrous hair communicates health, while dull and dry hair can signal poor
habits and even malnutrition. At the same time, well-being can have a larger scope beyond
appearance. Savvy consumers want hair care products that are safe, sustainable and eco-friendly.
Perhaps one of the most recognizable—and desirable—sensory effects of hair care products is
shine. Over time, hair loses its style and shine from pollutants, humidity, air conditioning,
grooming and damage due to bleaching, coloring and heat appliances. Shining hair is often
associated with healthy hair, and that perception can be achieved with silicones at various steps
in the hair care process, from shampooing to styling (Table 8).
Table 8. Solutions for Enhanced Shine
Product
Shampoo
Rinse-Off
Leave-In
Additional Benefits


Long lasting, hair alignment



Improved feel
XIAMETER OFX-5330 Fluid



Light conditioning
XIAMETER® PMX-1556 Fluid



Medium conditioning


Medium conditioning
®
Dow Corning 2-2078 Fluid
®
Dow Corning 556 Fluid
®
XIAMETER® PMX-1503 Fluid
The Role of Megatrends
While some components of market evolution focus on the needs and desires of individuals, some
are driven by changing aspects of society as a whole.
An aging population. As the population ages in the developed world, a new set of criteria for
hair care needs may join those similarly emerging for skin care. Consumer preference for
individuality may also serve as the foundation for products whose benefits accentuate changing
needs. Hair thinning, loss of volume, and dryness due to less sebum production are typically
associated with the aging process. Yet, the overall objective for consumers may remain the same:
while more people may be using colorants to hide gray hair, they still seek shine, excellent
sensory effects, added volume, and the other characteristics silicones can help associate with
healthy-looking hair and well-being.
Across the globe, culture is increasingly visual, and looking good at any age is crucial—
especially as aging populations in developed countries continue to work longer. These
consumers expect performance from products that fit their needs. Table 9 summarizes the
multiple anti-aging benefits of silicone in hair care products.
7
Table 9. Solutions for Anti-Aging
Issue
Consumer Needs
Silicone Solution
Fine, thinning hair
► Enhanced hair body/volume
► Avoid heavy/over-conditioning
► See body/volume solutions
Dry hair, less sebum production
► Intensive conditioning
► Moisturization
► See tailored conditioning solutions
Straw-like, frizzy, wiry look
► Heat styling and soft flexible styling
► Moisturizing, humidity resistance
► See frizz control solutions
Graying hair, more porous
► Conditioning color treatment
► Protection and color maintenance
► See color protection solutions
Loss of hair shine, dullness
► Enhanced shine and color
► See shine solutions
Rising prosperity. While per capita spending on hair care products is strong and steady in
mature countries, developing economies will be the main engine for growth in the hair care
segment as those countries experience growth in their middle class due to rising prosperity.
Consumers expect affordable products with perceivable conditioning benefits, superior sensory
effects, tailoring for specific hair types and respect for local hair care habits, all of which relate
to the versatility of silicones. Economic growth not only signals broader demand for mass market
products—for example, as some consumers move from bar soap to shampoo—but also suggests
expanded purchasing that comes with the opportunity for frequent use of grooming products and
greater interest in styling. Continued development of a middle class can also lead to a larger
segment of consumers who turn to sophisticated, luxurious products at higher price points.
Silicone Safety
In addition to following fashion trends and having hair that is attractive and healthy looking,
consumers are interested in product safety. Silicones have been widely used in a range of hair
care products since the 1970s, and they are stable and inert under conditions for the intended
applications.
Silicones are among the most extensively studied materials used in consumer and industrial
applications today. Dow Corning assesses every product that is produced for the personal care
industry from a human health and environmental perspective. In addition, more than 1,000
studies have been conducted by silicone manufacturers to assess the safety of silicones relative to
workers, consumers, the environment and manufacturing processes. The results of this continued
research and testing demonstrate the safety of silicones in their diverse and important
applications.
Silicones Provide Answers
Today’s hair care market is large and mature, yet it remains dynamic because of evolving trends
and changing demographics. More innovative products come to market each year, and
differentiating for varying hair care needs and regional cultures remains the key to success.
Silicones continue to be essential ingredients in the hair care market. Their versatility meets a
wide range of consumer needs, both in terms of sensory effects and performance.
8
Dow Corning® brand for specialty silicones. For silicone materials that meet strategic needs for
product development and innovation, The Dow Corning brand offers a wide range of specialty
silicone products. Dow Corning constantly works to help customers create the most advanced,
efficacious and innovative formulations possible, with the multifunctional benefits today's
diverse and sophisticated consumers want. These materials are supported by teams of technical
and customer service professionals who rely on a knowledge base developed over decades of
experience in the personal care industry. To learn more about new and unique silicone materials,
how silicones are responding to personal care trends, and how these versatile materials can meet
global consumer needs, visit dowcorning.com today.
XIAMETER® brand for standard silicone products. In the midst of market growth and escalating
demands, hair care formulators can benefit from efficient sourcing of standard silicones used in
proven formulations and processes, allowing them to get products to market—and to
consumers—as quickly as possible. Dow Corning’s web-enabled XIAMETER brand offers a
wide range of silicone products online, where formulators can take advantage of market-based
pricing. And, because XIAMETER brand products are made by Dow Corning, formulators
benefit from the quality that comes from years of silicone expertise. The XIAMETER brand
from Dow Corning offers the world’s largest online portal of standard silicones. Visit
xiameter.com to register today.
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