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It took Beyoncé and Rihanna entering the textured hair category to show how much untapped opportunity lies in the market. The superstars join fellow celebrities in bringing their own haircare lines to market, based on their personal experiences: Tracee Ellis Ross (Pattern Beauty), Rita Ora (Typebea), Issa Rae (Sienna Naturals), Taraji P Henson (TPH Hair) and Gabrielle Union (Flawless) have all launched brands.
Celebrity power is shedding light on just how overlooked the textured haircare category is, despite being worth an estimated $10 billion according to The Texture Gap report published by Carra, an AI-driven hair personalisation programme. They’ve also played a role in modernising a long, stagnant industry.
“Celebrity-founded brands have contributed to a rush of innovation and formulation in the textured hair space,” says Suzanne Scott, global associate beauty director at Seen Works, the strategy and thought-leadership arm of beauty PR and communications firm Seen Group.
Searches for “textured hair” were up 41 per cent in 2023 and are projected to grow by another 20 per cent by the end of 2024, according to Google search analytics. Yet the global industry’s perception of the textured hair market has for years remained monolithic. “Textured hair has always been labelled as thick, coarse and dense, and this is simply not always the case. Straight hair can have these complexities, too,” says Akesha Reid, contributing beauty director and journalist. “Using ‘problem’ words to describe textured hair is so ingrained in the industry that consumers started to associate their texture/curl pattern with that word. All hair can be frizzy, dry or coarse, but you usually see these words on textured hair products.”
As a result, consumers with textured hair have been left with three choices: find coveted labels such as Cantu or Keracare in speciality beauty stores; take a DIY approach, mixing oils and butters to create the ideal hair formula; or purchase from hair giants that misunderstand the natural, ultra-moisturising and conditioning needs of textured hair. Brands like Pantene and Tresemmé, for instance, have in the past faced criticism and relaunched their lines for textured hair. Pantene has since reformulated, while Tresemmé addressed the issues in its 2022 Hair Bias Report, highlighting the lack of textured hair specialist training among its hairstylists as an area to improve.
Fixing the messaging
Pattern Beauty is one of the celebrity brands working to change the way consumers are marketed to. “Tracee Ellis Ross was intentional about creating a different kind of beauty company — one that shifted the paradigm. One that was anchored in celebration and not based on solving a problem or fixing an issue,” says Christiane Pendarvis, co-CEO of Pattern Beauty.
Instead, the brand created positive pattern terminology so consumers could re-learn their relationship with their hair. It also formulated ranges with ultra-conditioning ingredients such as agave nectar, honey and aloe vera, showcasing the breadth of availability around natural ingredients. Five years in, Pattern Beauty has 13 retail partners and 2,500 retail doors worldwide.
Invest in ingredients
With a strong global pull, Beyonce’s Cécred entered the market as a scientific solution to moisturise and strengthen hair — a primary concern for textured hair consumers. Products have a patent-pending bioactive keratin ferment, which the brand says makes hair two times more resistant to breakage and repairs chemically damaged strands.
Also focusing on scalp and hair health are Rita Ora and Anna Lahey, co-founders of Typebea.
“People with textured hair are sometimes more susceptible to hair loss conditions like traction alopecia, from frequently braiding or wearing tight styles. Similarly, hair treatments to chemically straighten or relax coils, curls and waves can harm scalp and follicle health,” shares Lahey. “Yet when we analysed the market, we found very few hair loss and hair growth brands that combined clinically effective products with enjoyable and sensorial experiences, and that importantly, were suitable for a diverse range of hair types.”
Betting on emerging brands
The celebrity push for readily available and premium offerings within the textured hair space is undeniable. Yet to say that the industry’s 5 per cent compound growth year-on-year — as evidenced in the Texture Gap Report — is purely down to celebrities, would be unfair to those who have been working from the ground up.
Brands such as Charlotte Mensah, Bouclème, Nylah’s Naturals, and Afrocenchix, as well as emerging brands like The Steam Bar, Mimi et Mina, Ruka Hair and Adwoa Beauty, have been re-mapping and modernising the space since long before celebrities entered it. “There’s never been a more robust time in terms of product offerings for consumers with all varieties of textured hair,” says Deborah Johnson, co-founder of London-based Simply Gorgeous hair salon and founder of DTJ PR and Brand Management.
Emerging brands are finding success by responding quickly to customer demands. For example, hairstylist Mimi Kone launched her hair brand Mimi et Mina, and its signature Hair and Scalp Oil Treatment, because of client frustrations in the salon. “Our clients are overwhelmed and uncertain about what products are best for them. Having a choice is great but when you’re not educated on what choices you should be making it leads to confusion and frustration,” she says.
The advantage of being smaller is that you can quickly adapt formulations and develop new products. “Textured hair formulations need to have high moisture for softening and shine and also slip for detangling purposes for the ease of washday — that’s the baseline we can easily adapt to. It is important to me that our ingredients continue to be used at every step of your washday — they aren’t just an add-on,” says Adwoa Beauty CEO and founder Julian Addo. Ruka Hair and The Renatural are only two of the brands bringing textured hair extensions to the market according to consumer needs.
Smaller investors and incubators are reflecting the emerging brand narrative. “Angel investors should add value to beauty brands by offering the networks, guidance and support to early-stage founders. Connecting to key contacts is pivotal for founders to grow,” says Nicole Crentsil, angel investor and founder of brand-building platform BlackGirlFest. The consultancy has partnered with Glossier to create the Black Beauty Grant programme. Among those awarded the grant in 2024 is haircare brand Airfro, which is using the money to expand its retail footprint and product offering.
Investors are circling, but there is still work to be done. “[Incubators and investment firms] must take a different approach with the textured haircare category because it has been underserved for so long,” says Nnenna Onuba, British Beauty Council board director and founder of 100 Allies, an initiative that seeks to improve diversity in the beauty boardroom. “They need to offer a holistic suite of support that includes membership, capital, effective distribution networks and advanced research and development.” Once mentorship is integrated alongside capital, emerging brands will have the building blocks to grow.
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