{"id":1046745,"date":"2025-12-12T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1046745"},"modified":"2025-12-12T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T07:30:00","slug":"how-haircare-is-borrowing-from-skincares-playbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1046745","title":{"rendered":"How Haircare Is Borrowing from Skincare\u2019s Playbook"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Beauty<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How Haircare Is Borrowing from Skincare\u2019s Playbook<\/h1>\n
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By <\/span>Kapila Ireland<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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Photo: Fable & Mane<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Haircare is entering its most scientific phase yet. Once dominated by shine serums and smoothing sprays, the category is shifting toward root-cause treatment as consumers begin to approach the scalp like facial skin. Consider it the \u2018skinification\u2019 of haircare.<\/p>\n

Globally, sales of hair and scalp-targeting conditioners and treatments grew 4.2% in 2024, outpacing the overall haircare market at 3.7%. This is expected to continue through 2030, says Connor Spicer, consultant at market research firm Euromonitor. Multi-step routines, ingredients and product formats from skincare are being mirrored in haircare, he explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shift is driving innovation, enabling more targeted solutions and premium experiences across haircare,\u201d Spicer continues. Premium offerings are moving away from one-size-fits-all formulas toward highly specific solutions tailored to age, hair texture, styling habits, color-treated hair and even environmental factors. US brand Living Proof, for example, has introduced a Clarifying Detox shampoo formulated with a naturally derived chelating agent to remove hard-water mineral build-up \u2014 a common but often overlooked cause of damage, frizz and dullness.<\/p>\n

This new generation of products and services spans scalp serums, AHA exfoliants, microbiome-supporting mists and overnight treatments designed to repair the hair fiber in the same way retinoids and peptides target skin. New launches reflect the shift: Isima, the science-driven brand co-created with Shakira, has just entered the UK market at Selfridges; Aveda has expanded its Scalp Solutions line; and beauty-tech expert Currentbody has introduced a game-changing LED Hair Growth Helmet.<\/p>\n

Growth is showing up in the product mix as well as sales. According to Circana, haircare was the fastest-growing category in the UK beauty market, up 16% in the first half of 2025. Products addressing hair wellness, such as scalpcare, thinning and strengthening, are outpacing the market, with hair-loss and hair-wellness ranges recording double-digit increases.<\/p>\n

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Yet, as more brands and formats flood the shelves, a question emerges: is the market becoming saturated, and what is the next stage in the skinification of haircare?<\/p>\n

Cultural and wellness drivers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Demand for more targeted, high-performing hair and scalpcare is coming from two ends of the age spectrum, according to Millie Kendall, founder and chief executive of the British Beauty Council. \u201cThere are younger consumers, who are extremely ingredient savvy and influenced by Asian rituals and TikTok routines, and older consumers in their 50s and 60s, who are dealing with menopause and stress-related hair thinning,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The \u2018everything\u2019 shower, a viral TikTok selfcare trend featuring a long, indulgent, head-to-toe grooming session, has certainly accelerated the awareness of Indian hair-oiling massage traditions, according to Kendall. Amanda Le Roux, international SVP at Aveda, agrees. \u201cMulti-step, skincare-inspired haircare and rituals have been around in Eastern regions for centuries,\u201d she says. \u201cBut now, the West is more aware of the importance of scalp health as the foundation for healthy hair and has increasingly started adopting this philosophy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hormones and health are pushing scalpcare further into the wellness conversation. Kendall describes today\u2019s midlife cohort as \u201cthe first generation of women to work full-time while raising families. Stress is a major factor in hair loss,\u201d she notes, adding that hair changes linked to perimenopause and menopause, as well as Ozempic-related hair loss are big talking points. As haircare transforms into a broader wellness category, consumers are moving away from single hero products and toward more prescriptive routines that support hair and scalp health on the surface and from within, says Lucy Palmer, who founded vegan haircare and supplement range Hair Gain after experiencing post-partum hair loss.<\/p>\n

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More consumers are moving towards products that treat the hair and scalp with the same level of care and consideration as the rest of our skin.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Courtesy of Hair Gain<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cScalpcare will continue to grow as consumers shift to more holistic and personalized routines that treat the hair and scalp with the same level of care and consideration as the rest of our skin. They will be looking for formulations that lay the groundwork for long-term hair health by fostering an optimal scalp environment,\u201d Palmer says. That means \u201cmoving toward multi-step routines that include exfoliation, hydration, barrier support and targeted restorative treatments\u201d. At the same time, she stresses, brands will increasingly be judged on the quality of their clinical studies, proven results and ingredient provenance.<\/p>\n

Efficacy matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Customers are more informed than ever. They are questioning what \u2018clean\u2019 really means and asking for clarity, purpose and proof, says Anna Teal, CEO of Grown Alchemist, a plant-powered, biotechnology-backed skin and haircare brand founded in Melbourne. That scrutiny is pushing formulation forward.<\/p>\n

Consumers are looking for ingredients that work with the skin\u2019s own biology, such as peptides; a chain of amino acids that act as the skin\u2019s building blocks for collagen, keratin and elastin. While ectoin is another amino acid that protects skin from environmental stressors. Teal says there is a growing interest in these biotech-powered ingredients, \u201cbecause people understand these offer targeted, high-performance support without unnecessary additives\u201d. She adds: \u201cThere\u2019s also a growing demand for proven essentials such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and antioxidant-rich botanicals, but with a higher expectation for purity, stability and clinical credibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Euromonitor\u2019s Spicer says that active ingredients have become a major driver of consumer purchase decisions. Hyaluronic acid, ceramides and AHAs, long familiar in skincare, are now being used in haircare to support moisture, strength and overall scalp health. \u201cNiacinamide has shown the fastest expansion since 2022, with the number of online SKUs containing the ingredient up more than twelve-fold,\u201d he notes. A clear example of this shift is the surge in interest around Nioxin, which has recently gone viral on TikTok and Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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At Aveda, the Scalp Solutions range shows how closely haircare is borrowing from skincare. The line combines biotech naturals and adaptogens (nature\u2019s de-stressors), including lactobacillus ferment, ectoin, centella asiatica and andrographis, to reinforce the scalp barrier, balance the microbiome and protect against oxidative stress. Its latest launch, the Hydrating Scalp and Hair Masque, uses skincare-grade hydrators such as vegan squalane to restore the scalp\u2019s lipid matrix while easing dryness and irritation.<\/p>\n

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Aveda has released a new Scalp Solutions range, which aims to reinforce the scalp barrier, balance the microbiome and protect against oxidative stress.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Courtesy of Aveda<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Even the language mirrors skincare, with Aveda\u2019s VP of research and development (R&D) Christine Hall referencing \u201cmulti-benefit regimens that address the visible signs of premature scalp ageing\u201d.<\/p>\n

For Aveda, the challenge is not choosing between natural ingredients and efficacy, but combining them. Its R&D team screened more than a thousand botanical actives to create Aveda\u2019s premium Follicle Vitality Complex, as part of its hair follicle-boosting Invati line, Hall notes, while maintaining vegan and cruelty-free standards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This blend of ancient rituals and clinical validation is also central to Fable & Mane, a brand built around ayurvedic oils inspired by the recipes of co-founder Akash Mehta\u2019s grandmother. Traditional oils can be too heavy for finer or color-treated hair, he explains, so the team worked with clinical experts to create the right blend: \u201cIngredients like amla and castor, plus roots such as ashwagandha and dashmool, but in a lightweight oil that works for all hair types.\u201d Clinical testing, Mehta acknowledges, was \u201ca scary investment\u201d, but the brand reinvested early sales into laboratory trials to validate ingredients that had rarely been tested in that context.<\/p>\n

Mehta has found that speaking in skincare language helps consumers understand why more sophisticated formulas carry higher price tags. \u201cFable & Mane maps its routine accordingly: shampoo = cleanser; treatment serum = leave-in or mask; oil = pre-cleanse.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hair oil from Fable & Mane, a brand built around Ayurvedic oils inspired by co-founder Akash Mehta\u2019s grandmother\u2019s recipes.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Courtesy of Fable & Mane<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Not \u2018for all hair types\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Brands like Shakira-founded Isima are positioning themselves as the next phase of haircare, offering prescriptive, personalized routines that meet diverse needs rather than generic formulations. \u201cHaircare is where skincare was 30 years ago,\u201d says Isima CEO Sid Katari. When developing the line with the singer, the non-negotiables were that it had to be \u201cscience-driven, innovative, disruptive in the category, and bring real value and benefit to consumers\u201d, according to Katari.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cConventional brands that claim to be \u2018for all hair types\u2019 often leave those with more complex textures behind,\u201d he argues. Modern skincare now encompasses microbiome-balancing and exosome-based actives; Katari believes haircare must show a similar evolution.<\/p>\n

Isima uses a \u201ctri-modal\u201d approach, targeting scalp, cortex and cuticle. In-house hair and scalp expert, or trichologist, Iain Sallis emphasizes that \u201chair is dead tissue; the scalp is alive. It\u2019s the incubator. Reducing inflammation yields huge benefits. Once the hair fiber is damaged, yes, you can repair bonds, but the scalp comes first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sallis argues that most people misdiagnose their own hair. \u201cThey think they have frizz when actually they have diffuse thinning. They think hair is oily, but in fact the ends are dry. They need prescriptive guidance.\u201d As such, Isima is developing an algorithm, with over 12,000 variants so far, that will recommend product combinations and frequency of use.<\/p>\n

Scalp diagnostics and tech<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Beauty-tech tools such as scalp and hair diagnostic scanners are also playing a role in driving the education and uptake of clinically led haircare. \u201cThe biggest trend I\u2019m seeing right now is LED light therapy for hair,\u201d says Kendall, referring to Currentbody\u2019s recently launched LED Hair Growth Helmet, which has been making headlines.<\/p>\n

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CurrentBody has introduced an LED Hair Growth Helmet, which provides LED light therapy for hair.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Courtesy of Beauty Tech Group<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This, she argues, reflects how the skinification of hair has now moved into a technological, clinical phase. \u201cIt\u2019s fascinating to see how common treatments such as hair transplants are becoming. Even tools have evolved: better brushes, heat-controlled devices, faster styling, smart cool-down features. Technology is advancing across every part of the category,\u201d Kendall says.<\/p>\n

Laurence Newman, CEO and founder of Currentbody owner Beauty Tech Group, agrees: \u201cConsumers now accept that you can only go so far with topical solutions alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds: \u201cHaircare is following the same path as skincare tech. People already knew LEDs were used in trichology clinics, so there\u2019s a built-in acceptance. The difference now is accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

This professional and clinical shift is also influencing more traditional beauty players. Dermatological haircare has long been part of L\u2019Or\u00e9al\u2019s dermatological beauty strategy, with brands like Vichy leading the territory with Dercos since 1994 and Cerave\u2019s recent expansion into haircare. The group\u2019s travel retail division has identified an opportunity for haircare that\u2019s unique to the space: aesthetic tourism. With flocks of travelers seeking hair transplants, L\u2019Or\u00e9al\u2019s travel retail division is eyeing demand for Vichy Dercos Anti-Hair Loss ranges to complement these procedures.<\/p>\n

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L\u2019Or\u00e9al has been tapping into aesthetic tourism \u2014 using airports to showcase K\u00e9rastase\u2019s K-SCAN diagnostic service, offering travellers bespoke consultations and customised routines.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Courtesy of L\u2019Or\u00e9al<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Airports, as microcosms of consumer education, are also ideal for showcasing diagnostic-led innovation in haircare. Prominent haircare brand K\u00e9rastase\u2019s K-Scan service, for instance, offers travelers bespoke consultations and customized routines on the spot. \u201cWe do see very direct results when consumers are presented with a scientific ingredient-led solution tailor-made to their scalp and hair problem,\u201d says Anne-Laure Lecerf, general travel retail manager for L\u2019Or\u00e9al\u2019s dermatological beauty and professional products division. Diagnostic tools, she adds, drive significant conversion, at around 80% for travel retail beauty advisors.<\/p>\n

As Kendall states, haircare is no longer a purely cosmetic play. \u201cHair health remains incredibly important,\u201d she says. \u201cWe all know the emotional impact of a bad hair day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

Source URL: http:\/\/vogue.com\/article\/how-haircare-is-borrowing-from-skincares-playbook<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beauty How Haircare Is Borrowing from Skincare\u2019s Playbook By Kapila Ireland December 12, 2025 Photo: Fable & Mane Haircare is entering its most scientific phase yet. Once dominated by shine serums and smoothing sprays, the category is shifting toward root-cause treatment as consumers begin to approach the scalp like facial skin. Consider it the \u2018skinification\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-1046745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1046745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1046745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1046745\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1046745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1046745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1046745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}