Inviting curly consumers to boost-self confidence

Curls are the new mainstream in beauty. Globally, the demand for hair care solutions for curly hair has increased significantly. According to Google, curls are now the most frequent search category for hair, especially when it comes to finding the best products for curl styling and- for avoiding hair straightening. In Brazil, a research conducted by Mintel to understand the different hair types of Brazilians, nearly 70% of women declared to have natural wavy, curly or kinky hair. As for the US, the #1 hair care country worldwide, nearly eight out of ten Afro-American consumers have natural hair and prefer products made exclusively for their hair type.

Among different curvatures, curly consumers demand tailor-made solutions. As described in the below graph curly consumers have different needs based on their curl type. Taking these variations into account it is quite clear that consumers are looking for products that fit best their personal needs.

Because their scalp tends to be sensitive, curly consumers demand solutions as the first step of their hair care ritual. Thanks to consumers’ increasing awareness, the hair care category presents important ingredient innovations crossing from facial to scalp care.
Scalp care is highly relevant especially for 4 ABC textures, as these consumers usually complain that after washing hair it usually takes more than a day to have scalp completely dry – the perfect environment for bacteria growth. Based on that, brands must offer antimicrobial and purifying scalp care systems for a more balanced and healthy hair.

Men face the lack of options for curly hair type. To save time, they normally adopt wigs and braids, as a more on-the-go styling. One of the most important attributes a product should offer is convenience, meaning that it should be easily integrated into consumers’ daily routine, and at the same time providing visible and long-lasting benefits.

Evonik has developed a three-step approach in respect to the specific needs of curls:

1. Transition Phase: Process where individuals decide to stop chemical straightening to return to their natural hair texture. Evonik has developed three suggestive formulations to help consumers during transition to natural texture:

• Purifying Cleansing Shampoo: An anti-residue solution without compromise on curls conditioning. Features VARISOFT® EQ 100 and ABIL® ME 45 MB offering improved combability and hair conditioning, without build-effect.
• Scalp Shield Hair Tonic: Soothes sensitive scalp with added barrier protection, enriched with Hairflux®, TEGO® Cosmo C 100 and TEGO® Cosmo P 813 MB.
• High Oil Mild Cleansing Scrub: Exfoliating shampoo with surprising foam and delicate cleansing, contains TEGO® Sulfosuccinate DO 75 and REWOPOL® SB FA 30 B.

2. Everyday Routine: Curly consumers have unique demands and use until six different products daily, from gentle cleansing shampoos until deep conditioning and repairing solutions to keep their scalp and hair healthy-looking. Based on the most relevant attributes demanded by curly consumers, Evonik offers three suggestive formulations:

• No-Rinse Everyday Refresher: On-the-go wipes for hair refreshing on hush days, formulated with TEGODEO® CW 90 E, RHEANCE® One and Verstatil® MBO, enabling easy and high-performing cleansing.
• Damage Repair Antidote: Premium conditioner to restore damaged & fragile hair, enriched with a combination of two readily biodegradable conditioning agents VARISOFT® EQ 100 and VARISOFT® EQ 65 MB, as well as TEGO® Cosmo C 100, an amino acid derivative that improves the mechanical properties of stressed hair, rebuilding and strengthening the hair structure from within.
• Gently Cleanse Sulfate-free Shampoo: Very mild and clear shampoo especially suitable for curly hair. Contains the combination of RHEANCE® One and REWOTERIC® AM C, especially recommended for mild cleansing and Verstatil® SL non GMO, an easy-to-handle blend preservative with broad antimicrobial performance, especially for surfactant systems.

3. Solutions for Bouncing Curls: Because of hush lifestyles, curly consumers desire convenient and easy-to-use solutions to keep their curls defined and protected against external aggressors. Styling is an important category to be explored, and attentive to that, Evonik offers four innovative styling formulations:

• Hair Definition Primer: Prepare your curls for different everyday circumstances with this primer formulated with VARISOFT® EQ 100, TEGOSOFT® AC MB and TEGO® SP 13-1, resulting in long-lasting defined and moisturized curls.
• Curls in Place Hair Stick: Convenience combined with high performance for non-messy hair styling, combining the two natural-based emollients TEGOSOFT® OER MB and TEGOSOFT® MM MB with VARISOFT® EQ 100 for soft and smooth, disciplined curls.
• Conditioning Miracle Hair Ampoule: Ampoule-like leave-in conditioner that transforms from very fluid to a rich white emulsion upon the addition of water, for a playful experience. It contains the combination of VARISOFT® EQ 100 and dermofeel® sensolv MB for improved sensorial and bouncing curls.
• Anti-frizz Oil in Balm: Rheology transforming experience for unplugged curls regardless of the weather! Contains a combination of two natural-based emulsifiers ISOLAN® 17 MB and dermofeel® sensolv MB and the fully naturally-based wax TEGOSOFT® SH.

All in all, the Curly You concept brings innovative and tailor-made solutions, showing the importance that customization plays nowadays for beauty consumers. This is what we call The Soul and Science of Beauty.