Dana Hill, CEO of Cocotique, founded the beauty box company in 2013 specifically to serve women of color. To gather data on subscribers’ hair care needs and expectations, she partnered with HairRx, a new brand that makes customized hair care for women over 30. (Read more about HairRx here on Cosmetics Design.)
Style
Well over half of the 1,200 Coctique subscribers who participated in the survey—70% in fact—favor natural hair styles, “which was defined as curly, coily, kinky or fro,” according to a media release about the 2018 Women of Color Hair Care Report.
11% of respondents opt for “relaxed or protective styles.” 6% prefer to use heat to straighten their hair. And, 2% prefer locs (sectioning hair and then coiling, braiding, twisting, or palm rolling each section into a thick strand).
Substance
Survey participants were also asked questions about the sort of hair care products they prefer. 90% are looking for shampoo with a lot of lather, or “luxurious later,” as the media release describes it.
Coconut was the most popular scent; with 39% of respondents favoring it. 22% like lavender, 16% jasmine, 12% citrus, and only 10% opt for vanilla scented hair care.
98% of the 1,200 women of color surveyed want products that are free-from parabens and sulfates. And that same number of women want hair care that is formulated to be safe for chemically treated hair.
84% of women “think it's important to be able to customize their hair care products,” according to the data Cocotique shared. And this is particularly good news for HairRx.
Ellen Langas, Co-CEO of HairRx’s parent company ProfilePro, explains that the brand “invite[s] customer feedback and utilize[s] survey results to provide the ultimate customization experience.”
The 2018 Women of Color Hair Care Report is a good example. “Respondents,” Langas notes, “indicate a variety of preferences, which is why HairRx provides 165 formulations, each designed to address specific hair care goals.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.