Filling a grey space: K-beauty giants see mega demand for shampoos that conceal grey hairs and prevent hair loss

Amorepacific’s RYO Double Effector Black Shampoo debuted in April on several online and offline channels and the launch exceeded the firm’s expectations.

According to the company, the products' pre-launch sales on channels including G-Market and SSG.com promptly sold out thanks to the “hot reaction”​ from consumers. The product also quickly topped the hair care rankings on E-mart, an offline retailer.

A month later, rival LG H&H introduced two grey hair care products under its hair care brand ReEn and claims to have sold over 200,000 unit within three weeks of its release.

It added that home shopping channel GS Shop sold 27 units per minute and ReEn achieved the top spot in the hair care category for several of its retail partners including E-mart and Lotte Mart.

LG H&H attributed the success of the products to increase consumer concern for grey hair, which are more prevalent because of various external factors, including stress.

Like Amorepacific, LG H&H seems to have been overwhelmed by the success of the launch as the products have been out of stock.

As of June 3, the ReEn grey hair care products were still out of stock and LG H&H issued a press statement that it “was working hard to secure additional quantities".​

Furthermore, the company said that it plans to launch a new version of the hair products for dark brown hair around the middle of June.

Anti-ageing hair care solutions

In addition to covering up grey hair, the products from both RYO and ReEn claim to tackle hair loss and help to strengthen hair roots.

Both contain proprietary ingredients as well as natural ingredients. LG H&H claims its Black Tint Complex contains black bean and black sesame extracts, as well as safflower and gardenia. According to the firm, the formula is hypoallergenic.

Amorepacific, on the other hand, applies its Black Toning technology with ingredients derived from traditional oriental ingredients such as black ginseng, black beans, and arrowroot.

In January, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) prohibited 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene as a raw material in cosmetic products. This affected popular grey hair care brand Modamoda.

RYO marketing team leader Noh Hyun-jin noted that this controversy sparked consumer concerns over such products and emphasised that Amorepacific’s Black Toning technology helps to manage hair in a “healthy way”.​

Additionally, RYO’s grey hair products were certified for safety by independent scientific institute Dermatest.