Total revenues for all salon industry services (hair, skin, nails) plus salon retail grew at a respectable 3.1%, according to the new 2014 Professional Salon Industry Haircare Study from Professional Consultants & Resources, the leading salon industry strategic consultants and data source. The total U.S. salon haircare market segment (services + retail) registered $67.02 billion, representing growth of 3.2%. There are nearly 303,000 salons and barbershops in the United States that use and sell salon haircare products.

“The state of our salon industry is now in a growth mode and evolving,” says Cyrus Bulsara, president of Professional Consultants & Resources. “Major macroeconomic issues affecting the salon industry like lower disposable incomes, unemployment, government regulations slowing expansion and wage/job uncertainty are abating. Haircare product sales of shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, hair styling products and specialty products are up but still impacted by the dynamic shift toward chair and suite rentals, which do not retail effectively. Consequently, product sales at mega salon stores are up and diversion goes on to fulfill demand.”

Haircoloring is the all-important “anchor “service at most salons and brings in clients for all other services like cuts, styles, straightening etc. Haircoloring services are up nearly 4%, due to a graying population and huge new demands for fashion haircolor, including blonding, highlights, duo-lights, balayage, ombré/sombre, vibrants/vivids and pastels. Keratin straightening services grew at around 3.5%. Cutting and styling services grew at 2.5%, as client visit frequencies increased.

Major highlights ofthe study include:

• The Men’s sector grew at nearly one and a half times. The 2014 study details all men’s salon services and provides an in-depth analysis.

• The major shift continues from independent salons and mid-tier mall chains toward family-economy chains and chair/suite rentals plus upscale men’s barbershops. Manufacturers, chains and salon industry sectors should take note and work to harness the paradigm shift. 

• Sales at major U.S. distributor Beauty Systems Group (BSG) grew 3.8%, while sales at L’Oréal’s SalonCentric were up 1%.

• Sally Beauty store sales were up 3.5%, due to higher disposable incomes and, therefore, increased sales to salon pros and consumers.   

• C- and D-class chair/suite rental salons and consumers shop at Sally stores. High-end independent salons, plus A and B class chair/suite rentals, drive full-service sales at BSG/Cosmoprof, SalonCentric stores and independent distributor stores.

• Major players in the chair/suite rental category include Sola, Salon Plaza, Salon Lofts, Solera, Phenix, Salons by TJ and Salon Concepts.

• Sales at Regis continue to decline. The company is studying the impact of divesting its high-end brands to concentrate on its value brands.

• Great Clips and Sport Clips both experienced high 8% and 22% growth, respectively, as these family-economy chains flourished.

• Styling product sales increased by nearly 5%, due to the huge increase in home hairstyling, enabled by new genres of styling tools.

• Specialty product sales continued to grow at nearly 6%, as sales of oils like argan, macadamia, marula and others grew rapidly for all hair types.

• Sales of shampoos and conditioners grew at low single-digits, primarily for after-color, back-bar and post-smoothing treatment use.

• Salon retail grew primarily for hair color protection products and new genres of scalp masks and protein infusion treatments.

• Sales at mega salon-store Ulta grew about 20%, primarily due to salon products sold at deep discounts in combination with special offers.

• Direct sales of Wella, Aveda and Bumble + bumble grew in direct distribution, while direct sales of Kerastase stabilized.   

• Redken and John Paul Mitchell Systems were again the major companies showing growth. Wella’s exclusive sales grew at low double-digits, while open-line sales declined. Sexy Hair, Pravana and Keune also showed double-digit growth. Sales at TIGI and Farouk Systems also increased.

The New 2014 study features illustrative new graphs and charts to make data easily understandable. Market shares are detailed for every company, with L’Oréal Professional, P&G Professionals and John Paul Mitchell Systems, respectively, ranked as the top three manufacturers. Shiseido (Joico and Zotos), Estée Lauder (Aveda and Bumble + bumble), Revlon Professional (American Crew, Abba, Roux, UniqueONE, multicultural division and others), Unilever (TIGI) and KAO (Goldwell/KMS California) follow.

NEW sections feature detailed analysis of barbershops by state and percentage of the United States; upcoming ingredient issues; leading manufacturers’ reps; plus other company sales, including AG Hair, Aloxxi, Alterna, Bio Ionic, Brazilian Blowout, Cadiveau, Coppolla, Davines, Framesi, GK Hair, Kenra Professional, Keratin Complex, Keune Haircosmetics USA, Marcia Teixeira, Phyto, Pravana and more.

For purchasing information/questions, contact Bulsara at cyrus.bulsara@proconsultants.us or visit www.ProConsultants.us