Although high numbers of salon color clients are still sheltering at home and often continue working online, Wella set out to keep a finger on the pulse of hair color trends to gain some insight about what is trending and which demographics are interested.
What if you just can’t wait any longer? You’ve been working remotely and people can joke about not wearing sweat pants and pajama bottoms on those Zoom meetings, but your roots have grown out and your color is faded and it shows! So video chats and masks have increased the importance of hair looking its best and expressing their personal style, also because masks are making it more difficult to express your personal style through makeup. Another thing we have learned is that even pandemics can’t stop the advance of fashion and trends that clients would just love to try!
Wella embarked on research in the fall of 2020, discovering that half of women are resorting to coloring their hair at home, because hair color is viewed as more of an accessory than ever before. Let’s face it – there is not much sense in indulging in designer shoes and bags when there’s nowhere to go! So self-care is the top reason women declared for dyeing their hair at home, but they would also prefer not to have to compromise on top trends like vivid colors, the money piece and chunky highlights.
Once Wella understood what women wanted, they turned to their four top go-to color artists to understand what the next step would be; what were the latest trends and how could they be obtained with at-home products.
Julie Cornejo, with over 25 years of experience of working behind the chair, serving as an educator and competing in industry competitions, noted, “The trends right now reflect all that has been happening in our world and our lives. People are looking to lift their spirits, make their lives easier and desire less maintenance.” But not necessarily in this order. All in all, Wella colorcharm research has defined 3 major trends:
Vivids:
DaRico Jackson, backed by his more than 30 years working in media and as a celebrity hairdresser, observed, “The popularity in pinks and peach hair have shown up more since the pandemic. I think the inability to get out of the house has created a surge of experimenters that wanted to try primary color, whom otherwise wouldn’t be able to because of their jobs.” Indeed, women are using a range of products from permanent dye to bold, temporary color.
The Money Piece:
Out of all color trends, women 65+ are most interested in testing out the money piece, a chunkier, face framing root to tip highlight perfect for brightening up your face. Oliver Adams, aptly known as the “Kolor King,” is popular for his dynamic presence as a hair color educator with Wella colorcharm. “The money piece is definitely a trend that is a new constant in my salons! I get at least 3-4 request for face framing, chunky highlights every day,” he shares.
Natural Color:
On the other end of the spectrum are those women who are opting for a return to their roots… literally!… apparently with a view to a low-maintenance commitment and simplifying their lives. “After quarantine, a lot of people just want to go back to their natural hair color. I have been doing a lot of this once we got back to the salon,” said Luis Rodriguez, a balayage specialist and educator with over 15 years of experience in the industry. This trend also include going grey!
Some interesting numbers appeared when trends were broken down by age group demographics. For example, a third of women, mostly from Gen A and Millennial age groups, said that they would be interested in trying a vivid or pastel hair color, while roughly 1 in 4 women want to return to their natural color. Out of all color trends, women 65+ are most interested in testing out a money piece, a chunkier, face framing root to tip highlight perfect for brightening up your face.
Changing times bring with them changing fashions, needs, and often innovations, so we should all be prepared to explore new facets of our personae both at home and in the real world, when it will be once again possible.
