Let’s face it - hair is in the spotlight, and consumers are just as likely to be flicking through magazines for hair inspiration as they are for fashion. And a recent study by Roy Morgan Research has confirmed Australians are hair enthusiasts, with a declining interest in at-home hair maintenance.
Australian consumers have a preference for salon-only results - with research finding one in three Australians went to the hairdresser in the last four weeks. In other words, 6.2 million Aussies over the age of 14 paid for a hairdressing service within the last month. That is 32 per cent compared to the 21 per cent that bought home colouring products within the past six months.
A further 25 per cent of men and 38 per cent of women enjoyed a professional haircut, style or colour, while only 11 per cent of men and 31 per cent of women dyed their hair at home.
Gents are also joining the ranks of the hairdresser-obsessed - now those aged 14-24 are almost as likely as their female counterpart to have been to the hairdresser. Men now comprise a quarter of the home hair colouring market, but women remain top hair dye users - at two to three times more likely than their male equivalents to buy at-home hair dye.
Even then, at-home hair users are divided by age - older women prefer professional treatment, with 52 per cent visiting the hairdresser within a four-week period. In comparison, 37 per cent of those aged 35 to 49 are more likely to dye their hair at home.
Brands wise, women’s favourite brands for at-home products include L’Oréal (26 per cent), Garnier (13 per cent), Schwarzkopf (11 per cent) and Decoré (2 per cent).
Roy Morgan general manager Andrew Price says of the findings: “This older demographic, men and women, is less likely to buy hair colouring products - and as this segment of the population grows, the overall market for hair dye is shrinking. In 2011, almost 4.5 million Australians 14+ (24 per cent) were buying hair dye in an average six month period. Now it’s 21 per cent, or only just over four million customers.
“In this crowded and shrinking market, hair colouring brands need to have a firm understanding of all their current and potential customers, whether men or women, old or young, as well as detailed knowledge of their attitudes and lifestyles,” he continues.
