Luxury hair treatments have grown in popularity since the pandemic, with options now including scalp facials, pampering treatments targeting scalp health.Lindsay Cash
To celebrate its 10th anniversary this past September, Toronto salon Palm Sunday invited clients in for a blowout complemented by a customized treatment with hair care brand Davines Naturaltech. After completing a questionnaire about their hair, guests received one of 24 hair infusions featuring natural ingredients grown in Parma, Italy.
It’s just one example of a quick and effective professional hair treatment option, something Palm Sunday co-founder Ronnie Dag says is gaining popularity as consumers are more interested in investing in the overall health of their hair. “Post COVID, people started taking into account how important scalp health is for the health of the hair,” she says, adding that she’ll be introducing scalp facials at Palm Sunday, treatment that targets and treats issues on the scalp, like dryness, excess oil or sensitivity, that affects hair health.
“Basically, we have a machine that zooms in on your scalp’s follicles so we can analyze the hair follicle and give you a really luxurious, hour-long wash and scalp massage,” she says. As a finishing touch, last year she created Ash Wednesday Hair Perfume, a fragrance intended to be applied to hair. With notes of smoked coconut, pink pepper, almond and blond tobacco, it proves that, when it comes to hair care, nothing is off limits.
Luxury hair care saw a boom during COVID-19 lockdowns when small luxuries became one of the most popular ways to treat ourselves, and the trend continues to this day. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global luxury hair care market size was valued at US$18.2-billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to US$32.39-billion by 2032. As the awareness of hair and scalp health grows, hair care companies are quickly tailoring offerings to specific hair types. And our hair regimens are becoming increasingly sophisticated as a result thanks to ingredient-forward styling products, at-home tools and professional services.
The evidence of this growth is everywhere, including on social media where Japanese head spas and conditioning treatments dubbed “hair botox” are going viral. In June, Fenty Beauty, Rihanna’s makeup brand, expanded into hair care with a collection of products promoting hair health available at Sephora. Tools like brushes and combs are getting the luxury treatment. La Bonne Brosse, a candy-coloured brush, retails for over $200, and fashion and accessories brands like Dries Van Noten, In God We Trust and Sophie Buhai have launched combs that are just as pretty to look at as they are useful in a daily routine. Even budget retailers like Walmart are looking for a piece of the pie.
Fenty Beauty is one of the latest skin care and beauty brands to expand into hair care.Supplied
Perhaps the most infamous example is Dyson, the home appliances brand that broke the mold with the Supersonic hair dryer. Introduced in 2016, it provided proof of concept that consumers were willing to shell out big on their hair. Today, their Airwrap styling tool retails for $799.99 and is complemented by Chitosan, the brand’s first foray into styling products that were introduced in August.
Like Dyson, Olaplex rocked the boat in 2017 when Kim Kardashian, a naturally dark brunette, showed up at New York Fashion Week with silver platinum strands thanks to the company’s products. With its at-home bond-building properties, Olaplex captured a buzzy moment that empowered consumers to take more risks with colouring their hair without fears of extreme damage. Recently, the company launched the No.5 Leave-In Moisturize & Mend Leave-In Conditioner, which repairs and helps prevent future damage, joining other at-home treatments in protecting the financial investment made in professional hair colour.
Shoppers Drug Mart added prestige hair-care lines to its shelves in 2023 – a sure sign luxury hair care is going mainstream. “The way we think of hair care is changing,” says Gwennaëlle Varnier, VP of category management for prestige beauty at Shoppers Drug Mart. “We now recognize that our scalp is an extension of our skin and needs to be taken care of in a similar way.” The drugstore’s offerings now include brands like Wella, GHD, Drybar, Verb and Dyson – whose hair tools are a popular item customers like to redeem their PC Optimum points for.
Indeed, the “skinification” of hair continues to push the category forward as consumers increasingly look to treat their hair and scalp with the same consideration they do their face. Products featuring key skincare ingredients are readily available, like Pantene’s Infinite Lengths Biotin + Collagen Sulfate-Free Shampoo. What’s more, traditional skincare brands are now putting their stamp on hair care. Take professional French skincare company Biologique Recherche, which has introduced a scalp-specific version of its cult-favourite Lotion P50. Called Lotion Capillaire P50, it contains the core ingredients of the P50 formula as well as active ingredients specifically intended for the scalp to reduce itching and regulate sebum production. Whether done at home or in the salon, tapping into the hair-health benefits of sophisticated treatments has never been easier.