Transparency & sustainability. How does this apply to the hair service industry?
Knowing more about what we put in our hair — at home and in the salon chair will enable professional product brands to have a closer relationship directly with consumers.
We scrutinise the back of a product but how can we do the same with hair colour mixed in the back bar than applied in the basin?
The recent announcement as reported by Beauty Launchpad proposing a ban on the use of the ingredient formaldehyde in hair smoothing products has created a stir within our industry.
This started back in October 2023 with a ban to take place in April this year. However, the FDA has missed its own deadline and this now raises concerns around how seriously we are taking health risks and transparency to consumers.
For those unaware, formaldehyde is a highly toxic gas featured predominantly in straightening products — typically used by Black women. It follows years of advocacy and concerns. Formaldehyde may be labelled differently, so scrutiny is crucial. Alternatives exist, but safety precautions are essential, including proper ventilation and reporting adverse reactions to the FDA.
“Since regulatory agencies are trusting companies to do the right thing but there is no requirement to prove compliance, there is no way of really knowing if products are made with formaldehyde or not.” — Crystal Porter, Ph.D. , Mane Insights.
This is just one of many examples for our industry to really make the effort to ‘level-up’ in how we merchandise services and meet the growing need for better transparency and sustainability.
A simple solution is applying the same approach to how ingredients are communicated from product to hair service and this moment of opportunity all happens at the time of booking an appointment.
Rachel Brown’s recent piece for Beauty Independent , Has Sustainability Become Table Stakes For Beauty Brands? reviews the varying perspectives on the depth of commitment and execution of sustainability and transparency within the industry. While some argue that sustainability initiatives are essential for brand success, others highlight challenges such as greenwashing and the complexity of achieving truly sustainable practices.
“I don’t think we’re yet at a point where sustainability is a key driver of conversion for consumers, but I think we will get there sooner rather than later, and brands that aren’t investing in more sustainable practices will be left behind.” — Kate Duffy , VP of Research & Development, Elevation Labs.
Overall, consumer demand and awareness are driving brands to prioritise sustainability, but there’s recognition that there’s still a long way to go in terms of implementation and transparency. We can’t forget the tough period Olaplex went through in 2022 when rumour escalated via TikTok that an ingredient featured in №3 was linked to infertility. Consumers were clearly caring about ‘what’s in the product’ and this was a spotlight on the importance of ensuring all products were well labelled.
Looking at hair services, what if we took a giant step forward and not only communicated what’s included in a service (i.e. the colour brand, product used for finishing) but also detailed, for example: where the blonding products are sourced and what products are sustainable, such as the foils used.
If we can improve upon how products are labelled, why can’t we do the same to the approach we take for merchandising hair services and apply a few basic ecommerce principles?
Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!
About Us. Flossie is a trusted conduit connecting professional haircare brands to their salon network data. By integrating with existing salon booking and POS software, Flossie enables brands to offer seamless click-to-book experiences and bespoke products for data utilization.
