Professional Hair Care Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Hair Colouring, Shampoos, Styling Agent, Straightening and Perming Agent, and Others), By Application (Business to Business (B2B), and Business to Consumer (B2C)), By Sales Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Salons, Online and Others), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 24.18 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	7.18%
Fastest Growing Segment	Online
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 36.66 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Professional Hair Care Market will grow from USD 24.18 Billion in 2025 to USD 36.66 Billion by 2031 at a 7.18% CAGR. Professional hair care products encompass specialized formulations designed for application by licensed cosmetologists in salon environments, including technical chemical treatments and retail-grade maintenance solutions sold for client use. The market’s expansion is primarily driven by heightened consumer awareness regarding scalp health and ingredient efficacy, which necessitates the expertise of trained professionals to deliver personalized results. Additionally, global urbanization and rising disposable incomes have bolstered the demand for premium grooming services, establishing salon visits as a routine necessity rather than an occasional luxury.

However, the sector faces a significant challenge from economic volatility, as inflationary pressures often compel consumers to reduce the frequency of professional services or substitute them with lower-cost mass-market alternatives. According to Cosmetics Europe, in 2024, the European hair care market reached retail sales of €18.1 billion, reflecting a 5.6% increase from the previous year. This data highlights the sector's continued resilience in a major economic region despite the financial headwinds that often impede discretionary spending on professional beauty services.

Key Market Drivers

Heightened Focus on Scalp Health and Advanced Hair Restoration Treatments is reshaping the market dynamics as consumers increasingly view hair care through the lens of skin health. This "skinification" trend drives the demand for sophisticated, salon-grade formulations containing bio-active ingredients designed to repair molecular bonds and improve follicle vitality. The demonstrated efficacy of these premium treatments encourages clients to invest in high-margin maintenance regimes, thereby sustaining revenue streams for professional brands even between salon visits. According to L'Oreal, March 2024, in the '2023 Annual Report', the Professional Products Division reported a like-for-like growth of 7.6%, a robust performance explicitly driven by the accelerated demand for the scalp-focused luxury brand Kérastase. This surge underscores the critical role of specialized restoration products in fueling industry expansion.

The Proliferation of E-Commerce Platforms and Direct-to-Consumer Distribution Models has fundamentally altered how professional products are accessed and monetized. While traditional salons remain the primary service point, the integration of digital channels allows brands to bypass legacy supply chain constraints, offering licensed professionals and consumers seamless access to diverse inventories. This omnichannel approach helps mitigate the impact of reduced foot traffic in physical locations by capturing sales through online storefronts. According to Sally Beauty Holdings, November 2024, in the '2024 Annual Report', global e-commerce sales represented 10% of the company's total net sales, highlighting the growing reliance on digital procurement within the professional beauty sector. Furthermore, demonstrating the broader sector's financial resilience, according to Henkel, March 2024, in the 'Annual Report 2023', the Consumer Brands business unit, which houses the professional hair segment, achieved a strong organic sales growth of 6.1%.

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Key Market Challenges

Economic volatility constitutes a primary obstacle to the expansion of the Global Professional Hair Care Market. As inflationary pressures rise, consumers frequently reassess their discretionary spending, often categorizing professional grooming services as deferrable luxuries rather than essential maintenance. This shift in consumer behavior results in extended intervals between salon visits and a migration toward lower-cost, mass-market alternatives for at-home care. Consequently, salons experience a decline in both service revenue and the retail turnover of premium products, forcing business owners to reduce inventory orders and focus solely on operational survival rather than growth.

This financial precarity within the salon sector severely disrupts the distribution channel upon which professional brands rely. When service providers struggle to maintain profitability, they are unable to invest in new product lines or maintain deep stock levels, directly stalling market volume. According to the National Hair & Beauty Federation, in April 2024, 43% of hair and beauty businesses reported they were only breaking even due to escalating operational costs and reduced client frequency. This stagnation at the service provider level acts as a bottleneck for the entire industry, preventing manufacturers from maximizing sales through their most critical professional partners.

Key Market Trends

The Integration of AI-Driven Personalized Diagnostics is fundamentally transforming consultation protocols by replacing subjective analysis with data-backed precision. Salons are increasingly deploying augmented reality tools and microscopic scalp sensors to assess hair density and damage levels, enabling the formulation of hyper-customized treatment plans. This technological adoption not only elevates the perceived value of professional services but also significantly boosts retail conversion rates by providing clients with undeniable, visual proof of their unique hair needs. According to L’Oréal, February 2024, in the '2023 Annual Report', the company facilitated over 100 million virtual try-ons and diagnostics, reflecting a massive shift toward algorithm-based product discovery that professional salons are now leveraging to secure client loyalty and drive product sales.

The Implementation of Sustainable and Refillable Salon Packaging is rapidly gaining traction as environmental responsibility becomes a core operational requirement rather than a niche marketing angle. Professional brands are redesigning supply chains to minimize single-use plastics, introducing back-bar refill stations and utilizing post-consumer recycled materials to reduce the industry's substantial carbon footprint. This transition aligns with the values of eco-conscious consumers who prioritize ethical consumption, compelling salon owners to stock brands that demonstrate tangible ecological commitments. According to Henkel, March 2024, in the 'Annual Report 2023', the company increased the proportion of recycled plastic in its consumer goods packaging to 19%, illustrating the industrial-scale pivot toward circular economy principles within the beauty and grooming sector.

Segmental Insights

The online distribution channel is recognized as the fastest-growing segment within the global professional hair care market. This accelerated expansion is primarily driven by the increasing adoption of direct-to-consumer sales strategies by major manufacturers, which allows brands to bypass traditional salon intermediaries. Furthermore, the proliferation of e-commerce platforms offers consumers broader product accessibility and comparison capabilities that physical salons cannot match. Consequently, the convenience of digital purchasing, combined with targeted digital marketing efforts, continues to shift consumer buying habits away from brick-and-mortar establishments toward efficient internet-based retail solutions.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a leading position in the Global Professional Hair Care Market, driven by high consumer spending on personal grooming and a well-established salon industry. The region exhibits strong demand for premium styling and coloring products, supported by elevated disposable income levels. Additionally, market stability is reinforced by the presence of major manufacturers and adherence to safety regulations under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which fosters consumer confidence in product ingredients. This combination of economic capacity and regulatory oversight ensures North America remains the primary hub for professional hair care commercialization.

Recent Developments

• In April 2024, Wella Company launched a reformulated version of its Welloxon Perfect professional color developer, featuring a sustainable profile developed in collaboration with the specialty chemicals provider Evonik. The new formula incorporates carbon-reduced hydrogen peroxide, a breakthrough ingredient certified to lower carbon emissions compared to previous iterations used in salon treatments. Additionally, the product packaging was redesigned to utilize post-consumer recycled plastic and feature a stackable bottle shape to improve transport efficiency. This initiative underscored the company's commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of its professional offerings while maintaining high-quality technical results for colorists.
• In March 2024, Schwarzkopf Professional launched a new permanent color line known as IGORA ZERO AMM, which is formulated entirely without ammonia and ammonia odor. The range was developed to provide natural-looking color results with high coverage while ensuring a more comfortable salon experience for clients who are sensitive to strong chemical scents. This product introduction expanded the brand's portfolio of cleaner beauty solutions, catering to the growing market demand for gentle yet effective professional treatments. The formulation utilizes alternative alkalizing agents to maintain rigorous performance standards, ensuring optimal color retention and vibrancy for salon services.
• In February 2024, Dyson introduced the Supersonic r hair dryer, a precision styling tool engineered specifically for the professional hair care market. The device features a unique curve-shaped heater and a streamlined ergonomic design that is substantially lighter and smaller than previous models, addressing the need to reduce wrist strain for salon experts. The tool incorporates radio frequency identification (RFID) technology within its attachments, which automatically communicates with the dryer to adjust airflow and temperature settings for optimal styling. This launch marked a significant technological advancement in the company's dedicated portfolio for professional stylists.
• In January 2024, L'Oreal Groupe unveiled a breakthrough professional-grade hair drying tool named AirLight Pro during the CES trade show in Las Vegas. Developed in collaboration with the hardware startup Zuvi, this device utilizes a combination of infrared-light technology and high-speed wind to efficiently dry hair while preserving internal moisture. The innovation, intended for launch under the L'Oreal Professionnel brand, promises significantly reduced energy consumption and faster drying times compared to traditional heating coil dryers. This strategic product release aims to elevate the capabilities of hairstylists by delivering superior hair health results and supporting the industry's sustainability objectives.

Key Market Players

• L'Oréal S.A.
• Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
• The Procter & Gamble Company
• Unilever PLC
• Kao Corporation
• The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
• The Avon Company
• Revlon Consumer Products LLC
• Mascolo Limited
• Shiseido Company, Limited

By Type	By Application	By Sales Channel	By Region
Hair Colouring Shampoos Styling Agent Straightening and Perming Agent Others	Business to Business (B2B) Business to Consumer (B2C)	Supermarkets/Hypermarkets Specialty Stores Salons Online and Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Professional Hair Care Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Professional Hair Care Market, By Type:

• Hair Colouring
• Shampoos
• Styling Agent
• Straightening and Perming Agent
• Others

• Professional Hair Care Market, By Application:

• Business to Business (B2B)
• Business to Consumer (B2C)

• Professional Hair Care Market, By Sales Channel:

• Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
• Specialty Stores
• Salons
• Online and Others

• Professional Hair Care Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE