We explore the rise of natural and vegan hair products and the positive changes they can make to ourselves and the planet.
The demand for natural, organic or vegan hair products has rapidly increased over the past decade as consumers have become more aware and conscious of the ingredients they are putting onto and into their bodies. COVID-19 had a severe impact on the beauty and personal care industry. Stores and hair salons were closed, and women were forced to take care of their hair at home. This led to an increase in women reassessing the ingredients in the products they use and choosing more wisely and a tendency to turn towards healthier, more natural ingredients has become a fast-growing trend around the world, especially for those with, dry, damaged or textured hair. In 2019, the global natural hair care product market was valued at USD 8.74 billion and is expected to reach USD14.5 billion by 2026, it’s one of the fastest-growing markets in the world and it is reacting directly to customer demand.
“Vegan hair products are free from harmful chemicals and derived usually from plant-based ingredients and therefore can support in your general health without the nastiness of well-known chemicals such as sulphates, parabens and silicones which found in many products.” Explains Celebrity Hairstylist Jamilla Paul. She believes vegan hair products are something we should all be considering. “Whether you eat vegan or not, there are still huge benefits of using vegan haircare products. If we omit sulphates, parabens and silicones from our haircare regime our locks will feel so much healthier. These chemicals can weigh down your hair and coat it with nasty chemicals that prevent moisture from penetrating the hair shaft which is what will support in keeping your hair at its optimum condition and prevent dryness in the long term.”
Most natural hair care products use antioxidants that contain Vitamin E, which provides nourishment to the scalp and promotes hair growth. Consumers have become ingredient savvy and they avoid picking products with sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, and alcohol, thus boosting the demand. Naturally found ingredients, such as avocado oil, aloe vera, and apple cider vinegar, coconut, honey and peppermint are all preferred by natural beauty buyers thanks to their kinder approach to hair and their visible results without causing damage to hair. “Plant-derived ingredients contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants so vegan products on your skin and hair can be a huge support if you have skin allergies or a sensitive scalp. They are also safe to use on your children as they generally do not have harsh ingredients.” Says Jamilla.
According to the Asia Cosmetics report, in 2017, globally, close to 56% of millennials and Gen X actively bought natural beauty and grooming products owing to growing consciousness regarding chemical-free products. Growing concerns, such as hair fall, dull hair, lack of hair volume, and thinning hair can be treated with natural products that are kinder and cleaner on our hair. We discover some of the latest brands to look out for.
Authentic Beauty Concept
Authentic Beauty Concept is a holistic, vegan brand that’s become a must-have for hairstylists and women around the world and now it’s available here in the Middle East. The vegan haircare brand was developed in response to the real needs of women today. The need for carefully selected, pure ingredients in their products, and a wish to treat their hair with the greatest of care and use products that are honest, transparent and that offer real results. Authentic Beauty Concept is a range of simple and natural products that use pure, carefully selected ingredients. All of the products are free from silicones sulphates and parabens, so are more gentle and kinder to your hair.
The Authentic Beauty Concept believes that what you leave out is as important as what you put in. That’s why all of the products are pure, natural and simple. With a carefully curated selection of ingredients that are all vegan. Authentic Beauty Concept also supports the Sustainable Guar Initiative (SGI); a program launched by the company Solvay to enhance the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder guar bean farmers in India and responsibly source the ingredient Guar (Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride), a caring ingredient. The mindset behind the “Authentic Beauty Movement” is “be yourself”. It’s about being real, direct and open. Their styling products with a ‘no styling’ approach invisibly enhance authentic hair and gives a natural, yet beautiful look. It’s about building on the natural beauty that is already there.
Join the #AUTHENTICBEAUTYMOVEMENT via www.authenticbeautyconcept.com and @authenticbeautyconcept.gcc on Instagram and Facebook.
Sukin
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Sukin was created in 2007 to offer consumers high-quality, environmentally friendly, personal care products. Using all naturally derived ingredients their products are cruelty-free and 100 per cent vegan. They contain no sulphates, parabens, no artificial colouring, no synthetic fragrances and much more. Their latest product Hydrating product line is infused with Shea Butter and Coconut Extract to nourish and condition the scalp. The ingredient duo repairs dry and damaged hair, while naturally added Olive Oil helps to strengthen the hair, reduce frizz and add shine.
The Sukin Hydrating Replenishing Masque is a deeply hydrating treatment that conditions and manages dry and frizzy hair. A nourishing blend of Shea and Cocoa Butters, Coconut Oil & Vitamin E will give hydration to thirsty hair, leaving it soft and manageable. While the new Hydrating Treatment Oil is a nourishing leave-in treatment, perfect for revitalizing dull and frizzy hair. A hydrating concentration of Argan, Olive & Jojoba Oils will restore natural shine while promoting strength and moisture levels within the hair. Use these with the full range of hydrating products for a real change in your hair.
Sukin is available at LIFE Pharmacy, Lifestyle and Watson’s retail outlets throughout the UAE, in Holland & Barrett, Saudi Arabia and Boutiqaat in Kuwait.
Olew Hair
Natural hair care brand Olew is specifically designed for women with curly hair. Curly hair strands are much more fragile than straight ones so they take a lot of looking after in order to keep them strong, defined and frizz-free. Founded by Welsh-born entrepreneur Elinor Davies-Farn in 2018, Olew is inspired by her own curly hair journey after years of straightening her locks due to the pressure to conform, and not liking the way her curls looked naturally. In 2012, Elinor decided to ditch hair straighteners and begin embracing her natural curls. This involved extensive research into the haircare market, in which she learned about the harmful chemicals and preservatives that are a mainstay of many of the products available on the market. It also incorporated experimenting with products, each failing to produce the results she was looking for.
So Elinor embarked on a journey to create her own products that met the needs of her hair. She named the brand – Olew – the Welsh word for oil, to pay homage to her curly roots and Welsh roots too, and she decided to keep the product range completely natural to maximise the results. Olew products are packed full of hydrating ingredients that will nourish and protect your hair. Some of the highlights of the range include the Cleansing Shampoo and Clarifying conditioner as well as the Curl Cream which smooths curls and minimises frizz, as well as adding moisture back into your hair.
Olew is currently available for purchase online at projectcurls.com and shopcurls.com.
Aesop
Established in Melbourne in 1987 Aesop’s vision has always been to formulate products of the finest quality that offer real results, using safe ingredients. This includes skin, body, and hair care and fragrance. They research widely to source plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients, using only those with a proven record of safety and efficacy. Their formulations bring together natural and manmade ingredients, blending the two to create products that have a minimum impact on the environment. Their full range is botanical, cruelty-free and developed by scientists in an in-house laboratory in Australia. The latest hair products to join the family are the Sculpt Hair Polish and the Tame Hair Serum.
The Polish is an alternative to regular styling gels and contains an uplifting blend of essential oils—including Lime, Bergamot Rind and Clove Bud—along with Hydrolyzed Oats and Panthenol to help hydrate and nurture the hair. It shampoos out readily, without long-term build-up. While the serum is a botanically based formulation to keep flyaways and frizzy hair under gentle but sure control. Non-sticky and lightweight, it is suitable for most hair types and lengths, smoothing the strands and imparting a soft feel and finish while also conferring subtle texture and definition. All Aesop packaging is recyclable and all products are vegan and cruelty-free, and no ingredient is tested on animals.
Harklinikken
Born in Denmark, Harklinikken was built upon a Scandinavian heritage that relies on a sincere appreciation for immaculate nature, beautiful minimalism, and quality of design. The journey began in the early ’90s when Founder and Lead Researcher, Lars Skjoeth, made a discovery that made it possible to effectively counteract hair thinning in both women and men. With products that are based on nature’s raw materials and blended to nourish hair growth from the roots of the scalp, Harklinikken embraces nature and has a conscious approach to healthy chemistry and science.
All of the products are perfume-free, silicone-free, petrochemical free, paraben-free and colour free, making them completely clean and kinder to your hair. Before deciding on which products to use Harklinikken invites its potential customers to visit for a consultation so their products can be specifically chosen by a team of experts, depending on their needs. The consultation will determine whether you will benefit from the Extract. If we deem you a good candidate for the Harklinikken Hair Extract; a hand-blended which is customised for each individual. The team will hand-blend and Extract that is unique to your hair and scalp. The brand’s shampoos have been carefully developed to encourage hair growth, and focus on taking care of not just your hair, but your scalp as well.
Find out more at harkilinikken.ae
Davines
Italian-born haircare brand Davines made it their mission to improve the environment by creating eco-friendly, conscious products. The brainchild of the Bollati family, Davines was founded in 1983 with a core aim of achieving sustainability without compromising on the highest level of performance. Davines was one of the first to take an overall approach to sustainability and make it a priority in all areas, including product composition, production and transportation. The company has constantly strived to reach the perfect balance between Beauty and Good: “Sustainable Beauty” has always been a driver of innovation and improvement. Its products contain only natural, fully sustainable ingredients that are kinder to your hair and kinder to the environment.
Their newest treatment line Heart of Glass has been specifically designed to satisfy the main needs of blonde, treated and natural hair performing a synergistic and complete action in terms of cosmetic, protection and repair of the hair fibre while controlling colour. Extremely gentle, it can be used every time you shampoo the hair. The Davines formulas of Momo, Dede, Love and Volu shampoos are now available in a solid version in 100% paper packaging. They are made with silicon, sulphate and preservative-free formulas, can be transported easily and offer numerous sustainable benefits. Perfect for travel, the shampoo bars dry after use and can be used numerous times with only a small amount required per wash.
Davines’ product ranges can be purchased at www.eideal.com, as well as in the region’s premium salons.
izil
Established in the UAE in 2012, izil’s inspiration comes from the founder, Mouna Abassy’s own country, Morocco. It continues the legacy of unique beauty rituals that Moroccan women perfected throughout generations, rituals that use natural products made from the finest ingredients provided by the nature around them. izil brings together natural products and advanced technology that offer effective results and allow for a unique moment of indulgence, opulence and pampering. Their latest collection pays homage to the traditional Moroccan use of Argan Oil with a new Argan Oil based haircare range. Made with carefully selected ingredients that are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, protein and natural oils, the shampoo and conditioner duo restores the natural balance of hair without stripping them of moisture or weighing them down with product build-up.
The gentle yet advanced formula contains hydrolyzed wheat protein and Argan Oil, the low molecular size of which allows for deep penetration into each hair cuticle, resulting in each strand being well-nourished, hydrated and strong. This new range promises to tackle all common hair problems from breakage to hair full to dryness. the conditioners are available in 3 different formulations for different hair needs – Argan Nourishing Conditioner for all hair types, Argan Balancing Conditioner for oily hair and 3 Oils Rehydrating Conditioner for dry hair. izil has also recently launched the izil beauty spa at Dubai Mall, which offers an unparalleled deluxe spa experience.
izil is available online at izilbeauty.com with worldwide delivery and now at the newly launched boutique in The Dubai Mall.
