Report highlights needs of type 4 hair

People with textured hair are crying out for better products, education, and by extension salon services

The chief executive of a haircare personalisation platform wants to empower the hair industry to offer better solutions to type 4 hair customers. Winnie Awa of AI-driven platform Carra has published The Texture Gap in the hope that an “innovation frenzy” can follow to meet these customer demands.

Despite being vocal on wanting better solutions, current market offerings for type 4 hair customers are below par. Social media conversations between them are growing by 62 per cent year on year – eight times more than other hair types – but current offerings aren’t meeting needs. This is backed up by a Mintel study that found that 95 per cent of Black women would consider switching hair brands.

The Black and textured haircare market, worth an estimated $10 billion, has the potential to be a big moneymaker for hair brands and by extension, salons, and Winnie’s report may be their first detailed introduction to the type 4 customer.

The below findings are the result of a collection of 2,000 textured hair profiles from global consumers who signed up on the Carra platform from January 2021 to December 2022. The data includes information on hair characteristics, goals, concerns, routines, hairstyles and lifestyle factors.

Here’s what getting to grips with type 4 haircare could mean for your salon…

1. Reassess the products you’re offering

Type 4 hair customers want more products tailored especially to them, the most fragile of all textured hair types. The ‘suitable for all hair types’ products make customers with the tightest coils feel unsure about whether they will work.

The multiple needs of type 4 hair customers show that a ‘one size fits all’ product solution isn’t right. The tighter the hair texture, the more likely a customer is to have multiple hair concerns including dryness, slow growth and breakage.

Action point: Look at the textured hair products you’re stocking, could you offer a more tailored and targeted solution to the tightest curls in the textured spectrum?

2. Offer accessible education on type 4 haircare

Social media conversations among type 4 hair customers show a desire to embrace their natural hair, but many complain about styling time and dry and damaged condition.

There is also a lack of guidance on textured haircare and when they find it, there can be too many steps.

However, better products aren’t enough, the community needs more detailed and helpful information from brands about how to treat their hair.

Action point: This is an opportunity for hair salons to step up. They must educate themselves and offer information on haircare routines beyond the salon on their social media channels and in consultations with their type 4 textured hair clients.

3. Visualise the business benefits

Type 4 consumers are most likely to change their hair frequently compared to other hair types. This is an opportunity for hair salons educated in type 4 hair services to meet these demands and create a client lifecycle with regular touchpoints.

They are also concerned about hair loss including receding hairlines, balding and alopecia. They want to understand underlying reasons including whether it’s due to alopecia, skin, diet, or other lifestyle factors. Education on hair loss in Black women is key, as it isn’t just down to bad hair practices, says Dr Sharon Belmo, a UK-trained doctor and dermatologist: “Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia is more common amongst Black women.”

Action point: Consider offering trichology services especially for type 4 hair. However, hair salons and stylists interested in offering this must be aware about the sensitives of hair loss among Black women. As a symbol of beauty, pride and identity, there are stigmas around hair loss and any practitioner must deal with this topic sensitively.

4. Start from a place of sensitivity and understanding

Before stylists, salons and hair brands can begin to offer better type 4 haircare services, they need to be sensitive to the cultural history around it.

These natural hair styles have been historically stigmatised, and today, some even question the professionalism of those sporting their natural coils and curls. This goes beyond hair.

By starting from a place of understanding, salons and their stylists can begin to offer better and more inclusive services. With this list of recommendations, you’re sure to be on your way.