As research from InsightAce Analytic shows, the global D2C personalized haircare market is expected to reach $10.55B by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 19.3% during the forecast period of 2022-2030. Personalization is rapidly growing, with examples such as AI haircare personalization being showcased by brands like Living Proof. As a result, consumers now want to prioritize specific ingredients and product efficacy on a personal level instead of trying various offerings until they find what works for them. There has also been a boom in hair salon usage since lockdown restrictions ended, and the market size is expected to grow by 7.1% in 2022 alone. Combining the two consumer demands, Henkel has created SalonLab&Me, a brand that acts as a hybrid for person-specific treatments that can be used both in a salon and from home.

SalonLab&Me is the newest Schwarzkopf Professional trade name, said to be the first B2B2C hyper-personalized professional haircare brand on the market, offering hairdresser expertise as well as a digital experience. The process works in four stages:

1. SalonLab analysis in the salon

Hairdressers will conduct an expert assessment of a client's hair in the salon, filling out an in-app questionnaire detailing the client's hair condition. Then, the stylist will use the SalonLab Smart Analyzer, a device that allows a near-infrared sensor to measure the quality of the inner hair, offering instant results. The machine then quickly determines the client's hair score, which relates to the current condition of their strands, as well as working out the hair type, color, and scalp health.

2. Hyper-personalized product

The client then receives recommendations based on their SalonLab Smart Analyzer consultation, consisting of product bundles that match their unique hair needs.

3. Further customization

Clients can then make further tweaks to their product recommendations, with the option to add their name, label color choice, and preferred fragrance.

4. Checkout and signup

The order process then turns digital, and the client is given a link to sign up and purchase their individual products, as well as gain access to their SalonLab&Me account, where they can reorder products in the future. Through unique login details, clients can access articles and blogs that provide expert knowledge based on their hair type and selected products.

"With SalonLab&Me, we were able to create a brand, which innovates not only the personalized hair care business, but with its unique business model also an entire industry," says Stuart Hamid, General Manager, Henkel Beauty Care Professional Germany, Austria & Switzerland.

SalonLab&Me's products include a shampoo, conditioner in the form of a spray or cream, and a mask, each tailored to customers' hair goals. The products are available for purchase on the salon-exclusive online shop and can only be purchased once a physical consultation with a hairdresser has been completed.

"We're really excited to launch this pioneering project that combines the invaluable hairdresser expertise with cutting-edge digital innovation. With SalonLab&Me, we're creating a unique physical-meets-digital experience in which salons and their clients explore the best of both worlds, brought to life through a new business model: B2B2C," says Friederike Murschenhofer, Corporate Director of Digital Innovation at Henkel Beauty Care.

The B2B2C approach allows a business growth solution for partnering salons by offering exclusivity to consumers that they cannot get in non-partner salons. Each salon will be provided with a unique online shopping experience that directs consumers straight to their personalized recommendations. Every participating salon will receive a commission for orders placed, regardless of whether the purchase was made directly in-salon or between visits.

"The megatrends of personalization and data-driven innovation are rapidly evolving. We at Henkel continuously work on new products, business models, and ideas to create meaningful and substantial experiences and innovations for our customers and consumers. With the launch of SalonLab&Me, we are expanding our D2C competencies and creating additional value for our consumers. But even more than that: By powering our professional hair care experience through RAQN, our digital business platform, we were able to bring a new business model to life and get one step closer to the hair care of the future," concludes Michael Nilles, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Henkel.