Men’s hair color sales dipped slightly in 2020, as reported in Happi, but the founder of Cleverman, a new indie color brand, says he wants to reinvent at-home grooming for men with customized professional hair and beard color solutions. Delivered right to the doorstep, the brand's shade range customizations promise natural-looking results every time.

Each Cleverman kit is made-to-order and is customized from top to bottom after a quick quiz using PerfectMatch Technology to give precise color. Founder Carlos Barreto spent 25 years building brands at Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola and Revlon.
 
Whether users find their first grays or have too many of them, Cleverman has engineered its unique and customizable kits for simple, at-home use. Barreto weighed in with Happi.com on the hair care marketplace.

Happi: How has the pandemic impacted the hair care industry during the past year?
 
CB: Hair color saw massive growth in the at-home market in 2020, driven by a shift from salons. As was the case with other categories, it also experienced an acceleration of the online channel, driven by the pandemic but also by new and innovative DTC brands offering a portfolio of premium, customized solutions. 
 
The DTC channel has been innovating in the female category with brands like Madison Reed, Color & Co and eSalon, while ColorSmith and Cleverman launched in the male segment. Consumers are looking for more customized solutions that can be delivered to their homes with the same quality they can find at a salon.  
 
The salons and professional channels were significantly affected by the pandemic. Many consumers are turning to DTC brands that bring excellent quality, professional tools, and a variety of techniques at home. 
 
Happi:  What do consumers want right now in their hair care products?
 
CB: Consumers look for quality formulas and less aggressive ingredients; they are very interested in what is inside our formulas. 
 
Another big trend is customization; brands are offering more colors, techniques and personalized looks. Cleverman, for example, launched the most customized hair and bead dye for men, with up to 10,000 combinations that allow consumers to really personalize their kits (multiple options for color, technique, tools, hair or beard care). 
 
The male market has been seeing better options thanks to new brands that offer more premium solutions vs. traditional drugstore ones. There has also been growth in the beard dye market, as more men have facial hair. 
 
Happi: Any future trends to look out for in hair products?
 
CB: With more millennials turning 40, I think there will be an expansion of brands that appeal more to this segment than traditional ones. Millennials have been driving significant changes in all consumer product categories, from blades and razors to cosmetics, as they are more interested in quality new propositions, products delivered to their home and digitally-focused brands.
 
We also see more appetite for customization. The retail market has substantial constraints in space and variety, especially for categories like hair color. The direct distribution channel creates room for more variety, more options for hair color and care, similar to what has been happening in the cosmetics market.
 
We also see more men using personal care and grooming products, including hair color. They now have more options easily available. The taboo about men caring for their physical appearance is disappearing. Millennials do care about how they look!