Picture this- you’re a man in your mid- 20s.
You’ve put up pictures of your youth in every dating app- fewer lines on your face, more hair on your scalp..
But you’re a smooth texter- you FINALLY convince a woman for a date after months of swiping right.
But, before that, she wants to hop on a video call with you.
She accuses you of catfishing and calls it quits.
You blame your receding hairline and bald patches.
In today’s episode of #whatstrending, we have
That’s right!
H.A.I.R.L.O.S.S.!
We’re living in an era where apart from the air quality index being the most concerning issue in India, (h)air quality index is also somewhat concerning.
Don’t believe me?
I have data to back this up.
But why is this happening?
Multiple reasons!
Auto-immune diseases, pollution, genes.
Advanced Hair Studio reports that the most common cause behind hair loss or hair fall is cortisol (bole toh stress).
Okay!
I get it!
I won’t bug you with the data or reasons anymore..
**MEME BREAK**
Here’s a stash of fun memes on this topic
(sorry not sorry)
1. **cries in baldness**
(courtesy: Klausensen)
2. Balding at young age starterpack
(courtesy: Cicada1205)
Now that we’re done laughing , relating
AND maybe, crying a little,
It’s time to dive into brands that are solving this problem.
You see,
Since time immemorial we’ve had the OG “ANTI-HAIR FALL ” shampoos that mostly never really helped
.
To the “instant breakage repair“ ANTI-BREAKAGE shampoos which work a little.
To ANTI-HAIR LOSS solutions
But these solutions are not just shampoos!
Could be anything!
Not combs, you silly!
Hair toppers, hair transplant treatments, oils, shampoos..
The list is endless and so is the scope of the hair-loss solution market!
What particularly piqued my interest was the hair extension market, which was once an unorganized and inconvenient segment.
I remember how we’d go to small wig shops for school performances and sit there for hours, with tonnes of wig glue,
Only to look like we were wearing a heap of coarse black acrylic threads, looking absolutely horrendous!
90’s kids! Where you at?
But, the good news is that-
We’re in the 21st century!
No-makeup makeup is the way to go!
Keeping things discreet is what the Millennials(and older-gen) want;
Being open about all the issues is what Gen Z (and below) prefer.
While Kesh King managed to capture the market in the previous decade, people are shifting to quick solutions like clip-in hair extensions.
The transition from “sabr ka fal meetha hota hai” to ”sabr ? wo kya hota hai!” has been rapid!
Gone are the days when people would wait for their hair to stop falling and grow back.
Hair loss? Receding hairline?
No problem!
Go to Amazon, search for hair extensions, place your order and show people that you suddenly have Ghane Baal everyday.
Indeed, we are in the Maggie era- brands sell products in under 90 seconds, the ready-to-eat market is booming, split of a second is what it takes to communicate(not connect) and hair extensions are deemed 'need of the hour'.
Sociologist George Ritzer coined the term “McDonaldisation of society” in 2018.
This term justifies the shift in the preferences and needs of consumers.
Efficiency, standardization, predictability and control are what this concept entails.
And, it’s exactly what people want!
They want to make their scalp look healthy in the fastest way possible- such that it looks the same everyday and should cover their bald patches, such that it looks au naturel.
Clip-in hair extensions check all the boxes.
Hence, we have a clear winner over here.
Many home-grown brands are helping Indians fight the hair loss conundrum.
The organized hair extension market in India is growing by leaps and bounds.
In fact, as per Jungle Scout, in the past month, over one lakh people searched for “hair extensions” on Amazon.
Sunrise Industry, you’d ask?
Well, yes.
At least in India.
Multiple reasons justify this-
Raw material availability
Brands can source human hair directly from the temples. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam e-auctions are the most convenient. They made a profit of Rs 16 Cr in May by selling human hair.Content, content, content
In this age of short-form content, people are making live demonstration videos on how to use hair extensions, answering queries and busting myths about their products. I know you’re thinking of nishhairDecreasing Stigma
Mostly, Gen Z is not afraid to discuss their issues. They are open to experimenting with bright and conventional colored hair extensions.And even if hair loss is hush-hush
Accessible and affordable hair extensions coupled with online marketplaces are a killer combination for catering to people who would never want to be publicly associated with hair loss.Functional and aesthetic
Getting bangs and crying over the mess is so 2015!
Now, people simply clip in bangs and style their hair accordingly.
Pretty convenient!
Brands are making sure that if we’re having a ba(L)d life,
At least we won’t have a ba(L)d day.
What a wonderful time to be alive!
Because, what’s better than having your hair extension discreet, easy to use and accessible at all times?
<Hint: hogging food and not getting fat>
If you are aware of some kick-ass marketing campaigns executed by hair-extension brands, hit me up here!
ANDDD if you loved reading this, share it with someone to make their day better
See you next week,
Toodaloo! <3