Beauty & Wellness Briefing: ‘The Dyson effect’ defined hair care at CosmoProf Las Vegas

There was no shortage of tech-y hair-care tools on display at CosmoProf’s Las Vegas show last week, including dozens of devices that featured futuristic bells-and-whistles, surprisingly lightweight designs and tools lined with infrared light capability. 

As previously reported by Glossy, CosmoProf welcomed more than 1,000 beauty companies and vendors to its 2024 Las Vegas show, including a mix of well-known and emerging brands. One of the largest trends on display was the bifurcation between the latest technology and a return to old-world beauty rituals. The former was led by the hair-care section in what could easily be called “the Dyson effect.” 

In 2012, the vacuum-turned-beauty manufacturer invested around $64 million (£50 million) dollars to develop the company’s first-ever hair tool. In 2016 and 2018, the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap curling tool launched, catapulting the industry into an innovation race. So far, this includes brands like SharkTools, T3, and BondiBoost, which have all released air stylers.

During the first half of 2024, flat iron and straightener sales were up 4% year-over-year to reach $156 million, while hot air stylers were up 10% to reach $276 million in sales, according to market research company Circana.

Dyson did not attend the show in Las Vegas, but the technology it brought to the market years ago — namely, quiet, lightweight and compact designs — was felt throughout the show’s hair-care aisles.

For example, Glossy spotted many small, mallet-shaped dryers and air-based curlers reminiscent of Dyson’s offerings from lesser-known Asia-based manufacturers like Laijunzel, Izutech, Future, BDISCO, Cooliss and Lena. These brands told Glossy they were seeking to increase distribution and retail stateside, but declined to share wholesale pricing. These brands, as well as dozens others, also leaned heavily into T-shaped hair dryers, digital displays, waving irons and cord-free, chargeable tools. 

With the right price point and distribution, there seems to be space in the market. To wit: According to a 2023 market research report from Mintel Insights, 53% of US consumers use a blow dryer daily, while only 16% use a two-in-one hair dryer and styler at home.

Meanwhile, better-known manufacturers such as Valera, Repit, Tymo and Enzo Milano used the opportunity to launch new innovations around weight, cords and capability. 

At Enzo Milano, a 25-year-old professional-focused hair tool brand, there was a focus on interchangeable cords and barrels. Standard cord length in the industry is six to eight feet, said Eli Carrillo, territory manager of the brand, which inspired the company to make 20-foot cords, which will retail for $28, that can be popped onto any dryer or tool. The company also added many bells-and-whistles to its new offerings, including touch-assist dryers and curling iron bases with nine or more barrel options.

Meanwhile, at Valera — a Swiss hair tool brand launched in 1955 — showgoers played with its new Ultimate AI hairdryer, which learns the users’ behavior using machine learning to better predict speed and temperature preference, and reminds users to clean the filter as needed.

Infrared red light therapy was also a booming trend in the hair-care section of the show. Born from the red light face mask category trend of the past decade, which began with the celeb-favorite $1,900 Déesse PRO mask and spawned countless iterations at every price point, red lights lined tools of all kinds at the show. 

When used on the face, red light tech is believed to reduce acne, discoloration and wrinkles; but when lining the plate of a hair flat iron, the goal is added shine. 

“What infrared does [to your hair and scalp] depends on the tool,” Kristine Benglyan, brand director of iBeauty Brands, parent company to Sutra hot tools and hair-care, told Glossy. “When you have it in your flat iron, it’s actually sealing the cuticle making sure you’re getting a smooth glide and a glossy finish [without frizz]. In a blowout brush, because the infrared is directly applied to the scalp, [it’s] still sealing the cuticle by drying the hair from the inside out, but it’s also stimulating the scalp, encouraging hair growth.” 

Sultra launched new products at CosmoProf, including a mini version and 3-inch version of its patented best-selling infrared thermal brush, which retails for $110. 

“When there is innovation, there is a race to duplicate it,” Benglyan told Glossy about the noticeable influx of look-a-like hair tools at the show. “A lot of companies will have a red light, and claim infrared because there is a small amount [but it’s not an effective amount].” Sutra only uses FAR infrared, which is the most potent version of the light, Benglyan said. 

Sutra sells DTC and through Target, Amazon, and Macys. The group attended the show for brand awareness. 

Also targeting the scalp with new products was Tymo, a Chinese brand that launched in 2019 and currently sells DTC and on Amazon, Target and Walmart. Its hero launch at the show was a red light treatment brush designed to stimulate the scalp through infrared waves and massaging bristles with a $99 MSRP. 

The brand attended CosmoProf in hopes of selling to more big box stores, said Ray Wang, Tymo’s global offline business director. The brush launches in September but doesn’t yet have a formal name, only a model number: HC132. 

The HC132 brush also includes a way to distribute scalp treatment oils or serums, which the consumer can pour into the back of the brush before treatment. It’s part of a larger scalp health category trend, which includes supplements, topicals and devices and saw a 36% spike in growth between May 2023 and 2024. As previously reported by Glossy, this compounds with the previous year, which saw 42% growth in the scalp category. 

Retailers like Sephora have leaned into infrared technology with BondiBoost’s Thermal Brush ($98) and MoroccanOil’s Smart Styling hair dryer ($190), the only two hair products with infrared light on Sephora.com at the time of publication. 

Executive moves: 

• The Estée Lauder Companies has named Akhil Shrivastava as the new executive vice president and chief financial officer effective November 1 of this year. Akhil will replace Tracey T. Travis, who will remain on staff until June 30 of next year to support the transition. 

News to know:

• Debut, a biotech startup that received $70 million in funding with lead investment from L’Oréal’s Bold science-focused incubator arm, is entering the contract manufacturing business. Named BiotechXBeautyLabs, the new endeavor will offer CM and formulation services, including white labeling and custom formulations. Debut is the parent company to Deinde, a biotech-fueled skin-care brand launched in January.  

• J.C. Penney and Thirteen Lune are restructuring a partnership that has brought minority-owned beauty brands to the department store retailer, according to a story published on Beauty Independent. This includes new retail orders going directly from the department store to the brands, circumventing Thirteen Lune’s involvement.
• After months of speculation about the future of L’Occitane International SA, the group has announced it will be privately held after delisting from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
   
• Summer Fridays — the skin-care brand started by Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland in 2018 — has received investment from TSG Consumer Partners. The details of the deal have not been disclosed, but WWD has reported that the group took on majority ownership. TSG has also backed brands like Huda Beauty color cosmetics and Hempz skin- and body-care.
• Color cosmetics brand Wonderskin has collaborated with fast-food brand Chipotle to create an avocado-green lip stain to celebrate Wednesday’s National Avocado day.

In the headlines:

Interparfums SA renews Van Cleef & Arpels fragrance license, stock rises steeply. Travis Barker’s Barker Wellness launches at Sprouts with new functional mushroom gummies. How Kahina Giving Beauty unexpectedly found success In China. Kristin Cavallari releases first Uncommon James fragrance. Boys are perfuming their bodies and perming their hair, but could they catapult men’s grooming sales? Ciara, Camila Morrone and Pom Klementieff named Nars’ new brand ambassadors. Meet L.A.’s Contrapposto: Where luxury meets personalized artistry.

Don’t Miss:

For fashion and beauty brands, telling a story that both cuts through the noise and conveys a powerful brand message has never been more challenging, or important. This year, we replaced our Top Marketers list with a group we’re calling Storytellers. See the work that defined the past year in fashion and beauty in Glossy’s new Storytellers Awards. 

Listen in: 

When it comes to influential families in the beauty industry, Jami Morse Heidegger and daughter Hannah Heidegger are in a class all their own. Jami and Hannah join the Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss the early days at Kiehl’s, the decision behind selling to L’Oréal, the ins and outs of product formulation, the way the beauty industry has changed through the years, and the future for Retrouvé. 

Need a Glossy recap? 

The beauty trends that dominated CosmoProf Las Vegas 2024. Ulta Beauty relaunches its in-house Ulta Beauty Collection with a new Gen-Z focus. ‘Emily in Paris’ sells French girl beauty, American style. Cover FX champions athlete underdogs with new ‘Ms. Irrelevant’ campaign. Why altering sales strategies based on current market conditions is ‘a mistake’.