Professional Consultants & Resources, a leading strategic consulting company and top professional beauty industry data source, recently released its in-depth, new 2012 Professional Salon Haircolor Study. The study showed that sales of professional salon color products were up by 3.6 percent and professional hair color services were up by 3.6 percent.

"Salon hair color services have become extremely vital to the growth and very survival of salons and the salon industry at large!" says Cyrus Bulsara, founder of Professional Consultants & Resources. "We face considerable headwinds in the next few quarters based on the poor results of the last two. Major retrenchments and management changes are underway within the market leaders."

Hair color remains the largest, fast growing, major salon product category at $756 million. As the economy recovers, haircolor grows well in areas with good economy. Hair color is projected to grow at a good pace over the next 5 years.

Growth is projected from increased salon visits, for gray coverage, fashion color, new haircolor, and new styles driving growth for demi permanents, permanents, vibrants/vivids, pastels, lighteners and refreshers.

"Hair color services grew by 3.5%, as salon client visits increased and newer, fresher types of hair color services grew and tweens and teens become users," says Bulsara.

Some of the major findings detailed in the 2012 Professional Salon Haircolor Study are:

· Hair color grows strongly in a low GDP growth economy - it is projected to grow to low-single digits by 2017.

· Salon distribution realignments have abated and most salon hair color companies are growing product lines.

· Hair color has become a “vital service” and brings in all other salon services, plus sales for color-care and after-care lines.

· Salon hair color services grow 3.5%, as chair/suite rentals aggressively gain share from mid-tier and mall-based salon chains.

· Demi-permanent formulas again grow at over twice the rate of permanents, indicating new hair coloring dynamics and trends.

· Men’s hair color services for gray coverage/blending sharply increase at upscale men’s barbershops/salons and are covered in-depth in the survey.

· Crèmes/gels outsell liquid hair color in the US for a major usage shift. Most liquids now have crème versions.

· L'Oréal remains the overall category leader with Matrix, Redken, L'Oréal Technique and Professionnel. P&G pursues closely and continues its rapid full-service growth, with its Clairol, Wella and Sebastian divisions; Wella is now the leading hair color company. Goldwell, Sally/ION and Schwarzkopf follow, with another strong growth by Sally’s ION and own-label brands.

· New color category entrants like Sally ION, Paul Mitchell and JOICO continue to gain market share.

· Smaller European hair color companies like Keune, IT&LY, Davines, Alfaparf, and US companies Pravana and Aloxxi also fuel the growth. Major new products like Illumina, Elumen, Beth Minardi Signature, Igora, and INOA2 are covered in detail in the study.

· New product-use trends for translucent color, vivids, vibrants, pastels, luminous color and demis are reviewed.

· Formulation and toxicity issues on MEA, PPD and other unsafe chemicals per European Union regulation are detailed.

· The study outlines latest hair color and fashion/style trends from top  master colorists all over the United States..

· Future hair color product needs per leading master colorists, independent artistic salons, renters and chains are listed.

· New sections on new men’s haircolor services/products, hair color advertising, shipment market shares for leading hair color corporations and by division show L’Oréal, P&G, Goldwell, Sally and Schwarzkopf as leaders.Paul Mitchell, Farouk, Aveda, Framesi, TIGI and JOICO follow.

· Electronic copies are now available for immediate transmission and hardcopies by overnight.

For purchasing information, pricing or questions regarding the 2012 Professional Salon Industry Haircolor Study, please contact Cyrus Bulsara at cbulsara@augustmail.com or go to www.ProConsultants.us.