But with the rise in increasingly sophisticated nail care finishes also comes the need for highly effective removal products, which is highlighted by an increase in the number of increasingly high tech products targeting this category.
These trends are amongst the stand outs in a new market research report from Kline Group, titled Professional Nail Care: Market Brief, which underlines that the market is continuing to grow at an annual rate of 6%.
Long-wear products growth in triple figures
Indeed, stressing how much of an impact the emerging hybrid category is having worldwide, Kline Group’s data shows that growth of these long-wear products is currently being recorded in triple digit figures.
“While this innovation is the key market driver, it is also leading to cannibalization of sales between product types, which causes several brands to suffer declines in sales for their nail polish product lines as loyal consumers shift to use long-wear nail polishes,” said Agnieszka Saintemarie, the report's project manager.
“These products particularly target nail polish users, while gel users only use it for a shorter period of time, wanting to take a break from gels.”
Effective yet safe nail removal
While the growth in hybrids continues, this is also feeding the need for effective yet safe nail polish remover products.
Kline’s report points to the fact that there is a growing awareness of the use of acetone, or fillers, which can actually damage nails.
Nail care providers have jumped at this opportunity, extending their portfolios beyond lacquers and varnishes, and into a variety of removal options that now include everything from peel-off base coats to steamers.
Innovation in nail varnish removal hits peak
Kline says its data shows that 2015 was in fact the most important year to date for new innovation and launches in the nail care removal category.
The steamer removal systems rely on warming up acetone-based removal solutions to help make the removal of gels and acrylics easier, and have included launches such as Steam Off from The Painted Nail and Gel II’s Steam Gel-Polish Removal System.
The report also highlights that there is a disparity in the take-up of the new hybrid nail varnishes and removal systems on a regional basis, with the US and Europe proving to be the early adopters, while the Asia Pacific region is still in the process of latching on.
Interestingly, the report notes that in the highly fast-paced and progressive market of South Korea, filing still remains the preferred removal technique and Bandi is the only brand offering long-wear nail polishes.