The Different Types Of Wholesale Natural Hair Products Explained
New to the haircare business and looking to learn more about the different types of wholesale natural hair products? You’ve come to the right place.
Our guide below outlines the two main hair product categories in detail. We explain the different types of products in each category, and the crucial reason why you should be cautious before labeling your brand’s haircare products ‘natural’.
Plus, we provide an overview of the key clean or natural hair ingredients to look for before signing any contract with a supplier.
What Is Natural Haircare? What Claims Can I Make About ‘Natural’ Products?
Natural haircare typically refers to products formulated with naturally derived ingredients and without any synthetic additives. This section of the beauty world is booming - Bloomberg estimates that the natural cosmetics industry will be worth $48.04 Billion by the year 2025.
Generally, natural haircare is considered healthier for the hair and better for the environment, however, there is some nuance to this discussion. Some natural ingredients can be harsher for the hair or the skin compared to certain synthetic alternatives.
To ensure your haircare is as safe as possible, source your natural wholesale hair products from a manufacturer you trust to develop truly effective, gentle, and safe formulas.
Unlike ‘organic’, which has a specific legal definition, claims about ‘natural’ haircare are not as tightly regulated by the US government. However, this looks set to change soon - the Natural Cosmetics Act was introduced to Congress in late 2021.
If the act passes, the FDA will legally define the terms ‘natural’ and ‘naturally derived ingredient’ for the beauty industry.
Even though the act is not law yet, there is evidence that government bodies take false promises about ‘natural’ beauty seriously.
As outlined by Cosmetic Business, several cosmetics brands found themselves in hot water over claims of ‘natural’ beauty in 2016, especially promises of ‘100% natural’ formulas.
In light of this previous legal action and with new legislation looming, we strongly advise against making any ‘natural’ claims in your branding or marketing for any of your haircare products, unless you are 100% sure that they will meet the ‘natural’ standards under the new proposed law.
Sourcing mostly naturally-derived wholesale hair products is straightforward, however, typically these formulas will contain some synthetic elements.
To avoid legal headaches later down the line, it’s a safer strategy to broaden your approach and target the clean haircare market as a whole.
It’s easier to find suppliers who sell private label clean haircare or who formulate to set clean standards than it is to find 100% natural haircare.
At Genie Supply, we’re experts in clean, cruelty-free, and vegan cosmetics. We currently offer two haircare private label products (stay tuned for updates to our range), plus we can formulate most scalp and hair care from scratch for your business.
We specialize in new-to-market concepts, hybrid products, and novel chemical research. If you have a unique, exciting idea for your natural hair line, get in touch!
The Different Types Of Natural Hair Wholesale Products
1. Hair Wash Products: Shampoos and Conditioners
Shampoo and conditioner products are a staple for any haircare brand. While shampoos are used to clean the hair, conditioners are designed to detangle the hair and improve shine, reduce frizz, and seal split ends.
Adding shampoos and conditioners to your haircare line is a great way to earn repeat business, as hair wash products are typically replenished regularly.
According to data from The Benchmarking Company (quoted in Global Cosmetics magazine), approximately one-third of consumers purchase shampoo and conditioner every month, while close to half (45%+) buy these essentials every few months.
Always keep your target audience in mind before you decide on the hair wash products for your haircare line.
If your target demographic struggles with scalp issues, or is concerned about the impact of aging on their hair, look for natural wholesale hair products that contain the amino acid blend FSS.
Used in both shampoos and conditioners, this special blend of amino acids is both hydrating and anti-aging, while the added aspartic acid helps exfoliate dead skin cells from the scalp.
If natural or clean haircare is a priority for your business, choose natural wholesale shampoo and conditioner hair products formulated without silicones, most sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.
Replacing (Most) Sulfates:
Finding a great sulfate-free alternative can be tricky, as these foaming agents are highly effective at cleaning the hair thoroughly.
Thankfully, there are good alternatives to conventional sulfates on the market, including:
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (made from coconut and palm oils)
Sodium coco sulfate (a palm-oil-free alternative to sodium lauryl sulfoacetate)
Decyl glucoside (technically a sulfate, though it is formulated from coconut oil and is considered less irritating than many other sulfates)
Alternatives To Silicone:
We recommend Silgreen G - a new plant-based silicone-alternative cleansing ingredient that works perfectly in shampoo formulas.
Additionally, hemisqualane is a suitable silicone alternative for conditioners. Naturally derived from sugarcane or olives, this clean ingredient adds softness and shine to the hair. There’s no doubt that it’s effective - a study from 2022 confirmed that hemisqualane performs just as well as silicones in beauty products.
It’s not enough to replace ‘bad’ ingredients – source wholesale natural hair products that contain clean ingredients proven to provide real haircare results.
3 key ingredient categories will make a big difference to your customers’ hair:
Humectants
Nourishing oils
Thickening agents
Some easy-to-source natural hair oils include:
Jojoba oil
Argan oil
Vitamin E
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Moisturizing shea and cocoa butters, which are naturally derived from trees, also work well in conditioners.
Ready to formulate your own exciting, original range of shampoos and conditioners? At Genie Supply, we can create a range of hair wash products to your exact specifications. Learn more about the custom formulating process here.
2. Pre-Wash & Aftercare Treatment Products: Oils, Sprays, Masks, and Serums
The secret to healthy, shiny hair goes beyond effective shampoos and conditioners - the products used in the prewash and afterwash phases also have a key impact on hair quality.
There are several different natural / clean treatment products that you can source for your range, including hair masks, sprays, oils, and serums. Let’s take a closer look at sprays and oils as an example.
Heat Protecting Sprays:
Heat is incredibly damaging to the hair, but thankfully heat protection products are scientifically proven to substantially reduce heat damage.
If you’d like to add a heat-protecting spray to your range, look for wholesale natural hair products that contain brassica copolymer. This natural plant-based ingredient is derived from canola and tung oils and works great in heat-protectant sprays.
Hair Oils:
Hair oils are effective as both pre-wash and post-wash treatments to prevent breakage, add shine, encourage hair growth, and tackle frizz.
Thankfully, options for a natural haircare brand are almost endless - there are a ton of natural oils with amazing haircare benefits to add to your formulas.
Genie Supply’s 2-in-1 hair and body oil is packed with natural oils to give protecting, nourishing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Natural coconut and jojoba oil helps moisturize and soothe the hair, while vitamin E provides both protecting and nourishing benefits.
Our hair and body oil contains the emulsifier Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate which is naturally derived from a combination of vegetable glycerin and sunflower seed oil.
This hair oil also contains Silica Dimethyl Silylate. Although not naturally derived, it has the lowest hazard score (1) on EWG’s rating system.
Our vegan, cruelty-free, and preservative-free formula is made in the USA and matches clean standards for several retailers including Credo, WholeFoods, and Sephora.
This hair and body oil is available in bulk, via the turnkey private label process, and even with some adjustments through our custom product creation manufacturing method. We can also collaborate to custom formulate a brand-new hair oil to your exact specifications!
Carving Out A Haircare Niche: Your Target Market Impacts The Product Selection Process
Now that we’ve established wholesale natural hair products fall into either the wash or pre/after wash categories, it’s time to think about the direction of your natural haircare brand.
How is your brand different from the rest? Targeting a specific niche in the haircare market is one easy way to stand out.
Take men’s haircare as just one possible example. According to Allied Market Research, the men’s haircare market is projected to be worth $54,755.1 million by the year 2030.
Combine the appeal of natural or clean haircare with a specific focus on the male consumer niche to capture some of this market share.
Genie Supply’s beard oil is ideal for any business sourcing wholesale natural hair products for the male market.
Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen the beard hair, while a combination of soybean oil, hemp seed oil, and jojoba oil nourish this sensitive area. Castor oil also nourishes the beard hair follicles while improving fullness and beard health.
You can source this clean, cruelty-free, and vegan formula in bulk on our website. We also offer our beard oil through private label manufacturing or with some added customizations via our custom product creation process.
Interested in creating your own male facial grooming products or a brand new hair concept? Work with us through our custom formulating process for a unique natural men’s haircare range.
Sourcing Wholesale Products With Natural Fragrance
Fragrance brings a touch of luxury to the haircare experience. If your customers enjoy your products’ scents, they’re much more likely to come back for more.
While fragrance oils are available in a wider range of scent options and are generally cheaper to source, they typically contain a blend of both synthetic and natural fragrances - not ideal for a natural hair care brand!
Choosing wholesale essential oils over fragrance oils is an easy way to make your haircare products more natural. Although essential oils are more expensive and difficult to source, they’re the obvious choice for natural hair brands as essential oils are extracted from plants.
According to survey results from The Benchmarking Company (quoted in Global Cosmetics magazine), the most popular hair care scents (in order) are as follows:
Fresh
Coconut
Fruity
Citrus
Light floral
At Genie Supply, we offer 15 different essential oil options to choose from! To match consumer demand, we recommend our orange, lemon, ylang-ylang, lavender, and geranium essential oil scents.
In sum, there are two key types of wholesale natural hair products:
Hairwash products (shampoos and conditioners)
Prewash & postwash products (oils, serums, sprays, masks)
If natural hair products are your priority:
Understand that you need to be cautious before making any ‘natural’ marketing claims.
Source your haircare from a reputable manufacturer that specializes in clean formulas
Ready to get started with your natural haircare brand? Genie Supply is at your service! Email us: customerservice@geniesupply.com or call us: +(812) 329 1105.