Perfectly timed as consumers frantically attempt to navigate the turbulent nature of the current United States economy, a new beauty trend has emerged—captivating social media users and eager shoppers with the resurgence of drugstore hair care products.
In the current market, saturated with an array of luxury hair care brands and dominated by the lure of exclusive Sephora sales, the new interest in accessible, affordable and effective drugstore brand hair care products represents a pertinent shift in cultural consumerism—illustrating shoppers’ desire to eliminate excessive spending within their daily routine and regain agency in a time of economic uncertainty.
One individual at the forefront of the current drugstore hair care movement is Minnesota-based social media content creator Abbey Yung, discovered by many users online under the username @abbeyyung. Despite Yung’s legitimate qualifications which includes a certification in trichology, the content creator garners most of her online authority at first glance—with the creator’s signature long blonde tresses acting as a physical representation of her carefully examined product critiques and prudent beauty advice.
In addition to her iconized locks, Yung is best known amongst online beauty-enthusiasts for her viral hair care routine, coined by the creator as the “Abbey Yung method.” Within this multi-step method, an emphasis on drugstore products acts as the focus, citing heritage brands from Pantene to Dove as holy grail additions to her routine. Many consumers, taken with Yung’s advice, are following suit.
In an interview with Yung, the creator addressed the overwhelming popularity of the Abbey Yung method, saying, “I think the initial reason viewers were so drawn to the Abbey Yung Method is because they were shocked by how much better their scalp and hair felt after trying it. Especially when the incredible results they experienced were from drugstore products!”
Yung continued, saying, “Beyond that, I think it resonates with viewers because it’s not a one size or one product fits all approach. The main purpose of the method is to build a routine that meets the unique needs of each person’s scalp and hair so that it both looks and feels as healthy as possible. There’s no single step or product that is ‘required’ on this method—viewers can pick and choose between steps, products and price points depending on how their scalp and hair respond and what works the best for their lifestyle.”
In the same interview, Yung explained why so many consumers were previously hesitant to integrate drugstore brands into their routine, saying, “Widespread myths circulating in the hair industry for years have contributed to a general distrust of drugstore hair brands.” Yung went on to name some examples of this misinformation such as drugstore products being watered down; containing ingredients that are more harsh or harmful than high end brands; causing hair loss; coating one’s hair with wax and giving one the illusion of positive results temporarily while causing long term damage.
“So it’s completely understandable that consumers would be hesitant to try drugstore hair products after hearing myths like this for their entire lives! It’s just unfortunate because none of those things are true,” said Yung.
Online personalities like Yung are often credited for popularizing similar trends in fashion and beauty—beginning as seemingly small preferences in taste and blossoming into movements that have the power to affect millions of users and significantly alter the consumer landscape. In a report from trend forecasting platform WGSN, the publication remarks on the influential relationship a young consumer demographic has with the online media they consume regularly in a section titled “What Gen Z Wants From Your Brand,” saying, ‘‘This is a generation that is growing up with its time split between two worlds—the fast-paced, constantly evolving digital world (URL) and a physical in real life (IRL) world that seems to throw up new challenges, stresses and obstacles to overcome every day—and it’s this parallel existence that defines how they shop for, and experience, beauty.’’
As shoppers deal with the chaotic state of the country’s current economics, fashionable shifts in consumer culture, such as the rise in drugstore hair care products, represents a significant shift in trend culture—one that puts the user first and prioritizes quality, accessibility and affordability among all else.