Salon Pricing Trends for Hair Color Products and Services

What about paint prices?

The spring news cycle highlighted a jump in cosmetics and care product costs after several international manufacturers paused or halted operations in Russia. By summer, consumers noticed in stores that familiar brands were harder to find, and when available, prices had often doubled.

Sergei Zverev, a world champion and European hairdressing champion who also works as a singer and showman, told socialbites.ca that the price of hair dye was rising across the board.

“Premium paints—Loreal, Kydra, Moroccanoil—saw averages up by about 30%. Moments later prices spiked by as much as 50%, then partially retraced. Top-tier stylists associated with these brands adjusted salon pricing accordingly. The “Business” segment brands—Schwartzkopf, Londa, Wella—registered about a 20% increase. At the same time, Londa and Wella disappeared from the Russian market,” he explained.

For the economy segment, the rise was even more pronounced, nearing or exceeding 50%, while paints sold under Zverev’s own label rose only about 5% after factoring inflation.

Industry voices from Russian beauty salons corroborate the trend.

“Prices across all product lines have climbed. Domestic items included. We’re seeing 30% to 80% changes depending on the product,” stated Alla Khryachkova, who runs a beauty salon in the Samara region.

The Moscow salon Arena reported a 20% uptick in hair dye prices. “Discounted, a bottle cost 499 rubles; now it runs about 650 rubles. The dollar bounced, but producers did not lower prices,” the owner noted.

Another perspective came from Tatyana, a colorist at Moscow Beauty Blooming, who observed a 30–40% rise in dye prices. Marina Trusova, a stylist with a salon in the Samara region, explained the largest price jumps since March occurred in the low- to mid-price hair dye segment.

“I work with German brands like Wella and Londa, with only a modest price uptick. Overall, the midpoint cosmetic segment saw strong increases, while domestic dyes rose even more. Yet the premium brands didn’t hike prices as aggressively,” she added.

What about coloring prices?

According to Sergey Zverev, coloring services in economy-class salons did not experience price increases, while premium tiers saw modest rises and the most notable changes appeared in the premium service segment. He also noted that appointment numbers were down while top stylists had more time available.

“The service cost in my salon stayed steady. However, because products on the higher end became pricier, dyeing ended up costing an extra 300–500 rubles,” the artist remarked.

Tatyana added that coloring costs had climbed by about 15–20%.

What about dyeing demand?

Yandex.Market did not provide statistics on price shifts for hair dyes in response to inquiries from socialbites.ca. It did report a rise in demand for these products, which indirectly supports the idea of higher prices.

“Demand for hair dye grew in March, with sales nearly doubling on average. This was largely driven by customers stocking up for future needs,” stated a representative. Estel, a recognized Russian brand, led sales growth among hair dyes, while well-known brands like Wella, Loreal, IGORA, and Londa remained in the conversation.

Ozon and Wildberries did not respond to requests from socialbites.ca.

Elena, an ESTEL technologist, explained in an interview that Russian firms are aiming to fill niches left by foreign companies.

“Many brands have left Russia, which is a chance to strengthen the local market. ESTEL is among the most expensive brands in Europe, and it produces a large volume of new products. European peers have faced greater challenges in keeping up,” she noted.

According to INFOLine, the share of imported cosmetics in Russian retail stands at about 50%, with perfumery around 70%.

“The sharp drop in supply disrupted the market balance. Domestic manufacturers viewed this as an opportunity to occupy empty segments, though questions remain about sourcing and packaging materials,” commented GV Plekhanova and Olga Lebedinskaya.

Elena noted that import substitution for ESTEL products has been in progress for some time.

“Products span multiple price tiers. All cosmetics bound for Russia are already in storage, with ESTEL factories in St. Petersburg preparing products for distribution,” she added.

Zverev emphasized that hair coloring remains one of the most popular services.

“Future price changes for coloring will hinge on whether manufacturing firms stay present in the market. The material supply is not ample. Domestic production depends heavily on imported raw materials, roughly half European and half Asian,” Zverev remarked.

He also noted that the price trajectory for foreign brands would depend on parallel imports.

“If major retailers and marketplaces such as Wildberries or Ozone secure supply, prices could ease. Otherwise, pricing will stabilize at current levels. Logistics pose a challenge with transport costs rising significantly and delivery times extending, creating both monetary and material risks,” Zverev summarized.