Can we just talk about some crazy interesting hair color statistics for a second?
In our world of ever-changing hair color, it’s no secret that nearly 85% of women color their hair at least once every eight weeks (compared to just 7% in 1950). I mean… at that rate, it’s probable that you even color your hair! *gasp*
But what about the facts outside of the hair color industry? What is the most common hair color in the world? What’s the rarest hair color? What percentage of people have blonde hair?
Here are some fascinating hair color statistics, facts, and industry trends that might just leave you mind-blown…
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Natural Hair Color Statistics
1. Black/dark brown hair is the world’s most common hair color. 75-84% of the world’s population has naturally black or dark-brown hair (depending on the study).
2. Brown hair comes in as the second-mostcommon hair color in the world, with 11% of the population being naturally brunette.
3. Only 3% of the world’s population has natural blonde hair.
4. Finally, only 2% of people have natural red hair.
5. A natural blonde usually has more hair strands on their head than other hair colors. Towheads have 150,000 strands of hair, brunettes have 100,000 and redheads average about 90,000 strands.
6. 13% of the Scotland population has naturally red hair, and 40% of the population carries the gene. This country has the highest percentage of redheads in the world.
7. Dark brown hair is found everywhere in the world. It is almost the only natural color found in Africa and Asia, but only 7.5% of the US population has brown hair.
8. Red hair with blue eyes is the rarest hair color/eye color combination in the world. Red hair is more common in women, and blue eyes are more common in men. However, it is unknown which sex is more likely to inherit this combination.
9. Limited research has shown that natural redheads are more likely to be left-handed.
10. Dark brown hair with brown eyes is the most common combination found in the world.
11. More than 60% of Americans have grey hair by the time they are 60 years old.
The World as 100 People: A Visual Guide to 7 Billion Humans
Hair Color Statistics & Industry Trends
12. 85% of women color their hair at least once every eight weeks.
13. 22% of those women will only have their hair colored in a salon. 37% will only dye their hair at home.
14. 37% of women have gone to the salon to have their hair permanently colored at least twice in the past year.
15. 68% of women feel instantly more attractive after having their hair colored.
16. 73% of women believe that products designed for hair color will prevent hair color from fading.
17. Hair color services are the second-largest service in the hair industry (after haircuts,) and it makes up 17% of the hair & nail salon industry’s revenue.
18. During the recession, revenue from salon hair coloring dropped, as more people chose to do their hair at home. This drop has since recovered.
19. Disposable income is expected to continue rising, and experts predict that this will lead to higher sales in personal-care services.
20. However, companies like Madison Reed that are marketing simple at-home hair color systems may possibly disrupt the market for salon hair color.
Fun Facts about Hair Color
21. The Fischer-Saller Scale is the international standard used to classify natural human hair color into 24 different shades.
22. The scientific name for grey hair is “canities.”
23. Grey hair is not an actual color, but hair lacking pigment. Hair turns grey when the pigment cells in the follicle do not work correctly (as a result of age or stress.)
24. Imatinib, a drug used to treat cancer, has been shown to reverse greying of the hair. However, it is costly and has severe (even deadly) side effects, making it unpractical for grey hair reversal.
25. An uncontrolled study done in 2015 suggested that people with dark eyebrows and grey hair are far more likely to develop type II diabetes than someone with both grey hair and eyebrows.
26. Many store-bought hair dyes contain metallic salts that accumulate on the hair shaft and can cause breakage or discoloration.
27. Grey coverage is the most common reason for one to color their hair.
General FAQ
What Is The Most Common Hair Color In The World?
It is estimated that 90% of the world’s population has black or dark brown hair, making it the most common natural hair color in the world.
What Is The Rarest Hair Color In The World?
Naturally red hair (caused by a variation of the Mc1r gene) is the rarest hair color in the world. Only 1-2% of the world’s population has naturally red hair.
What Hair Color Is Most Attractive?
A study in 2016 by Badoo (the world’s largest dating network) concluded that both men and women in the US are typically more attracted to brown hair color than any other hair color.
What Hair Color Has The Most Hairs On A Head?
People with naturally blonde hair typically have the most hairs on their head, averaging 150,000 hairs on one head.
What are the hair color percentages of the world?
Black/dark brown hair makes up 75-84% of the world’s population. 11% of the population is naturally brunette, 3% has blonde hair, and 2% has natural red hair.
Sources:
- Badoo Survey Examines Dating Behaviors Across the World
- Bauman Medical
- Body Pigmentation as a Risk Factor for the Formation of Intracranial Aneurysms
- Change in Hair Pigmentation in Children from Birth to 5 Years in a Central European Population
- Eyebrow Colour in Diabetics
- LoveToKnow – Most Common Hair Color
- Medical Daily
- Statistic Brain Research Institute
- South Florida Reporter
- US National Library of Genetics
- Wikipedia – Human Hair Color
- The World as 100 People: A Visual Guide to 7 Billion Humans
- 100 Random Facts About Hair
- The Definitive Guide to DIY Hair Color
- 10 Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About Hair
- 50 Fun Facts About Makeup And Cosmetics
Final Thoughts
Hair color can literally make or break your entire look.
There are so many stunning natural hair colors out there…but also so many fun ways to alter your hair in the salon. Whether you have funky purple hair or a deep natural chestnut hue, I promise you… it’s beautiful.
Until next time,
YOUR TURN: What do you think about these hair color statistics? Is there anything else you want to add to this post? Drop it in the comments section below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
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