While mass-market beauty may be at a standstill in terms of growth, hair care did emerge as one of the more upbeat categories for 2013, showing a 1.6% sales increase, outperforming the industry, which clocked in at under 1% growth.

The success was due in part to several hair care manufacturers, namely L’Oréal USA and Unilever, two of the three mass beauty companies to generate increases during the year out of the top 10 mass beauty firms. Johnson & Johnson was the third.

Kudos should be delivered to L’Oréal Paris and its uber successful Advanced Haircare line for boosting category sales, which IRI touted as the leading hair care launch for 2013 with $152 million in first year sales based on 7% trial and 40% repeat performance. So, it makes sense that L’Oréal would build on this success with, yes, a styling range.

Available nationwide in drugstores and mass stores, Advanced Hairstyle is being billed as the first-ever styling range to utilize Fibralock Technology, which the French beauty firm said boosts hair endurance. Advanced Hairstyle offers styling products that fit into five different categories: hold, volume, smooth, curl and texture. The collection also contains L’Oréal Paris’ Arginine-K Complex (amino acids + protein), the transversal ingredients throughout Advanced Haircare.

Within Lock It there are three 48-hour, water-free, humidity resistant hairsprays. Boost It, for volume seekers, includes High Lift Creation Spray and Volume Inject Mousse. Sleek It aims to transform frizz into smoothness with products such as Strand Smoother Serum Spray, Iron Straight HeatSpray and Frizz Vanisher Cream. Curve It is designed to sculpt and refresh curls, giving bounce and movement. And Txt It is for texturizing.

It took two years from concept to market.

“The styling market has been stagnant for the past few years and has been lacking innovation,” said Montserrat Cortina, Assistant Vice Presidentof Marketing for L’Oréal Paris Haircare. “Our goal was to bring that market back to a growth place with great styling products, and for the consumer to try new hairstyles as well. We want to inspire women to try different things and to experiment.”

Montserrat said her favorites include Boost It, “as it really allows consumers with fine hair to build volume and build their confidence, and Sleek It in terms of the smooth look you can achieve with the HeatSpray technology, creams and serums that are created from the best professional formulas.”

The $4.99 retail price for products means not only can the population afford them, but fans can purchase several so the versatility of the line can be sampled and appreciated by all.