Zara has teased its move into the hair care category next year by launching its first two Zara Hair products, described as make-up for the hair. 

To create Zara Hair, the Spanish retail chain has joined forces with hairstylist Guido Palau, who has created runway looks for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Versace and Fendi.

As an ‘amuse bouche’ for the festive season, Zara Hair has dropped the Glitter in Gold holiday hair set, featuring two hair make-up skus. 

Give Me Gold is a gel whose lightweight, buildable formula has been developed to create slicked-back looks; it imparts a subtle sheen to enhance the hair’s natural lustre but can be layered for a more dramatic effect. 

“This product is based on make-up, like when you put on highlighter and then add a shimmer on top,” said Palau. 

“It isn’t brassy at all; instead it has a coolness to its colour.

“I was inspired by the way light hits the hair and the shimmer that reflects off it.”

Give Me Glitter, meanwhile, is a hairspray that adds a subtle dusting of shimmer. 

Palau explained the glitter spray is incredibly fine in its application, “so much so that when it comes out you don’t see it at first”. 

“As with the Gold Gel, it’s about layering for your desired effect.”

The US$50 kit is rounded-up with a gold comb and 12 oversize gold bobby pins. 

The Zara Hair Glitter in Gold holiday hair set includes two hair make-up skus

“Being a hair professional, I work with products that are very highly produced and strong, but I think the public want a product that doesn’t weigh their hair down and does not make it greasy or sticky,” Palau said. 

“You want it to do what it’s supposed to do, but also be able to run your hands through it.

“In fashion we do a lot of very extreme looks, especially in my career. 

“But when you start talking to real women, they want little tips for how they can make their hair look great or different without cutting it.” 

He added: “Hair is a safety zone and these products offer a noncommittal, user-friendly option.”

Zara said a full line of hair essentials would launch in early 2024.

To promote Zara Hair, Palau made a series of videos with US model Kaia Gerber, the daughter of Cindy Crawford. 

The videos show Gerber visibly excited to be the first to try the Glitter in Gold set. 

Is 2024 hair make-up’s comeback tour?

With hair and beauty trends from the 1990s, like brown lipstick and ‘antennae’ hair, making a comeback, the hair make-up category – which experienced a boom in 1997 following the launch of Dior’s Mascara Flash highlights for hair and its many copycats – could be set for a revival.

In addition to Zara’s newcomers, Curlsmith’s line-up features Hair Makeup, a styling and temporary colour gel in wash-off colours including gold and rose gold, while L’Oréal Paris’ Colorista Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray Color is available in 11 shades.

And videos for Rabanne’s new Shimmer Bomb face and body spray-on glitters depict models applying the product, which comes in bronze, rose and copper, liberally to their face, body and hair.

Meanwhile, #hairpainting videos on TikTok – depicting people having butterflies and hearts, among other motifs stencilled onto their hair – have racked up 218.5 million views.