As we ring in the new year in a brand-new decade, it’s the perfect time to reflect on some of the big changes happening in the worldwide skincare market — and what’s coming around the corner. It’s an exciting time to be a medical-grade brand!
THE CONSUMER AWARENESS REVOLUTION
Thanks to the rise of global internet technology in the last decade, consumers are becoming savvier and more proactive about choosing how to care for their skin. The average customer prefers to be informed, often looking beyond the big-name legacy skincare brands to smaller independent brands in search of products they can trust. People are more educated, aware, and connected than ever before; as a result, consumers’ relationship with their skin is evolving.
3 VALUES CHANGING THE FACE OF SKINCARE
In times past, approaches to skincare fell mainly into two camps: luxurious self-care or daily maintenance. Though pampering and pragmatism still have their place (and always will), today’s consumer expects more. People are developing a more holistic perspective on skincare that incorporates beauty, wellness, and environmental concerns.
1 | Skincare isn’t just adjacent to beauty. It’s essential to it.
Gorgeous skin is in. With the advent of “glass skin” and similar trends, consumers are taking a “skin-first” approach to beauty. Global skincare sales have increased by a whopping 60% in the last 10 years. For the first time in a long time, growth in the skincare industry is far outstripping cosmetics; in fact, the only cosmetics products seeing substantial growth are those that integrate skincare, like hydrating primers and tinted moisturizers.
What that means:
Modern consumers want to visibly perfect their skin. It’s not all about anti-aging and immediate problem-solving (e.g. acne) anymore. Today’s skincare is more hands-on and detailed, featuring flexible multi-step routines that target a wide variety of concerns as needed — brightening, exfoliating, calming, replenishing, pore-minimizing, and so on.
2 | Healthy skin means good-for-you ingredients.
Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and beauty consumers are becoming increasingly conscious about this. Recent years have seen a higher level of concern around ingredient safety, brand transparency, and cleaner product formulation. The demand for more natural, non-toxic ingredients has been a big driver of growth in the skincare market.
What that means:
People want to nourish their skin the way they nourish their body. They’ll avoid products with problematic ingredients (e.g. sulfates, artificial fragrance, drying alcohols, endocrine disruptors) and deliberately seek out products labeled with naturally-derived ingredients and skin-safe synthetic actives.
3 | Skincare should be environmentally protective (in more ways than one).
As science advances, we’re discovering that environmental factors are damaging our skin more than we realize — and vice versa. Air pollution, along with digital pollution (like screen-emitted blue light), may rival UV light in terms of premature skin aging. Pollutants are bad for the planet, too; the market is actively shifting to ingredients that are less harmful to the earth’s plants, animals, and oceans. As with the recent ban on microbeads, legislation is likely to follow suit.
What that means:
Consumers have a growing interest in products that offer antioxidant protection from blue light and pollutants. Daily UV protection is becoming a universally-expected staple. Both cruelty-free status and eco-conscious formulations (like reef-safe sunscreen) are influencing buying choices. Vegan alternatives are preferred over animal-derived ingredients.
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Your medical-grade skincare brand is already checking every box with cutting-edge, clinically-proven solutions. Don’t be afraid to make that known to your clients. Keep these values in mind while promoting products through social media, email newsletters, and display signage — and stay tuned for our 2020 skincare forecast in next week’s CosMedical blog.
SHOP COSMEDICAL’S ADVANCED SOLUTIONS FOR BLUE LIGHT & POLLUTION DEFENSE NOW!
