Many people within the cosmetic industry asks the question “what is next?” or “what is trendy?”
Let’s have a look at a cosmetic market trends in relation to a few beauty products
Face moisturisers
In the UK this is a classic skin care item many women can not live without. Being a classic it is tricky to be really innovative unless you have a new incredible skin hero. In my opinion what is trendy in this beauty product category is the packaging. In fact natural moisturisers are moving more towards the airless solution which has several advantages. It is
- more hygienic
- more skin friendly because less preservative is needed
- better for natural ingredients prone to oxidation
This packaging solution is not as sensual as the moisturiser in the jar, but for natural moisturisers is the sensitive solution.
Another trend in face moisturisers is multifunctional products with UV filters, peptides, minerals, hydrating ingredients, antiageing plant extracts, and skin lightening actives… To me they sound like having starter, lunch and desert on the same plate! How can all these ingredients provide their function over time in such a busy environment? I know they are quick and easy, however I m more keen on slow food and slow beauty, I believe slow is a healthier choice..
Exfoliators
Exfoliation is the latest anti ageing beauty secret. As skin ages the skin metabolism and the skin cells turn over slow down too leaving clusters of dead skin cells hanging around. These old cells make the skin dull and interfere with the beauty products absorption, like clutter in an old house gathering dust. Best to get rid! There are two type of approaches to exfoliation.
–physical exfoliators via scrubbing products such as creams with exfoliating microbeads.
–chemical peels which act via acids that remove top layers of skin in a controlled way. They are a shock to the skin that is stimulated to regenerate itself as a result of the shock. Peels need to be performed by professional beauticians given the delicate procedure and the downsides if it goes wrong.
What is really trendy with physical exfoliants is the request for alternatives to plastic microbeads (they appear as Polyethylene on the cosmetic ingredients list). There is concern about the environmental impact and the damage to marine life. There are also talks about banning plastic microbeads . Avoiding plastic microbeads is very easy from a cosmetic formulation point of view, however it involves a higher price tag. Think of the price of plastic chairs in comparison to wooden ones. Even so I believe biodegradable microbeads are the way to go for physical exfoliants as a pledge to preserve the planet and whatever life is on it.
I m not a big fan of chemical peels, when I tried them on myself in the past, I ended up with red skin, even using a low percentage of a milder alpha hydroxy acid, my skin went red. As I said it needs to be performed by a qualified beautician who evaluates your skin and decides if your skin can take the peel and what type.
Inspired by this experience with the peel, when I developed the Forest Secrets new face cleanser, I came up with the concept of exfoliating gently and steadily every day, instead of a big shock to the skin. I use it myself every day once a day and I never stop getting surprised about the amount of dirt that is removed even when I do not wear make up. So for me gentle exfoliation is the way to go. And for you?
