TRENDS are one of the many reasons we love working in the PR industry! We’re constantly keeping our fingers on the pulse of what’s on the way in (and out).
This year, we attended several conferences and events within the health, wellness and beauty industries, like the Indie Beauty Expo, SXSW’s Wellness Expo and more. While these events often feel like a playground for the beauty + skincare obsessed (like us!), they’re also a great place to uncover new products and trends.
Curious what’s driving consumer purchasing habits, industry innovation and media conversation? These are our top trends to watch.
NATURAL ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH ANYMORE
Natural for the sake of being natural is out, and it’s also unsafe. Several brands spoke out about the dangers of including plant-based, “natural” ingredients in products just because they’re popular.
As one example, Blue Tansy is a common ingredient in trendy skincare products, in part, because of how great it looks on a bathroom shelf. You’ve seen it–the gorgeous deep blue oil in a beautiful glass bottle. However, it’s a very common allergen and a sensitizing ingredient for many people. At these events, experts argued that brands have an increased responsibility to create products that aren’t just natural, but that are effective, good for us and have safe ingredients.
With this, we anticipate a rise in capsule skincare collections that go back to the basics with fewer “trendy” skincare items.
SKIN CANCER IS ACTUALLY ON THE RISE
Many believe that as a society, we’re getting skin cancer under control. Tanning isn’t as popular. Wearing sunscreen is becoming a habit for many, and there are tons of great (and natural) options! But sadly, in reality, skin cancer is on the rise. And even worse, we’re not talking about it.
A few of the dermatologist-backed brands we spoke with said our indoor environments could be to blame, and we should start looking up to the bulbs in our ceilings.
One study found that certain light bulbs can actually hurt skin cells, meaning our skin needs protection from the lights in our offices, favorite stores and homes just as much as it needs protection from the sun.
The lesson and trend here…hopefully, daily sunscreen will become as much of a nonnegotiable as brushing our teeth.
LESS PACKAGING, PLEASE
Products that have less packaging (and even zero waste) are becoming the new norm as consumers (and the media!) seek out companies that value environmental responsibility.
One example of a brand innovating in this space is Pure Aura. We were blown away by their Paper Cloud products. The little clothes aren’t much larger than a silver dollar, but deliver a novel, waste-free method for washing your face on-the-go. They eliminate the need for plastic travel-sized face wash and single use face wipes. Just add water, and the tiny sheets lather up and disappear into a gentle foam.
The trend here? Brands that overly package products will continue getting push back from consumers until they change. Plus, brands that choose not to reduce waste risk leaving a less-than-stellar impression on important media and influencers. Our contacts receive hundreds of press mailers and samples each week and are specifically requesting that brands be less wasteful and take sustainability seriously.
