Imogen Matthews, Columnist04.03.23
Resilient post-pandemic European sales of facial skin care reflect consumers’ on-going desire for products that promote healthy-looking skin. However, consumers are looking to streamline their skin care regimes for financial reasons. They’re focused on harder-working but fewer products. Skin minimalism is the term used to describe this trend, and not to be confused with skin wilding, the use of gentle skin treatments that calm sensitivity caused by overuse of retinols and acids.
Facial skin care product sales in Europe are expected to hit $20 billion this year, according to GlobalData, which forecasts growth of 1.55% in 2023. The leading European markets are Germany, France, UK, Italy and Russia, according to its Market Analyzers Segment Insights forecast data up to February 2023.
“Concerning beauty and grooming products, most European consumers are staying loyal to the brands they usually buy, but are either buying fewer products or small packs,” explains Lia Neophytou, senior analyst, GlobalData.
She suggests that loyalty schemes are essential for brands and retailers to reward such behavior and ensure it continues.
However, there is another trend at play. GlobalData noted that the younger Gen Y and X demographic are more likely to switch to cheaper brands, including so-called “beauty dupes,” which are affordable alternatives to premium brands. In fact, #beautydupes is trending on social media platforms Tik Tok and Instagram. Meanwhile, online UK beauty retailer Dupeshop claims to source products from the same beauty labs used by high-end brands, such as Dermalogica and Kiehl’s. The products Dupeshop sells are put to the test by cosmetic scientists, skin care experts and professional makeup artists to ensure they are a match. Skin care brand substitutes include Revolution Overnight Concentrate, which weighs in at an eighth of the price of Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Meanwhile. UK budget retailer Primark’s Vitamin Enriched Moisturising Primer is recommended as an alternative to Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base.
“Beauty dupes are getting more attention due to the cost of living crisis,” maintains Neophytou. “Dupe culture highlights the need for affordable brands to stay atop of trending ingredients, claims and formats in the premium skin care space to cater to the emerging preferences of cash-strapped consumers.”
Examples of products that fit this trend include:
“It is not new for brands to leverage upcycled ingredients in an attempt to reduce their environmental footprint, but this strategy continues to emerge as consumers become more accepting of, and familiar with, such ingredients,” explains Neophytou.
In its Zero Waste Beauty Report 2022-23, The Upcycled Beauty Company, an online portal for information and a directory of upcycled ingredients, highlights certain skin care brands that adhere to these principles, including UK-based BYBI, whose Glowcurrant Booster features upcycled ingredients in 50% of its range. Circumference was founded on a 360° approach to sustainable beauty by partnering with independent agricultural producers to upcycle their products into luxury, highly bioactive skin care botanicals. Meanwhile, UpCircle, another UK brand, was founded on the idea of giving coffee grounds a new lease on life, and has diversified into other waste streams, including olive stones and date seeds. Its skin care range features 20 upcycled ingredients including blueberry, orange and kiwi waste and unsold items from a London flower market.
Currently UpCircle collects 100kg of coffee a day which translates into 42,000 face scrubs a month. Each repurposed ingredient is salvaged from another industry and processed for use in skin care. Kaffe Bueno, a Danish bioscience company, uses coffee by-products to create high performance cosmetics ingredients. It introduced its Kaffoil-R, Kaffage, Kaffair and KA-Zun at this year’s In-Cosmetics Global show in Barcelona.
During the past two years, UpCircle has grown rapidly, especially in the UK and US, although its plans for European expansion have so far stalled due to the difficulties arising from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The Upcycled Beauty Company envisions a day when every beauty and personal care product will be made from upcycled materials—from ingredients to packaging.
Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk
Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.
Facial skin care product sales in Europe are expected to hit $20 billion this year, according to GlobalData, which forecasts growth of 1.55% in 2023. The leading European markets are Germany, France, UK, Italy and Russia, according to its Market Analyzers Segment Insights forecast data up to February 2023.
Beauty ‘Dupe’ Concerns
A change in purchasing behavior is taking place across the European region, as monetary constraints on consumer spending, due primarily to rising energy prices and rampant inflation, are causing people to be more prudent in their beauty choices. This is a far cry from the move toward 10-plus product Korean-style skin care routines (aka K-Beauty) seen a few short years ago, and has given rise to the term “skin minimalism.” Simpler routines adopted during the pandemic have stuck as Europeans have become more circumspect over the quantity and quality of products used.“Concerning beauty and grooming products, most European consumers are staying loyal to the brands they usually buy, but are either buying fewer products or small packs,” explains Lia Neophytou, senior analyst, GlobalData.
She suggests that loyalty schemes are essential for brands and retailers to reward such behavior and ensure it continues.
However, there is another trend at play. GlobalData noted that the younger Gen Y and X demographic are more likely to switch to cheaper brands, including so-called “beauty dupes,” which are affordable alternatives to premium brands. In fact, #beautydupes is trending on social media platforms Tik Tok and Instagram. Meanwhile, online UK beauty retailer Dupeshop claims to source products from the same beauty labs used by high-end brands, such as Dermalogica and Kiehl’s. The products Dupeshop sells are put to the test by cosmetic scientists, skin care experts and professional makeup artists to ensure they are a match. Skin care brand substitutes include Revolution Overnight Concentrate, which weighs in at an eighth of the price of Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Meanwhile. UK budget retailer Primark’s Vitamin Enriched Moisturising Primer is recommended as an alternative to Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base.
“Beauty dupes are getting more attention due to the cost of living crisis,” maintains Neophytou. “Dupe culture highlights the need for affordable brands to stay atop of trending ingredients, claims and formats in the premium skin care space to cater to the emerging preferences of cash-strapped consumers.”
Rewilding the Skin
According to trends forecaster WGSN, enlightened consumers are adopting rituals that nurture and protect the dermis in a trend described as “skin rewilding.” Most commonly, these are microbiome-friendly skin care products that counterbalance harsh formulations that can adversely affect the skin’s natural microbiome. WGSN describes skin wilding as “seeding and feeding” the skin with nutrients and envisages personalized products based on skin bacteria, location and weather.Examples of products that fit this trend include:
- Biosssance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturiser, with 100% plant-based squalane and probiotic in a formulation said to hydrate, brighten and balance the skin.
- The Inkey List Multi-Biotic Moisturizer, containing pre-, pro- and post-biotics to counteract irritation and excessive sebum production.
- Gallinée Face Vinegar is powered by Actibiome, a prebiotic, that helps comfort stressed skin and prevent irritation, along with postbiotic acids to support the skin’s beneficial bacteria. The hero ingredient is hibiscus-infused apple cider vinegar that acts as an astringent to gently remove dirt and unhealthy bacteria.
- Aurelia London The Probiotic Concentrate is a multi-benefit probiotic and peptide formulation to help balance the skin, encourage a plump texture and protect against environmental aggressors.
Upcycling Ingredients
The repurposing of food waste into upcycled cosmetics, and especially skin care, is gaining traction with more beauty brands harnessing plant-based by-products in their formulations.“It is not new for brands to leverage upcycled ingredients in an attempt to reduce their environmental footprint, but this strategy continues to emerge as consumers become more accepting of, and familiar with, such ingredients,” explains Neophytou.
In its Zero Waste Beauty Report 2022-23, The Upcycled Beauty Company, an online portal for information and a directory of upcycled ingredients, highlights certain skin care brands that adhere to these principles, including UK-based BYBI, whose Glowcurrant Booster features upcycled ingredients in 50% of its range. Circumference was founded on a 360° approach to sustainable beauty by partnering with independent agricultural producers to upcycle their products into luxury, highly bioactive skin care botanicals. Meanwhile, UpCircle, another UK brand, was founded on the idea of giving coffee grounds a new lease on life, and has diversified into other waste streams, including olive stones and date seeds. Its skin care range features 20 upcycled ingredients including blueberry, orange and kiwi waste and unsold items from a London flower market.
Currently UpCircle collects 100kg of coffee a day which translates into 42,000 face scrubs a month. Each repurposed ingredient is salvaged from another industry and processed for use in skin care. Kaffe Bueno, a Danish bioscience company, uses coffee by-products to create high performance cosmetics ingredients. It introduced its Kaffoil-R, Kaffage, Kaffair and KA-Zun at this year’s In-Cosmetics Global show in Barcelona.
During the past two years, UpCircle has grown rapidly, especially in the UK and US, although its plans for European expansion have so far stalled due to the difficulties arising from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The Upcycled Beauty Company envisions a day when every beauty and personal care product will be made from upcycled materials—from ingredients to packaging.
Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk
Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.