Consumers Carve Out ‘Me-Time’ This Pumpkin Season

While the sound of sparked logs crackle in consumers’ living room fireplaces, the sound of running water and pours of Epsom bath salts and fizzling bath bombs are going on in the bathroom. Consumers are stripping down to slip into luxuriously drawn bathtubs and “everything showers” to carve out more “me time” this pumpkin season. And, they’re relying on added luxury from African net sponges to shower filters for the ultimate clean. Per beauty trend tracker Spate’s Popularity Index, these are the moment’s fastest-growing shower trends.

African Net Sponges

To the left, loofahs. African net sponges are taking over bathrooms. Often woven from looped nylon fibers, these sponges – famous for their exfoliation properties – have become a major trend, growing +75.0% compared to last year, and across platforms. On Search, interest has risen +73.5%, and on TikTok, the trend has grown by +75.1%. TikTok dominates this space, with 92.7% of the popularity share, generating 9.4 million average weekly views, while Google reports 22.3K average monthly searches.

Analysts say consumers’ curiosity is piqued in discerning the difference between African net sponges and traditional loofahs by searching for African net sponge versus loofah. This presents an opportunity for brands to educate buyers about why African nets perform better. Body care brands can also highlight products that pair well with these sponges, even if they don’t sell the sponge themselves, such as post-shower moisturizers or exfoliating treatments. On TikTok, this trend has very high paid view share (83.3%) and TikTok Shop views share (83.1%), showing that brands can use the platform to stand out as the go-to African net sponge through efficacy, price point, or clever branding. These sponges are often affordable, and shoppers are likely to purchase directly on TikTok Shop. Related hashtags reveal the trend’s focus and audience interests: #exfoliation (2.1 million weekly views), #softskin (225.5K), and #showerroutine (911.8K), with #CleanTok also seeing 1.6 million weekly views, showing that many consumers feel soap and water alone no longer suffice in getting the job done.

Shower Filters

A good showerhead filter can do wonders in removing chlorine and other chemicals that may negatively affect skin and hair health. Analysts say shower filters have grown +33.4% compared to last year, and across platforms. On Search, interest has increased +49.8%, and on TikTok, the trend is up +10.8%. Google dominates this space, capturing 65.2% of the popularity share, with 71.7K average monthly searches, while TikTok generates 1.0 million average weekly views.

Consumers searching on Google are aware of specific brands like Jolie, Afina and Aquabliss. New entrants can differentiate themselves by highlighting how their filters perform better, increasing marketing spend, leveraging influencer campaigns or using TikTok to educate consumers about the benefits of a shower filter. Search queries like hard water filter for shower, best shower filter for hard water, and shower hard water filter also indicate that shoppers are looking for filters that target specific concerns, from hard water to lead. On TikTok, the conversation centers on education, with top related concern hashtags including #acne (21.3K average weekly views) and #dryskin (9.1K). Users are also applying filters to protect their scalp and hair, as reflected by #haircare (32.4K average weekly views). Branded hashtags like #Afina (20.0K) and #FilterBaby (6.8K) show which companies are already resonating with audiences. Search data also confirms brand awareness, with Afina leading at 17.7K average monthly searches, followed by Aquabliss (8.9K) and Jolie Skin Co (5.0K). This trend presents myriad opportunities for body care brands, including products that protect against hard water. Analysts also recommend partnering with shower filter brands for bundles, collaborations or co-marketing initiatives. (Take a page from Jolie x Ceremonia, Spate says.)