Melissa Meisel, Senior Editor04.21.23
Quality over quantity is driving skin care so far in 2023. Beauty shoppers are demanding premiere products that deliver on a variety of claims with a rub of a cream, a spritz of a mist or a squeeze of a serum.
Industry tastemakers are seeing that minimalism in skin care—known as “skinimalism”—is gaining popularity. Clean beauty ingredients are also gaining ground.
Josie Maran is branching out in its skin care offerings.
According to Dr. Dendy Engelman, board certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, Shafer Clinic, New York, “Consumers are realizing that it is more efficient and cost-effective to use a few high-quality, multi-tasking products at any price point as opposed to spending a lot of time on their skin care routine, using many different products.”
Penny Coy, vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, has also seen a strong engagement in skin care, especially as consumers become more educated on the products and solutions that meet their specific beauty needs.
“While there’s positive momentum across the category, we’re seeing guests lean towards brands with ingredients that are efficacious and can easily be layered into their skin care routines,” she told Happi. “Ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid continue to dominate the space.”
US prestige beauty industry sales revenue overall grew 15%, year-over-year, to reach $27.1 billion in 2022, according to Circana (the new name for The NPD Group and IRI). All prestige beauty categories grew by double digits with skin care jumping 12% to $7.5 billion.
According to Circana, mass market skin care sales rose 7.5% to $5.05 billion while hand and body lotion sales increased 8.3% to $2.6 billion for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 26, 2023. For a deeper look into the categories, check out the chart here.
Skin care was the mass market’s best performing category in 2022, based on unit sales growth, according to Circana. Furthermore, facial skin care sold in the mass market was the top-performing segment across the entire beauty industry based on sales revenue gains.
Skin care, however, was the anomaly on the prestige beauty side, as it was the only category to experience flat sales in higher price-points in 2022.
“We are observing a democratization of the skin care market, as more consumers decide that they can actually spend less to get the desired results—whether that means purchasing lower price-points within the prestige stores or turning to dermatologist-recommended brands in mass outlets,” said Larissa Jensen, beauty industry advisor at Circana.
Also in skin care, body products grew at more than three-times the rate of facial products for 2022, according to recent data from Circana. Personal care brands like Charlotte Tilbury are branching out into body care, as seen with its new Magic Cream for spring 2023.
Luxury skin care, defined by Circana as a brand with an average price two-times higher than the category overall, accounts for less than 10% of total skin care units sold through prestige retailers, which are mainly department and beauty specialty stores. Unit sales were flat in the first two months of the year, versus 2022, while the overall prestige skin care category grew 17%. In terms of sales revenue, luxury brands grew 2% during these same two months, trailing the overall category’s 14% growth. These sales trends indicate that overall consumer demand for luxury skin care brands is soft.
Jennifer Famiano, beauty industry analyst, Circana, said that for a beauty brand or product to be classified as “luxury,” this traditionally meant it is the highest quality and has equally staggering price tags.
“This definition is still relevant and, for many consumers, will always be the case. But consumer brand perceptions are changing as new brands with strong value propositions enter the prestige beauty space. As such, consumers’ definition of luxury, particularly when it comes to skin care, is also a moving target,” she explained.
The biggest hurdle for luxury skin care to overcome is the fact that lower-priced brands with prestige positioning have entered the consumer’s universe, added Famiano.
“For luxury skin care to win more sales, brands will need to directly address their indirect competitors and romance consumers with the ‘why’ behind the luxury buy,” she said.
Fresh is spilling the tea on black tea benefits!
The clean beauty market is one of the fastest-growing segments in skin care, according to Luke Nadolny, analyst, beauty and personal care, Kline & Company.
“Brands in the skin care space turned to methods such as clinical claims and product explanations on their packaging, store shelves or website,” he said.
The clean beauty market also relied heavily on social media to maintain a connection with consumers. Brands such as Glow Recipe and Tula Skincare saw tremendous engagement and activity from product tutorial videos and consumer stories on TikTok in 2022, while Ilia Beauty, Mineral Fusion and Beautycounter used Instagram for product and ingredient education.
“Skin care continues to be on the consumer’s mind even though the category has seen a slowdown in volume of sales for 2022 and makeup trending upwards,” noted Chris Salgardo, chief executive officer and founder of indie beauty brand Atwater.
“As a result, consumers are leaning into a simpler, more effective ritual versus the multi-step routine. Consumers are also hyper aware of what ingredients to look for and/or stay away from, they are looking for an accessible and fair price, versus high-cost products.”
According to Joseph Cabasso, president, Mario Badescu, Edison, NJ, beauty consumers seek gentle yet effective skin care.
“We have a large range of products that care for individual skin care needs,” he told Happi. “Our shoppers want a product that is effective in its purpose, whether that be cleansing, moisturizing or hydrating, while protecting the skin barrier. They are also looking for hydrating lip masks. Our Lip Mask with açai and vanilla has been flying off the shelves because of our recent public relations activity and influencers raving about the great value and efficacy of the product.”
Mario Badescu is rolling out a Pore Minimizer exclusive to Ulta that decongests and clarifies the t-zone with kaolin clay and zinc oxide.
Global consumption of chaga mushroom-based wellness and skin care products is anticipated to grow during the next decade, according to market research firm Fact.MR. Inonotus obliquus— commonly called chaga—is a parasitic fungus that grows primarily on birch trees across colder climatic regions. It is a medicinal mushroom that comprises some unique and natural substances, including polyphenols and mycochemicals.
Historically, chaga has shown numerous health benefits and is considered a superfood. The presence of immune boosters and high antioxidants is propelling the sales of chaga mushroom-based products around the world, including in skin care.
RoC’s new vitamin C eye balm
Indie brand Shroom is harnessing the power of four fungi—maitake, chaga, reishi and cordyceps sinensis—in its new Mycelium Glow Brightening Serum.
“Together, these ingredients provide a range of benefits for the skin, including protection from environmental damage, reduction of inflammation, support for the skin’s natural defenses, and improvement in the appearance of aging and uneven skin tone,” said Dr. Jennifer Chwalek, a board-certified dermatologist at Mt. Sinai hospital in New York City, who is affiliated with the brand.
Innovations are also swirling at Coty with its new natural beauty brand, Orveda. Billed as “green, clean, vegan and highly-concentrated,” Orveda is a high-end biotech skin care range that activates a clinically proven, healthy skin glow that rivals makeup, according to brand officials. Its skin care products are formulated with high concentration of actives and signature mix of a marine enzyme, natural prebiotic and bio-fermented kombucha black tea.
Orveda’s hero product is The Healing Sap, a hybrid between a toner and a serum. The Healing Sap is an all-in-one “skin re-setter” pre-care treatment designed to act like a natural fertilizer for the skin’s microflora. Providing a visible glow, it is suitable for all skin types and provides up to eight hours of hydration, according to the company. It contains 10 actives concentrated at 12%.
“Industry gold standards ingredients like retinoid, peptides, AHA/BHA, hyaluronic acid that target fundamental skin concerns such as skin aging, uneven skin tone/spots, acne and dehydration, will continue to thrive and technologies to address those concerns are likely to be brought to a new level,” Pardo added.
Estee Lauder’s leading Clinique brand is glowing up for the season with its new Even Better Clinical Brightening Moisturizer. Its first-ever moisturizer with CL302 Brightening Complex hydrates as it helps visibly improve multiple dimensions of discoloration: dark spot contrast, dark spot intensity, dullness and redness caused by irritation, for brighter-looking skin, said the company. The CL302 Brightening Complex is made up of natural antioxidant UP302, vitamin C, glucosamine, salicylic acid and yeast extract. Additionally, gyokuro (camellia sinensis leaf) extract—a green tea specially harvested in Japan—helps quell the look of irritation, which can trigger future dark spots.
Also new from Clinique is Moisture Surge Broad Spectrum SPF 28 Sheer Hydrator. Clinique revamped its cutting-edge Moisture Surge 100H formula to include vitamin E, UV protection, which provides antioxidant protection to help defend skin from damaging free radicals that can lead to premature signs of skin aging. This “cloud-like cream” features Aloe Bioferment + Hyaluronic Acid Complex + Provitamin D.
Peter Thomas Roth rolled out a multitasking moisturizer.
“Another trend right now in skin care is advancement IN sun protection technology—it’s no longer just broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, but from other external aggressors as well, such as blue light, infrared and pollution,” Pardo told Happi. “SPF textures will go even more lightweight and easy to wear with no chalkiness and invisible to wear.”
P&G’s Olay launched the newest member of the best-selling, ultra-moisturizing Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 collection, this time with SPF. Olay’s Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Moisturizer with SPF 30 packs broad-spectrum protection, 24 hours of hydration and smoother, brighter skin into one little blue bottle.
The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial franchise expands with its newest iteration, Ultra Facial Barrier Cream. According to the L’Oréal-owned company, the new cream offers the “healing powers” of a balm in the texture of a daily moisturizer. The barrier cream is infused with colloidal oatmeal and a reparative Beta Glucan Complex, according to the company. Advanced barrier technology instantly reduces visible redness, repairs the skin barrier function in just one hour and relieves dryness up to 10 layers deep, said the company. The balm-to-cream texture uses multi-lamellar technology as well, added Kiehl’s.
Meanwhile, LVMH’s Fresh brand is spilling the tea for Spring 2023 with its newest moisturizer, Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Cream.
“This product is our ‘fresh take’ on retinol-like performance and furthers our work and research around ingredient innovation,” said Dr. Anne-Laure Bulteau, a skin biologist at Fresh. “This moisturizer marks an exciting chapter for Fresh, because for the first time, we have introduced a naturally-derived ingredient blend with a scientifically-proven retinol.”
Powered by the brand’s exclusive retinol-like blend, BT Matrix, this cream is scientifically proven to help support lost skin structure and is gentle on all skin types, even sensitive skin, according to Fresh.
This cream is also packed with other advanced ingredients including Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier, plant-derived squalane to prevent moisture loss and pink porcelain lily to boost radiance and improve skin texture.
At clinical skin care pioneer Peter Thomas Roth, multitasking is on the menu with its new Ultimate Solution 5 Multitasking Moisturizer. A first-of-its-kind skin care SKU for Peter Thomas Roth, Ultimate Solution 5 is a cream meant for normal-to-dry skin types that delivers five solutions in one. The product is said to firm with a Firma-Cell-5 Peptide Complex to treat the signs of aging; brighten with a combination of vitamin C, lactic acid and maleic acid to reduce the appearance of uneven tones; exfoliate with glycolic, salicylic and tartaric acids; moisturize with hyaluronic acid, collagen, Ceramide NP, avocado oil and coconut oil; and soothe with Centella asiatica, echinacea, green tea extract and white tea extract.
Olay’s newest anti-aging creation
Based on a study of 40 women, after four weeks of using the Peter Thomas Roth Ultimate Solution 5 Multitasking Moisturizer, participants noticed an improvement in their fine lines, wrinkles and pores. After just one week, 100% agreed their skin felt softer, 97% agreed their skin felt completely nourished, and 95% agreed their skin looked healthier and it felt smooth, toned and glowing, according to the company.
New from Josie Maran is an anti-aging Pro-Retinol Megamoisture Face Cream. With pink algae-derived pro-retinol, biomimetic 100% pure argan oil and fruit pulp extracts, the moisturizer targets elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, pores, texture and dullness.
The face cream contains more than 30 moisturizing ingredients including: aloe leaf juice, watermelon seed oil, shea butter and sodium hyaluronate. Fruit pulp extracts stimulate cellular turnover for brighter-looking skin, said the company.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Vitality Eye Cream is touted as “the total package” with an all-in-one formula powered by padina pavonica for hydration, hawthorne and Arabian jasmine flower essence to visibly reduce dark circles, upcycled elderflower extract for puffiness and Japanese artemisia capillaris to help restore radiance for more youthful-looking eyes. This eye cream cocoons the delicate skin around the eye contour area to combat the visible signs of aging by lifting, brightening and firming for a more wide-awake look, said the L’Occitane-owned company.
Clean beauty brand Ilia has launched its first skin care product, Bright Start Activated Eye Cream. The vegan and dermatologist-tested eye cream is touted as “the future of retinol,” according to Ilia, which is owned by Famille C/Clarins. It is formulated with sea fennel extract, a plant-based, sustainably-harvested retinol alternative, which aids in smoothing and refining fine lines and wrinkles. The product is also activated with upcycled avocado extract, caffeine and peptides to reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness and soothe, refresh and hydrate the undereye area. The applicator features a ceramic tip—doubling as a massage/depuffing tool.
Meanwhile, Roc Skincare recently launched Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Eye Balm. The eye treatment provides an easy application that glides on clear and visibly brightens and reduces dark circles, said the company. It’s specifically formulated with Roc’s patent-pending blend of vitamin C to boost radiance, peptides to firm and antioxidants to target puffiness and dark circles.
J&J’s prestige brand Korres recently launched Black Pine Overnight Total Revival Serum. It is a dual-phase, targeted serum with a plant-derived glycolic acid alternative to resurface skin, smooth texture, reduce lines and wrinkles, and firm the appearance of the skin overnight while skin is in repair-mode.
Glow Recipe’s new primer reduces pore size.
Oceanic Acne Defense is a three-step system. With the first step, using the Oceanic Resurfacing Mask, users will improve their skin texture, according Elina Fedotova, celebrity esthetician and founder of Elina Organics Skincare & Spas.
“The second step features the Oceanic Face Cooling Infusion product to cool and calm the skin. While the third and final step in this acne regimen features the Oceanic Defense Lotion that restores and rehydrates skin,” she added.
Fedotova is an acne treatment expert who knows how to treat and prevent acne.
“Our Oceanic Resurfacing mask delivers spicules and extracts of Caribbean sponges deep into the skin to hydrate, heal and improve texture,” she told Happi. “This formulation is designed to help scarred, uneven, dull, inflamed and wrinkled complexions.”
Elina Organic’ new Oceanic Face Cooling Infusion features ocean spongillia and extracts of pearls which the brand contends are perfectly suited for treating red, sensitive and inflamed complexions.
The third step in this acne skin care regimen includes the Oceanic Acne Defense Lotion which restores and hydrates skin. Formulated with marine sponge spicules and extracts, it is designed for normal to oily, acne and scarred complexions.
K-beauty skin care brand Glow Recipe just launched a makeup/skin care hybrid, Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops. According to its Co-Founder Christine Chang, the new silicone-free primer visibly reduces pore size instantly without clogging and provides smooth makeup application all while balancing oil for smooth, “soft-to-the-touch satin cloud skin.”
“We’re so proud of the fact that we were able to formulate Blur Drops completely silicone free! This was especially important to us when creating a treatment and primer in one as we challenged ourselves to continue to blur the lines between skin care and makeup,” Chang told Happi. “We’re able to achieve immediate pore-blurring results with tapioca and rice, which work together to visibly reduce the look of pores without any clogging, providing a smooth canvas for makeup application. These ingredients also help control excess shine while prolonging makeup wear.”
Acne skin care brand Face Reality’s lead educator, Alex Hernandez, told Happi that the TikTok trending “slugging” (applying occlusive products like petroleum jelly to the skin to lock in moisture) can also be helpful for acne prone skin, just maybe not for the whole face.
“When treating acne with ingredients like exfoliating acids and benzoyl peroxide, areas of dryness may develop,” she said.
Vaseline, the petroleum jelly classic product, still reigns supreme at the skin care choice for slugging, she insists.
Additionally, for acne prone skin, “skincycling” (swapping out products) can disrupt the clearing process, noted Hernandez. In fact, the most viral trend on social media platforms lately has been the routine of skincycling. The hashtag #skincycling on TikTok alone has over 270 million views!
Cycling products aside, a skin care routine wouldn’t be complete without a cleanser to take off a day’s worth of dirt and sebum.
L’Oréal beauty brands Garnier and Thayers are both expanding their cleansers ranges to include more skin types.
With one bottle sold every three seconds, the growing Garnier Micellar Water line expanded with its first micellar in a jelly texture. New Micellar Cleansing Jelly Water is an all-in-one charcoal facial cleanser, makeup remover and purifying toner that gently absorbs excess oil, according to the company. It is suitable for face, lips and eyes.
Thayers added a Hydrating Milky Cleanser, too. It joins the Hydrating Milky Toner, which launched last summer. The skin care product is powered by snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid, according to the company. The cleanser’s “milky formula” cushions the skin and strengthens the moisture barrier while removing makeup and impurities, and providing 48 hours of hydration, said Thayers. It is ideal for all skin types.
L’Oréal—No. 2 in Happi’s 2022 International Top 30 Report—rebranded its Active Cosmetics Division to L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty. According to the company, the division will feature the same beauty brands as before: Vichy, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, SkinCeuticals and Skinbetter Science.
According to Arizton’s latest research report, the active cosmetics market will grow 12.6% from 2021-2027. The demand for skin care and hair care products is growing as skin concerns and personal care are becoming mainstream, thereby presenting an opportunity for the market to grow.
“With so many resources, tools and experts at their fingertips through social platforms like TikTok, they are willing to invest in their skin care routines and use products and tools that promote skin health, while still embracing their skin’s natural texture, freckles and imperfections,” she told Happi.
Multi-use products will also continue to see success in 2023 for skin care formulas. According to Cabasso at Mario Badescu, a future trend to look out for are products that have multiple purposes.
“Our Hydrating Glow Toner with jojoba and PHA, launching in August 2023, will act as a serum and toner,” he told Happi. “It is extremely diligent in cleansing and hydrating at the same time.”
Top growth trends across skin care emphasize consumers’ overwhelming desire for moisture. Whether consumers are slathering their lips in glow balms or their full faces in petroleum jelly, the riseof glow balms and slugging remind brands to keep plump, dewy complexions at the forefront of their strategy, noted Spate in its recent market research.
Glow balms enhance the natural radiance of skin and lips for a healthy, glowing appearance. Searches for lip, skin and eye alongside glow balm indicate consumers’ preferred treatment areas. Consumers seek glow balm that do it all as witnessed by searches for brightening, cooling and healthy. Brands should take this information into consideration when developing their marketing strategies, according to Spate.
Wellness as a whole will also continue to drive the skincare sector. The global professional spa services market is worth $115 billion in 2023, FactMR reports. Through 2033, the market will grow 5.4% a year to reach $194.39 billion.
Body scrubs, massages, beauty services, and steam and sauna baths are among the therapeutic treatments available in spa skin care. In line with this, professional spa services that offer personalized premium and super-premium perspectives through numerous wellness programs and therapies are gaining prominence as they broaden their client base to include individuals who desire a relaxing environment.
Coy of Ulta agreed that wellness is key in skin care today.
She told Happi, “Many of our beauty enthusiasts see a direct link between beauty and wellness, often using their daily skin care routines as a form of self-care and a tool to unwind. We expect these lines will continue to blur and are already seeing more skin care products promote beauty from within in the form of vitamins, powders, collagen and more, further expanding on the ingestibles and supplement category.”
Clean beauty in skin care will also thrive in the next year, but observers say brands must elevate their games if they want to attract customers who have more choices than ever before.
“The increased push toward cleaner and healthier products—coupled with consumers’ demand for newness, efficacy and innovation—will continue to drive growth in the market,” noted Nadolny of Kline. “However, as competition is becoming more intense, it is important for brands to understand how to best stand out against each other.”
INCI: Citrus Reticulata Extract/Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Extract (and) Glycerin (and) Pentylene Glycol (and) Aqua/Water
Percent Usage: 1-3%
Applications: Anti-aging treatments, calming gel masks, anti-inflammaging skin care, collagen boosting serums
Description: Mibelle Biochemistry's upcycled CALMandrin is based on the peel paste of organic mandarins that are grown exclusively on the Greek island of Chios. CALMandrin is their sustainable solution to soothe reddened skin and improve signs of skin aging. Thanks to its anti-inflammaging effect, CALMandrin markedly increases skin firmness and density.
TiMOOD
INCI: Zanthoxylum Alatum Fruit Extract (and) Glycerin (and) Pentylene Glycol (and) Aqua / Water
Percent Usage: 2%
Applications: Complexion-enhancing neurocosmetics, mood-boosting body treatments, happiness-inducing face serum, relaxing skin masks
Description: TiMOOD is Mibelle Biochemistry’s novel neurocosmetic active based on timut pepper, a spice from the Himalayas. TiMOOD improves neuronal function in the skin and positively influences emotional wellbeing through the skin-brain axis. This “look good - feel good” concept was proven by a combination of in vitro and clinical studies.
TRI-K Industries, Inc.
Denville, NJ USA
info@tri-k.com
www.tri-k.com
NaturePep Ganoderma
INCI: Water (and) Hydrolyzed Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract
Percent Usage: 1-5%
Applications: Creams, Lotions, Gels, Serums, Masks, Toners, Foundations/primers, Anti-aging day/night treatments
Description: NaturePep Ganoderma uses TRI-K’s renowned natural peptide technology, to leverage the Ganoderma/Reishi mushroom, a well-researched mushroom with an extended history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This first-of-its-kind Ganoderma/Reishi mushroom peptide has been shown to reduce crow’s feet wrinkles and roughness, addressing the periorbital area of the face where the first signs of aging can appear. In addition, NaturePep Ganoderma repairs dermal degradation, prevents skin oxidative and cellular damage, and decreases melanin concentration on dark spots.
Industry tastemakers are seeing that minimalism in skin care—known as “skinimalism”—is gaining popularity. Clean beauty ingredients are also gaining ground.
Josie Maran is branching out in its skin care offerings.
Penny Coy, vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, has also seen a strong engagement in skin care, especially as consumers become more educated on the products and solutions that meet their specific beauty needs.
“While there’s positive momentum across the category, we’re seeing guests lean towards brands with ingredients that are efficacious and can easily be layered into their skin care routines,” she told Happi. “Ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid continue to dominate the space.”
US prestige beauty industry sales revenue overall grew 15%, year-over-year, to reach $27.1 billion in 2022, according to Circana (the new name for The NPD Group and IRI). All prestige beauty categories grew by double digits with skin care jumping 12% to $7.5 billion.
According to Circana, mass market skin care sales rose 7.5% to $5.05 billion while hand and body lotion sales increased 8.3% to $2.6 billion for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 26, 2023. For a deeper look into the categories, check out the chart here.
Skin care was the mass market’s best performing category in 2022, based on unit sales growth, according to Circana. Furthermore, facial skin care sold in the mass market was the top-performing segment across the entire beauty industry based on sales revenue gains.
Skin care, however, was the anomaly on the prestige beauty side, as it was the only category to experience flat sales in higher price-points in 2022.
“We are observing a democratization of the skin care market, as more consumers decide that they can actually spend less to get the desired results—whether that means purchasing lower price-points within the prestige stores or turning to dermatologist-recommended brands in mass outlets,” said Larissa Jensen, beauty industry advisor at Circana.
Also in skin care, body products grew at more than three-times the rate of facial products for 2022, according to recent data from Circana. Personal care brands like Charlotte Tilbury are branching out into body care, as seen with its new Magic Cream for spring 2023.
Luxury skin care, defined by Circana as a brand with an average price two-times higher than the category overall, accounts for less than 10% of total skin care units sold through prestige retailers, which are mainly department and beauty specialty stores. Unit sales were flat in the first two months of the year, versus 2022, while the overall prestige skin care category grew 17%. In terms of sales revenue, luxury brands grew 2% during these same two months, trailing the overall category’s 14% growth. These sales trends indicate that overall consumer demand for luxury skin care brands is soft.
Jennifer Famiano, beauty industry analyst, Circana, said that for a beauty brand or product to be classified as “luxury,” this traditionally meant it is the highest quality and has equally staggering price tags.
“This definition is still relevant and, for many consumers, will always be the case. But consumer brand perceptions are changing as new brands with strong value propositions enter the prestige beauty space. As such, consumers’ definition of luxury, particularly when it comes to skin care, is also a moving target,” she explained.
The biggest hurdle for luxury skin care to overcome is the fact that lower-priced brands with prestige positioning have entered the consumer’s universe, added Famiano.
“For luxury skin care to win more sales, brands will need to directly address their indirect competitors and romance consumers with the ‘why’ behind the luxury buy,” she said.
Demand for Clean Beauty
Fresh is spilling the tea on black tea benefits!
“Brands in the skin care space turned to methods such as clinical claims and product explanations on their packaging, store shelves or website,” he said.
The clean beauty market also relied heavily on social media to maintain a connection with consumers. Brands such as Glow Recipe and Tula Skincare saw tremendous engagement and activity from product tutorial videos and consumer stories on TikTok in 2022, while Ilia Beauty, Mineral Fusion and Beautycounter used Instagram for product and ingredient education.
“Skin care continues to be on the consumer’s mind even though the category has seen a slowdown in volume of sales for 2022 and makeup trending upwards,” noted Chris Salgardo, chief executive officer and founder of indie beauty brand Atwater.
“As a result, consumers are leaning into a simpler, more effective ritual versus the multi-step routine. Consumers are also hyper aware of what ingredients to look for and/or stay away from, they are looking for an accessible and fair price, versus high-cost products.”
According to Joseph Cabasso, president, Mario Badescu, Edison, NJ, beauty consumers seek gentle yet effective skin care.
“We have a large range of products that care for individual skin care needs,” he told Happi. “Our shoppers want a product that is effective in its purpose, whether that be cleansing, moisturizing or hydrating, while protecting the skin barrier. They are also looking for hydrating lip masks. Our Lip Mask with açai and vanilla has been flying off the shelves because of our recent public relations activity and influencers raving about the great value and efficacy of the product.”
Mario Badescu is rolling out a Pore Minimizer exclusive to Ulta that decongests and clarifies the t-zone with kaolin clay and zinc oxide.
Global consumption of chaga mushroom-based wellness and skin care products is anticipated to grow during the next decade, according to market research firm Fact.MR. Inonotus obliquus— commonly called chaga—is a parasitic fungus that grows primarily on birch trees across colder climatic regions. It is a medicinal mushroom that comprises some unique and natural substances, including polyphenols and mycochemicals.
Historically, chaga has shown numerous health benefits and is considered a superfood. The presence of immune boosters and high antioxidants is propelling the sales of chaga mushroom-based products around the world, including in skin care.
RoC’s new vitamin C eye balm
“Together, these ingredients provide a range of benefits for the skin, including protection from environmental damage, reduction of inflammation, support for the skin’s natural defenses, and improvement in the appearance of aging and uneven skin tone,” said Dr. Jennifer Chwalek, a board-certified dermatologist at Mt. Sinai hospital in New York City, who is affiliated with the brand.
Innovations are also swirling at Coty with its new natural beauty brand, Orveda. Billed as “green, clean, vegan and highly-concentrated,” Orveda is a high-end biotech skin care range that activates a clinically proven, healthy skin glow that rivals makeup, according to brand officials. Its skin care products are formulated with high concentration of actives and signature mix of a marine enzyme, natural prebiotic and bio-fermented kombucha black tea.
Orveda’s hero product is The Healing Sap, a hybrid between a toner and a serum. The Healing Sap is an all-in-one “skin re-setter” pre-care treatment designed to act like a natural fertilizer for the skin’s microflora. Providing a visible glow, it is suitable for all skin types and provides up to eight hours of hydration, according to the company. It contains 10 actives concentrated at 12%.
Skin Care Innovations
Classics never go out of style—and the same goes for beauty. Janet Pardo, SVP- global product development, Clinique, New York, told Happi that deep cleansers, gentle exfoliators, targeted moisturizers and specialized concern serums inspired by the latest dermatological advances will continue to be de rigueur in skin care for 2023.“Industry gold standards ingredients like retinoid, peptides, AHA/BHA, hyaluronic acid that target fundamental skin concerns such as skin aging, uneven skin tone/spots, acne and dehydration, will continue to thrive and technologies to address those concerns are likely to be brought to a new level,” Pardo added.
Estee Lauder’s leading Clinique brand is glowing up for the season with its new Even Better Clinical Brightening Moisturizer. Its first-ever moisturizer with CL302 Brightening Complex hydrates as it helps visibly improve multiple dimensions of discoloration: dark spot contrast, dark spot intensity, dullness and redness caused by irritation, for brighter-looking skin, said the company. The CL302 Brightening Complex is made up of natural antioxidant UP302, vitamin C, glucosamine, salicylic acid and yeast extract. Additionally, gyokuro (camellia sinensis leaf) extract—a green tea specially harvested in Japan—helps quell the look of irritation, which can trigger future dark spots.
Also new from Clinique is Moisture Surge Broad Spectrum SPF 28 Sheer Hydrator. Clinique revamped its cutting-edge Moisture Surge 100H formula to include vitamin E, UV protection, which provides antioxidant protection to help defend skin from damaging free radicals that can lead to premature signs of skin aging. This “cloud-like cream” features Aloe Bioferment + Hyaluronic Acid Complex + Provitamin D.
Peter Thomas Roth rolled out a multitasking moisturizer.
P&G’s Olay launched the newest member of the best-selling, ultra-moisturizing Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 collection, this time with SPF. Olay’s Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Moisturizer with SPF 30 packs broad-spectrum protection, 24 hours of hydration and smoother, brighter skin into one little blue bottle.
The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial franchise expands with its newest iteration, Ultra Facial Barrier Cream. According to the L’Oréal-owned company, the new cream offers the “healing powers” of a balm in the texture of a daily moisturizer. The barrier cream is infused with colloidal oatmeal and a reparative Beta Glucan Complex, according to the company. Advanced barrier technology instantly reduces visible redness, repairs the skin barrier function in just one hour and relieves dryness up to 10 layers deep, said the company. The balm-to-cream texture uses multi-lamellar technology as well, added Kiehl’s.
Meanwhile, LVMH’s Fresh brand is spilling the tea for Spring 2023 with its newest moisturizer, Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Cream.
“This product is our ‘fresh take’ on retinol-like performance and furthers our work and research around ingredient innovation,” said Dr. Anne-Laure Bulteau, a skin biologist at Fresh. “This moisturizer marks an exciting chapter for Fresh, because for the first time, we have introduced a naturally-derived ingredient blend with a scientifically-proven retinol.”
Powered by the brand’s exclusive retinol-like blend, BT Matrix, this cream is scientifically proven to help support lost skin structure and is gentle on all skin types, even sensitive skin, according to Fresh.
This cream is also packed with other advanced ingredients including Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier, plant-derived squalane to prevent moisture loss and pink porcelain lily to boost radiance and improve skin texture.
At clinical skin care pioneer Peter Thomas Roth, multitasking is on the menu with its new Ultimate Solution 5 Multitasking Moisturizer. A first-of-its-kind skin care SKU for Peter Thomas Roth, Ultimate Solution 5 is a cream meant for normal-to-dry skin types that delivers five solutions in one. The product is said to firm with a Firma-Cell-5 Peptide Complex to treat the signs of aging; brighten with a combination of vitamin C, lactic acid and maleic acid to reduce the appearance of uneven tones; exfoliate with glycolic, salicylic and tartaric acids; moisturize with hyaluronic acid, collagen, Ceramide NP, avocado oil and coconut oil; and soothe with Centella asiatica, echinacea, green tea extract and white tea extract.
Olay’s newest anti-aging creation
New from Josie Maran is an anti-aging Pro-Retinol Megamoisture Face Cream. With pink algae-derived pro-retinol, biomimetic 100% pure argan oil and fruit pulp extracts, the moisturizer targets elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, pores, texture and dullness.
The face cream contains more than 30 moisturizing ingredients including: aloe leaf juice, watermelon seed oil, shea butter and sodium hyaluronate. Fruit pulp extracts stimulate cellular turnover for brighter-looking skin, said the company.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Vitality Eye Cream is touted as “the total package” with an all-in-one formula powered by padina pavonica for hydration, hawthorne and Arabian jasmine flower essence to visibly reduce dark circles, upcycled elderflower extract for puffiness and Japanese artemisia capillaris to help restore radiance for more youthful-looking eyes. This eye cream cocoons the delicate skin around the eye contour area to combat the visible signs of aging by lifting, brightening and firming for a more wide-awake look, said the L’Occitane-owned company.
Clean beauty brand Ilia has launched its first skin care product, Bright Start Activated Eye Cream. The vegan and dermatologist-tested eye cream is touted as “the future of retinol,” according to Ilia, which is owned by Famille C/Clarins. It is formulated with sea fennel extract, a plant-based, sustainably-harvested retinol alternative, which aids in smoothing and refining fine lines and wrinkles. The product is also activated with upcycled avocado extract, caffeine and peptides to reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness and soothe, refresh and hydrate the undereye area. The applicator features a ceramic tip—doubling as a massage/depuffing tool.
Meanwhile, Roc Skincare recently launched Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Eye Balm. The eye treatment provides an easy application that glides on clear and visibly brightens and reduces dark circles, said the company. It’s specifically formulated with Roc’s patent-pending blend of vitamin C to boost radiance, peptides to firm and antioxidants to target puffiness and dark circles.
J&J’s prestige brand Korres recently launched Black Pine Overnight Total Revival Serum. It is a dual-phase, targeted serum with a plant-derived glycolic acid alternative to resurface skin, smooth texture, reduce lines and wrinkles, and firm the appearance of the skin overnight while skin is in repair-mode.
Kinder Acne Care
Pimple treatments mean more than a dab of benzoyl peroxide. Brands like Elina Organics boast products that restore, resurface, calm, heal and prevent acne. Its new Oceanic Acne Defense Line features its Oceanic Resurfacing Mask, Oceanic Face Cooling Infusion and Oceanic Acne Defense Lotion. Each is organic, vegan, cruelty-free and hand-made in small batches in Elina’s own laboratory in Michigan.Glow Recipe’s new primer reduces pore size.
“The second step features the Oceanic Face Cooling Infusion product to cool and calm the skin. While the third and final step in this acne regimen features the Oceanic Defense Lotion that restores and rehydrates skin,” she added.
Fedotova is an acne treatment expert who knows how to treat and prevent acne.
“Our Oceanic Resurfacing mask delivers spicules and extracts of Caribbean sponges deep into the skin to hydrate, heal and improve texture,” she told Happi. “This formulation is designed to help scarred, uneven, dull, inflamed and wrinkled complexions.”
Elina Organic’ new Oceanic Face Cooling Infusion features ocean spongillia and extracts of pearls which the brand contends are perfectly suited for treating red, sensitive and inflamed complexions.
The third step in this acne skin care regimen includes the Oceanic Acne Defense Lotion which restores and hydrates skin. Formulated with marine sponge spicules and extracts, it is designed for normal to oily, acne and scarred complexions.
K-beauty skin care brand Glow Recipe just launched a makeup/skin care hybrid, Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops. According to its Co-Founder Christine Chang, the new silicone-free primer visibly reduces pore size instantly without clogging and provides smooth makeup application all while balancing oil for smooth, “soft-to-the-touch satin cloud skin.”
“We’re so proud of the fact that we were able to formulate Blur Drops completely silicone free! This was especially important to us when creating a treatment and primer in one as we challenged ourselves to continue to blur the lines between skin care and makeup,” Chang told Happi. “We’re able to achieve immediate pore-blurring results with tapioca and rice, which work together to visibly reduce the look of pores without any clogging, providing a smooth canvas for makeup application. These ingredients also help control excess shine while prolonging makeup wear.”
Acne skin care brand Face Reality’s lead educator, Alex Hernandez, told Happi that the TikTok trending “slugging” (applying occlusive products like petroleum jelly to the skin to lock in moisture) can also be helpful for acne prone skin, just maybe not for the whole face.
“When treating acne with ingredients like exfoliating acids and benzoyl peroxide, areas of dryness may develop,” she said.
Vaseline, the petroleum jelly classic product, still reigns supreme at the skin care choice for slugging, she insists.
Additionally, for acne prone skin, “skincycling” (swapping out products) can disrupt the clearing process, noted Hernandez. In fact, the most viral trend on social media platforms lately has been the routine of skincycling. The hashtag #skincycling on TikTok alone has over 270 million views!
Cycling products aside, a skin care routine wouldn’t be complete without a cleanser to take off a day’s worth of dirt and sebum.
L’Oréal beauty brands Garnier and Thayers are both expanding their cleansers ranges to include more skin types.
With one bottle sold every three seconds, the growing Garnier Micellar Water line expanded with its first micellar in a jelly texture. New Micellar Cleansing Jelly Water is an all-in-one charcoal facial cleanser, makeup remover and purifying toner that gently absorbs excess oil, according to the company. It is suitable for face, lips and eyes.
Thayers added a Hydrating Milky Cleanser, too. It joins the Hydrating Milky Toner, which launched last summer. The skin care product is powered by snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid, according to the company. The cleanser’s “milky formula” cushions the skin and strengthens the moisture barrier while removing makeup and impurities, and providing 48 hours of hydration, said Thayers. It is ideal for all skin types.
L’Oréal—No. 2 in Happi’s 2022 International Top 30 Report—rebranded its Active Cosmetics Division to L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty. According to the company, the division will feature the same beauty brands as before: Vichy, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, SkinCeuticals and Skinbetter Science.
According to Arizton’s latest research report, the active cosmetics market will grow 12.6% from 2021-2027. The demand for skin care and hair care products is growing as skin concerns and personal care are becoming mainstream, thereby presenting an opportunity for the market to grow.
A Bright Outlook for Skin Care
Perhaps one of the biggest growth factors in skin care is being driven by Gen Z, noted Coy of Ulta. She told Happi that this demographic is developing its own skin care routines earlier than any other generation before them.“With so many resources, tools and experts at their fingertips through social platforms like TikTok, they are willing to invest in their skin care routines and use products and tools that promote skin health, while still embracing their skin’s natural texture, freckles and imperfections,” she told Happi.
Multi-use products will also continue to see success in 2023 for skin care formulas. According to Cabasso at Mario Badescu, a future trend to look out for are products that have multiple purposes.
“Our Hydrating Glow Toner with jojoba and PHA, launching in August 2023, will act as a serum and toner,” he told Happi. “It is extremely diligent in cleansing and hydrating at the same time.”
Top growth trends across skin care emphasize consumers’ overwhelming desire for moisture. Whether consumers are slathering their lips in glow balms or their full faces in petroleum jelly, the riseof glow balms and slugging remind brands to keep plump, dewy complexions at the forefront of their strategy, noted Spate in its recent market research.
Glow balms enhance the natural radiance of skin and lips for a healthy, glowing appearance. Searches for lip, skin and eye alongside glow balm indicate consumers’ preferred treatment areas. Consumers seek glow balm that do it all as witnessed by searches for brightening, cooling and healthy. Brands should take this information into consideration when developing their marketing strategies, according to Spate.
Wellness as a whole will also continue to drive the skincare sector. The global professional spa services market is worth $115 billion in 2023, FactMR reports. Through 2033, the market will grow 5.4% a year to reach $194.39 billion.
Body scrubs, massages, beauty services, and steam and sauna baths are among the therapeutic treatments available in spa skin care. In line with this, professional spa services that offer personalized premium and super-premium perspectives through numerous wellness programs and therapies are gaining prominence as they broaden their client base to include individuals who desire a relaxing environment.
Coy of Ulta agreed that wellness is key in skin care today.
She told Happi, “Many of our beauty enthusiasts see a direct link between beauty and wellness, often using their daily skin care routines as a form of self-care and a tool to unwind. We expect these lines will continue to blur and are already seeing more skin care products promote beauty from within in the form of vitamins, powders, collagen and more, further expanding on the ingestibles and supplement category.”
Clean beauty in skin care will also thrive in the next year, but observers say brands must elevate their games if they want to attract customers who have more choices than ever before.
“The increased push toward cleaner and healthier products—coupled with consumers’ demand for newness, efficacy and innovation—will continue to drive growth in the market,” noted Nadolny of Kline. “However, as competition is becoming more intense, it is important for brands to understand how to best stand out against each other.”
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This past year has been one of innovation in the beauty industry. From customized beauty to the metaverse, one trend is growing exponentially—biotech beauty. According to a market analysis report from Grand View Research, the global biotech ingredients market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% to reach $3.01 billion by 2027. Lauren Otsuki, co-founder, executive vice president and chief innovation officer at indie brand Ourself, said, “Bio-tech beauty is the convergence of the many technologies commonly used in biotech product discovery for the development of products in the skin care and beauty sector.” She told Happi, “The leveraging of these technologies has been used to solve some of the toughest medical issues such as infertility, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease and cancer to create skin care formulations that can address stubborn skin concerns like hyperpig-mentation, wrinkles and sagging is the beginning of a new era for skin care.” Otsuki added, “Biotech beauty combines advances in biology and chemistry that allow us to develop and produce lab-made components for use in skin care/beauty products. The use of these technologies allows us to develop superior ingredients and molecules to use in skin care and cosmetic products for demonstrable results. “Many traditional beauty companies only work with in-gredients that are commercially available to create their products. At Ourself, we are able to leverage biotechnology to make new and custom ingredients to develop topical products that finally deliver on consumer expectations.” Mintel analysts revealed three key consumer trends set to impact the global beauty and personal care industry this year, including biotech beauty. According to Andrew McDougal, director, Mintel Beauty & Personal Care, as the hunger for more efficient and potent products and treatments grows, consumers will look further to find proof that their money is being well-spent. “Potential developments from beauty brands could come from the emergence of genetic sequencing and advances in diagnostics and wearable devices. Expect to see major opportunities stemming from hormones, health risk and diagnosis, 3D printing, personalized vitamins and supplements, and gene editing. “Meanwhile, synthetic biology technologies are finally maturing, offering a way for almost anything to be manufactured competitively and sustainably. The beauty industry must learn to use this technology to develop new products and processes, improve existing ones and reduce costs to remain competitive in the future.” McDougal said he expects to see global beauty companies focus on holistic habits and products that support everything from sleep to blood circulation and their connection to beauty. |
New Skincare Ingredients
Mibelle Biochemistry
Buchs, Aargau, Switzerland
info@mibellebiochemistry.com
https://mibellebiochemistry.com/calmandrintm
INCI: Citrus Reticulata Extract/Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Extract (and) Glycerin (and) Pentylene Glycol (and) Aqua/Water
Percent Usage: 1-3%
Applications: Anti-aging treatments, calming gel masks, anti-inflammaging skin care, collagen boosting serums
Description: Mibelle Biochemistry's upcycled CALMandrin is based on the peel paste of organic mandarins that are grown exclusively on the Greek island of Chios. CALMandrin is their sustainable solution to soothe reddened skin and improve signs of skin aging. Thanks to its anti-inflammaging effect, CALMandrin markedly increases skin firmness and density.
TiMOOD
INCI: Zanthoxylum Alatum Fruit Extract (and) Glycerin (and) Pentylene Glycol (and) Aqua / Water
Percent Usage: 2%
Applications: Complexion-enhancing neurocosmetics, mood-boosting body treatments, happiness-inducing face serum, relaxing skin masks
Description: TiMOOD is Mibelle Biochemistry’s novel neurocosmetic active based on timut pepper, a spice from the Himalayas. TiMOOD improves neuronal function in the skin and positively influences emotional wellbeing through the skin-brain axis. This “look good - feel good” concept was proven by a combination of in vitro and clinical studies.
TRI-K Industries, Inc.
Denville, NJ USA
info@tri-k.com
www.tri-k.com
NaturePep Ganoderma
INCI: Water (and) Hydrolyzed Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract
Percent Usage: 1-5%
Applications: Creams, Lotions, Gels, Serums, Masks, Toners, Foundations/primers, Anti-aging day/night treatments
Description: NaturePep Ganoderma uses TRI-K’s renowned natural peptide technology, to leverage the Ganoderma/Reishi mushroom, a well-researched mushroom with an extended history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This first-of-its-kind Ganoderma/Reishi mushroom peptide has been shown to reduce crow’s feet wrinkles and roughness, addressing the periorbital area of the face where the first signs of aging can appear. In addition, NaturePep Ganoderma repairs dermal degradation, prevents skin oxidative and cellular damage, and decreases melanin concentration on dark spots.
