We’re getting smarter, more discerning and more personal when it comes to taking care of our wellbeing and the same goes for skincare and beauty. This year we’re set to be focused on looking after ourselves, the planet, looking for routines over quick fixes and always valuing a personal recommendation. Here are some of the top beauty trends for 2022.
Last year’s rise in ‘skinimalism’ - making the most of your natural glow rather than covering it all up with lots of make-up - has not stopped. Skincare is getting smarter and more effective every day and many of us are much more focused on skin health (and general health). It’s more about looking like the best version of ourselves than looking different to ourselves.
“Google Trend searches for ‘microbiome skincare’ growing by over 5000 per cent in the last 12 months, alongside a rise in skincare featuring pre- and probiotic additions intended to rebalance and strengthen our skin.”
– Harper’s Bazaar
Tech is playing a big role in the movement, with greater personalisation available both in terms of formulas themselves and with online support for skincare advice. For example, The Inkey List’s ‘myINKEY’ offers digital access to a PT for your skin.
More and more of us want genuine ethical values from our skincare brands, with proven eco claims amongst them. The same applies to beauty products and brands. The likes of the Sustainable Spa Association and The British Beauty Council are working against greenwashing and helping consumers to make informed choices about sustainable brands.
Top initiatives from brands and industry bodies include:
This is where customers receive Advantage Card points for products deposited.
The Planet Positive Beauty Guide is from The British Beauty Council and aims to help consumers avoid ‘greenwashed’ products.
Available at branches of Tesco, Boots, Sainsbury’s and Superdrug and growing.
In a bid to take care of ourselves and achieve maximum results from our skincare and beauty products, whilst also respecting the environment, brands are turning to biotech - technology based on biology and harnessing cellular and biomolecular processes. Basically, it’s a melding of science and tech.
It covers a multitude of different areas, from reducing waste to replacing the use of minimise the use of natural ingredients where it’s harmful to the environment by creating synthetic alternatives that mimic their benefits. It’s definitely worth doing your research to find out more, but a couple of key areas include:
One side of this focuses on either fusing natural ingredients with synthetic chemicals or creating synthetic alternatives to natural ingredients. Sometimes referred to as ‘cleanical’ beauty (‘clean’ and ‘clinical’), it generally involves producing an active ingredient in a lab, that’s biologically identical to those that live in the natural world. Sheila Chaiban, CEO of One Ocean Beauty, a leading biotech beauty brand told Editorialist:
“It’s essentially technology that’s used to recreate specific properties found in living organisms that are ultimately beneficial to beauty products … The reality is our planet’s resources are finite, and biotechnology allows us to recreate powerful natural ingredients without negatively impacting our planet and oceans.”
This isn’t a specific campaign, but it’s a general movement and a term coined by The Future Laboratory for brands seeking to reduce waste from products and reduce water use. It means maximising formula results and efficiency but minimising detrimental effects on the environment. Think zero-plastic solid shampoos, powdered body washes and waterless serums.
The growth in men’s beauty products has increasing at a rate. cosmeticsbusiness.com estimated that “By 2027, the global cosmetic market will reach 138 billion dollars, with an annual growth rate of 3.8% expected over the period 2020-2027”.
Driven by a combination of lockdowns and the eternally powerful influence of the likes of Harry Styles (who has his own beauty brand ‘Pleasing’), the trend doesn’t just include beauty products but also body positivity messaging, a move away from gender stereotyping and challenging male hair loss stigma.
Of course, ultimately wellbeing and beauty is deeply personal and it’s about finding the right solutions to suit you. One of the best places to gain advice and experience products and treatments is on a spa break. Fancy a wellbeing getaway? Take a look!
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Located within the five-star hotel, Raffles London, the Guerlain Spa is a 27,000sq ft urban sanctuary set over four floors and created in partnership with its famous French namesake. Perfect for a romantic spa day or a celebration with friends, it's a city-centre destination that combines the best of heritage and modern wellbeing.
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