Monday, February 6
Comforting Care
Trends
We seek to nurture ourselves through comforting, considerate products that create a more welcoming beauty space for all. Solutions emerge for areas that need delicate care, as innovations for sensitive skin and psychotherapeutic options merge the worlds of topical skincare with emotional and mental health. In addition, as our bodies struggle to cope with stressful times, healing wellness rituals like soul baths or lymphatic draining routines grow in popularity to help create balance. As consumers look to their beauty routines to restore emotional and mental balance, this new generation of gentle, mindful products help to soothe the senses.
Psychodermatology
Blending wellness benefits with product, we see psychodermatology and psychotherapeutic beauty arise to deliver powerful results. Psychodermatology focuses on the bond between psychiatry and dermatology, or how the things we experience psychologically impacts our skin. Selfmade is one such brand who defines themselves as “the first emotionally intelligent personal care brand,” recognizing the fundamental link between emotional and mental health and how these internal factors affect the external appearance and health of our skin. This use of psychodermatology seeks to support “the human pursuit of self-exploration,” as Selfmade encourages consumers to use their products to “infuse daily moments with conscious agency” and form more nurturing, intentional habits that instill confidence and self worth. Skincare itself also becomes gentle and more considerate, as neutral skincare solutions arise for unique skin sensitivities and needs. Oodee, for example, offers allergen-neutral skin products that are scientifically formulated to have zero potential skin triggers, while Calmar Skin is a botanical-based skincare brand focused on creating effective products for sensitive skin. We see brands filling spaces in the market for people with sensitivities, like Galderma’s Epsolay cream for people with rosacea, or MÊME, the first beauty brand dedicated entirely to women with cancer, helping them not only find products that suit their needs but make them feel empowered and desirable.
Bathing Rituals
Bathing rituals help to support a soul-to-skin connection, as products and wellness practices help deepen mindful relaxation. The concept of the “soul bath” emerges from this, tapping into ancient therapeutic methods, with spas embracing bathing rituals and mineral hot pools, while the wellness book Moon Bath curates “earth integrated Ayurvedic self-care rituals” that combine “ancient wisdom with modern intuitive alchemy. ” German brand SOUL BATH centers their brand around this, with a line of herbal bathing products that combine the power of medicinal plants, essential oils, and hydrotherapy to relax the muscles, restore the skin, and revitalize the respiratory tract. Building off of this, we see soothing ingredient-focused bathing products grow, with options like Cuccio Natural’s softening Milk Bath or Riley House’s mugwort bath soak to support female wellness and reduce PMS cramps.
Lympathic Massage
Lymphatic drainage continues to be a key focus for total-body balance, as we understand how this essential system of moving fluid throughout the body affects energy, sleep, hormone health, inflammation, and more. The importance of proper lymph flow and drainage becomes a point of concern for skincare in particular due to its ability to reduce puffiness and increase firmness and tone. Lymphatic skincare products emerge, like Gente’s Lymphatic Drainage Effect lotion, or Iraye’s Deeptox serum that firms and tones by stimulating lymph drainage. Body tools are essential to practicing lymph massage at home, with options like Heat Healer’s body paddle handcrafted from Sibin Bian Stone, which is a sacred healing stone in TCM modalities, and works to retain heat in order to better stimulate and drain lymph. In addition, KOA Elite’s Myofascia Release Tool helps to drain lymph from the face, with gentle stimulating points that act like fingers to invigorate and refresh.
Article write by Mallory Huron, Senior Strategist for Beauty & Wellness at Fashion Snoops
FS is a global trend forecasting agency helping leading consumer-facing brands around the world unlock innovation and propel growth. Through a combination of human and artificial intelligence, we analyze cultural shifts and interpret detected patterns in order to forecast trend-driven business opportunities.