Microbiome products driving UK skincare sales
Microbiome skincare is driving the UK facial skincare market, says Mintel, and is a strong indicator of future trends.
New research from the market analyst highlighted products that target the skin microbiome as driving skincare sales in the UK, with over 37% of the world’s microbiome skincare products launched in the UK last year.
Mintel’s Jane Henderson, global president of the beauty and personal care division, said the analyst expects to see the microbiome trend expand in the near future to encompass the exposome – a term used for the external environmental factors that affect our health.
The research also showed that 71% of UK skincare launches in 2018 were in the prestige/luxury category, up from 54% in 2008.
Demonstrating a willingness by UK beauty consumers to spend more on facial skincare products, budget and mass products accounted for just 10% of launches last year, compared to 14% 10 years ago.
When it comes to make-up, the “clean” beauty revolution has taken over, with the UK the leading European market for colour cosmetics billed as toxin-free in 2018, accounting for 21% of all global launches in this trend in 2018.
The latest Mintel research also found that the UK is the fourth biggest colour cosmetics market globally, behind the US, Japan and China. The UK market was valued at as estimated £2.1bn in 2018, with an average spend per capita of £32 per year.
Henderson commented: "…British skincare brands have been among the first to understand the importance of the microbiome, the natural bacteria found in and on the body which can be balanced through skincare.
“In the next 5-10 years, the skincare industry will expand from simply focusing on the microbiome to also include the exposome, ie external environmental factors like pathogens, fungi, pollution and plants that interact with our DNA and affect our health.
“This will inspire NPD that takes a bespoke and holistic approach to skincare and health, such as exposome-measuring wearable devices, bespoke ingestibles, personalised DNA nutrition, and products that boost skin health and personal air quality."
"The clean beauty movement started out in skincare and is now quickly moving into colour cosmetics, with the UK leading the way. Consumers are holistically looking to clean up their lifestyles, so clean makeup will become increasingly important in the coming years.
“Clean beauty is more than a trend, it's a lifestyle, and as such brands must adapt to the changing landscape to secure their place in the future market.”