It is important to stay on top of trends in every industry as consumers expect brands to be ready with the next big thing. MINTEL are known for being ahead of the trend and anticipate consumer needs. MINTEL’s latest report (Natural, Organic and Ethical Toiletries Dec 2017) highlights the changing perspective of consumers and how brands need to be more aware of:
- The ingredients they use
- The skin conditions they target
- Their ethical values
‘Hero Ingredient’ Focus
The concept of highlighting a ‘hero ingredient’ within the formulation and packaging has been rapidly adopted across the beauty industry. This is for good reason, as MINTEL found that 41% of women look for specific ingredients within their products and a ‘hero ingredient’ is more important than the whole ingredient list.
US based company Deciem have capitalized on this trend and launched the brand ‘The Ordinary’ which focuses on providing stand alone, ‘on trend’ ingredients such as retinoids and Vitamin C. These ingredients are normally incorporated at low or unknown percentages within a finished product, however The Ordinary supply these ingredients in their raw form at concentrated percentages and affordable prices which consumers can then customize and slot in their skin care regime as they see fit.
Brands should look to include hero ingredients with efficacy and an interesting story for maximum appeal. These ingredients often reflect trends in the food sector such as oats, quinoa, sage or Kakadu plum.
But having the right hero ingredient is only half the battle. MINTEL now understand that consumers believe a shorter ingredient list and shelf life also indicates a more ‘trusted’ product. Brands such as Lush offer products with a hero ingredient, a shorter ingredient list and a shorter shelf life to appeal to their target demographics.
Skin Conditions
44% of people have suffered from skin conditions in the last 12 months according to MINTEL. Skin allergies are on the rise with a prediction of 50% of adults having an allergy by 2026. 56% of people agree that more natural products designed to treat skin conditions should be available and there is an increased desire for natural products and ingredients to treat these skin allergies.
Natural plant-based ingredients with proven efficacy and effective skin relief will be highly suitable to meet this demand. This presents a huge opportunity for the natural and organic sector to target specific skin conditions including eczema, as well as offer more medicinal benefits.
Brands including Ultraveen are embracing this and producing effective and soothing skin treatments targeted at dry and eczema prone skin using colloidal oatmeal (Oat COM) as the active ingredient.
Ethical Values
Consumers are quick to voice their green or ethical sentiments as 60% of consumers try to use ethical brands where possible. However consumers are either too lazy, cash strapped or short of time to turn this belief into action and require manufacturers and brands to do the work for them (MINTEL, 2017).
It is therefore key for brands to clearly communicate any ethical and green commitments within their products and brand story as ethical considerations are extremely. This is extremely important to consumers when purchasing in this sector and younger millennials are more likely to stop using a brand if it has unethical practices.
