Beauty salons have spent what seems like an eternity focussing on facial care, and body treatments have been somewhat secondary to that. However, consumers have driven a huge change in this trend and if the reports by Mintel are anything to go by, body care is now one of the fastest growing treatment focuses.
In 2006, consumer sales in body care treatments/products was worth around £300m, up 43% on the previous five years, compared with a 24% rise in facial skincare in the same period. This figure is set to rise by a further 41% over the next five years to over £400m.
Why this change? Well, consumers are much more product savvy and with both the more mature, body-conscious consumer looking for anti-ageing solutions as well as the younger consumer equally interested in taking preventative measures having relatively easy access to information, we are seeing a surge in new demands.
Beyond the Moisture
Consumers want the results they are seeing from facial treatments/products in their body treatments/products. Facial skin care has for years now been a results-driven market. Consumers want results and they want them quickly. Industry has intensively developed to be able to meet these demands and now, the facial skin care market is now a rather sophisticated and complex arena.
Now that consumer's attention has shifted to the body, although the demands remain pretty much the same, the modern consumer is searching for products that contain unusual ingredients with beneficial properties.
Many companies are beginning to face up to this increasing demand with new product launches and are understanding the sophistication of their customer's needs. It seems the days have passed where consumers were satisfied with moisturising; now they expect the product to make them feel good and have visible effects.
Mother Nature's Well-Stocked Shelves
Exploring The Potential
In order to capitalise on what is naturally available (in its rawest form or after a bit of 'fine tuning') we need to really look at the choices in detail. When a product is results-driven, it should contain ingredients that play an active role in achieving the objective. Formulators research their ingredients and select those that are most pro-active in achieving a said goal, not to mention label appeal.
Some of the big players in the skin care industry are recognising the potency of natural raw materials as in the following examples:
Loofah: A trusted friend of the formulator. The loofah is a relative of the squash and has been used for centuries for its exfoliating properties. This climbing plant forms a complex mesh of fibres which is excellent for massage and exfoliation yet soft and gentle on the skin. It is one of the main ingredients in Guinot's Gommage Facil
Green Coffee Bean Extract: Research has shown that green coffee bean extract boosts micro-circulation, detoxifies and has a diuretic effect. It also helps to inhibit the formation of free-radicals and is a key ingredient in Pevonia's Nymphea Body-Svelt Cream
Red Vine Leaves: A key feature of Thalac's Frigic Jambes and contains polyphenols which have beneficial effects on blood circulation and cellular exchange to reduce 'heaviness' in the legs.
Algae: Has anti-ageing properties, it helps support the cellular structure & stimulates the production of glycosaminoglucans (responsible for cellular metabolism and renewal). This is a key ingredient in Elemis's Cellutox Herbal Bath Synergy
These are just some examples of how key players in the beauty industry are seeking out, researching and harnessing the powerful effects of natural raw ingredients to meet the needs of the ever more savvy consumer.
With plenty of research, carefully selected and cleverly combined ingredients, a formulator can take their products beyond just moisturising and into the realms of results-driven active potency.
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