Skincare in the Post-Pandemic World

It’s simple: what we put into our bodies or apply over our skins have impacts on how we how we feel, both physically and mentally. But, as stated in our latest Quarterly Report about Beauty & Cosmetics, the recent public health crisis boosted this behaviour mainly driven by consumers need of “feeling good” during times of crisis and uncertainty.

This means that neither quarantines, closed shops, limits on the number of people in beauty services, social distancing or the use of masks have been able to stop an interest that has been growing for some time. However, these circumstances and the effects of the pandemic have generated new consumer pain points that are redefining the concept of “wellness” applied to skincare and completely transforming the category.

Here are three of the recent shifts in the Skincare sector, detected by our AI platform.

1. Emerging Trend: Sterile Purity

One of the main trends inside our Quarterly Report about Beauty & Cosmetics is Sterile Purity. The fear of contamination has not only pushed us to social distancing, it has also awakened the germophobes inside many of us. As cleanliness turns into a more obvious safety matter, we can expect to see the increase and spread of hygiene- centric and self-sanitizing products, as well as of the emergence of germ-free certificates. Consumers will also seek and opt for those products whose packaging transmits the idea of aseptic antibacterial and sterile.

But, what type of skincare products will consumers expect to help them with their hygiene concerns?

According to our platform, consumers will look for this mainly in serums and creams, products that can be applied to the face and the hands, two parts of the body that are mainly exposed to germs. They will also expect to see a focus on hygiene from “vegan”, “natural” and “premium” brands.

Singaporean cosmeceutical skincare brand Recherché is one of the brands acting on this trend.

It launched what it calls the “world’s first 2-in-1 sanitizer and hand cream”. Clinically proven to be anti-viral and anti-bacterial, the product promises to restore and repair dry, damaged, aging hands while maintaining cleanliness and hygiene.

2. Rising Insight: “Mask Acne” is getting under our skins

Face masks have become an essential element to protect us against the coronavirus. Whether made of surgical material or reusable cloth, now that the quarantine is over, many people must wear them most of the day and its use is causing a side effect: the appearance of pimples and blackheads known as acne.

This situation, combined with the stress of the pandemic, is causing a greater humidity-rich environment for bacteria and organisms to proliferate and this causes a kind of breakdown in the skin, which triggers acne breakouts.

And since the use of masks does not seem to go away any time soon, concerns about acne will continue to grow and be a part of consumers lives for a long time to come, as the timeline extracted from our platform shows.

But beyond the traditional skincare products aimed at this problem, the market is filling with multiple innovations, such as Soliscia by Nufabrx, a reusable, infused face mask that is packed with skincare benefits.

It has fibres that are infused with moisturizing skincare heroes like shea butter that help dealing with the redness, irritation or “maskne”, caused by masks.

3. Solid Insight: DIY Skincare

As we anticipated two months ago in our Home & Wellness article, interest in DIY Skincare continued to grow (and will continue to do so for the next six months).

After a drop in the end of the quarantine, the trend grew again because of caution and fear of second wave. As these factors will continue influencing people, we will be seeing them implementing their wellness routines at home and not in salons or beauty centres for a long time.

When it comes to making their own skincare products, what materials do consumers mention? Nextatlas was able to identify what are the most relevant ingredients.

Beeswax, as it’s a humectant that binds moisture to skin, is the most popular ingredient mentioned by our community of insiders. However, Olive Oil is another popular ingredient, as well as Peppermint and Honey. All of these ingredients are readily available and easy to apply.

Our platform also detected which are the main benefits they want to obtain from their homemade skin products. These are: calming, soothing, nourishing and moisturizing, four needs closely related to physical and mental well-being.

In conclusion, the skin care category is another of many being challenged by the coronavirus and its effects on people. The key for brands is to find the right information to anticipate shifts and offer consumers relevant answers to their new needs.