Hand hygiene and holistic wellbeing have been the main drivers within the European body care market during the past year, spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like facial skin care, body care has benefited from a focus on self-care and increased time at home. As a result, brands are launching innovations that lead to growth opportunities.

The European body care market took a hit along with most beauty categories during 2020, but there are already signs of a recovery. According to GlobalData’s Market Analyzers Segment Insights forecast data, the European body care market is forecast to rise 2.5% this year to more than $5.3 billion. Germany will lead the way, contributing $1.4 billion to the total, followed by France, $629 million; UK, $520 million; Italy, $433 million; and Spain, $426 million.

Wellness and Self-Care

Across the region, self-care routines came to the fore as consumers were confined indoors due to extended lockdowns.

“The importance of self-care and enhancing a sense of holistic wellness was known pre-pandemic and will continue to prevail once consumers resume more normal routines post-pandemic,” maintains Lia Neophytou, senior analyst, GlobalData. She noted that 47% of European consumers claim to be extremely or quite concerned about their mental wellbeing because of the pandemic.

“This may heighten consumer willingness to experiment with products that align with self-care and wellness trends… as an avenue for creating a lifestyle that enhances a sense of holistic wellness.”

Sanctuary Spa Wellness is a new body care range with formulas to help with sleep, de-stress and calm. Calming CBD Oil is formulated to be part of an everyday wellness routine to help with relaxation and cope better with stress. De-Stress Warming Body Balm delivers a self-warming formula made with plant-based ingredients such as ginger and rosemary.

“It will appeal to those who, despite spending more time at home, may be feeling stressed as a result of the pandemic,” states Neophytou.

Tisserand’s online World of Wellbeing came into its own during the pandemic, offering a digital hub for sleep advice, calming rituals and tips to boost mood. Its new Motivation Station features lifestyle tips on how to stay focused and achieve goals. Its Energy Boost line includes a massage and body oil blend of orange, lime and grapefruit. Tisserand’s body mist line includes De-Stress MoodFix, Happy Vibes MoodFix and Real Calm MoodFix, which have been formulated with ingredients for their mood-enhancing capabilities.

During the past year, skin care has played a crucial part of the self-care routine and taken over from makeup in enhancing confidence and personal wellbeing. Body care also benefited from this new focus with products taking inspiration from facial skin care routines.

“This trend provided an opportunity for brands to explore facial skin care ingredients, formats and performance claims to inspire body care innovation for the future,” observes Neophytou.

An example from the Czech Republic is Dermacol Collagen Body Milk featuring collagen, olive oil and glycerin.

“The addition of collagen could resonate with consumers who are familiar with this ingredient in facial skin care products and like to incorporate it into their body care routines for similar results,” she states.

Meanwhile, Soraya Cross Fit Firming Protein Body Balm from Poland is inspired by current trends in the world of fitness. The product is rich in amino acids and is said to improve skin elasticity. In addition, it claims to improve microcirculation which can accelerate the burning of fat tissue.

Hand Care NPD

The arrival of COVID-19 led to a dramatic change in consumer behavior toward hand hygiene, resulting in a surge in demand for hand sanitizers. However, frequent hand washing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers has led to skin-related issues such as excessive dryness and eczema.

Roaslia di Gesu, global beauty and personal care analyst, Mintel, said there are new and unexpected opportunities for brands to expand through innovation, such as products to hydrate the hands while preventing germs from entering the body via cracked skin. According to Mintel, hydrating claims dominate in European hand care but have declined to 51% of recent launches versus 67% five years ago.

British brand Nursem launched in 2019, co-founded by a pediatric nurse and developed by a group of British nurses, and features a therapeutic formula focusing on combating the effect of relentless hand washing. Other launches include Revuele SOS Repair Hand Cream, offering extra care after disinfection, and Afrodita SOS Regenerative Hand Cream, described as essential post-hand washing/sanitizing.

Mintel analysts point to an increase in antibacterial claims in hand care, such as Vaseline Intensive Care Hand Cream + Anti-Bac.

“While not an anti-viral and won’t protect against COVID-19, it has an alcohol-free antibacterial formula to protect cracked hands from germs and infection, and hydrate dry, frequently washed skin,” explains di Gesu.

Meanwhile French brand Davisage’s Handie Bottle is disrupting the hand care market by creatively blurring with hand sanitizer. The dual compartment travel size 15ml bottle stores the brand’s alcohol-free hand cleansing gel and luxury black orchid hand cream separately in one bottle. In addition, the bottle features a “smart” compartment within the lid to store items such as rings, when applying the product, and a mirror.

Microbiome-friendly and probiotic claims are another development in hand care which counter concern that handwashing/sanitizing can strip away skin’s friendly bacteria. Mintel highlight Gerlasan Balance Hand Cream containing a probiotic biotilys ingredient (with lactobacillus pentosus) to support healthy bacteria in the skin flora, and Gallinée La Culture Hand Cream, which contains the patented triple biotic complex that combines prebiotics, probiotics and lactic acid to help protect the microbiome.

The European body care category is still in recovery after a difficult year. Neophytou warns that with lockdown measures in flux, the category may fall in and out of a consumer’s essential product shopping list.

“Brands must consider product affordability as a key concern,” she advises.

Meanwhile, as far as hand sanitizers are concerned, any additional claims, such as being skin friendly, must support product efficacy which is the primary claim for any hand sanitizing product. 

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Imogen Matthews
Headington, Oxford UK
+44 1865 764918
www.imogenmatthews.co.uk

Imogen Matthews is a respected consultant, journalist and researcher who commentates on trends in the beauty industry. She regularly contributes to many of the world’s foremost beauty trade titles, has served on the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW UK) and won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive (UK) Achiever Award. Founded by Imogen in 1993, The Premium Market Report remains the only in-depth report to examine trends in the premium cosmetics, skincare and fragrance industry.