Body care is finally moving out of the shadow of facial care, which has long dominated the skin care category. Whereas lotions and creams were once the only choice, body care has moved far beyond the basics to include luxurious textures and scents and products that meet the demands of ethical consumers.

Global body care sales represent just 14% of total skin care, according to Euromonitor International, but the size of the category belies the underlying trend among consumers wanting to look after and pamper their bodies. Gabriella Beckwith, beauty and fashion analyst, Euromonitor, says that the trend has evolved as consumers look for ways to escape modern hectic lifestyles and their uneven work-life balance.

“Consumers are being encouraged by brands and social media to devote time and money toward body care in line with the holistic wellness movement,” said Beckwith, adding that this attitude toward self-care has links with the holistic wellness movement.

Sanctuary Spa has its roots in this trend with a large portfolio of body care products, including Wet Skin Moisture Miracle, a fast absorbing lotion that can be used straight after a shower, and Air Whipped Crème Souffle, a light-as-air textured product designed to melt on contact with the skin.

Picking up on the work-life balance theme, Jo Lawlor, global skin care analyst, Mintel, expects to see an explosion of indie adaptogenic brands in the future that will be tagged to various lifestyles.

“Adaptogenics adapt to the needs of the user, helping with stress reduction and rebalance,” explained Lawler. Products that help aid sleep-deprived individuals include This Works Sleep multipurpose sleep balm, containing a potent blend of lavender, monoi and coconut oils to nurture the body and mind before sleep.


Premiumization of Body Care

“Consumers are willing to invest more in premium products as evidenced by premium body care growing faster than mass in markets such as the US,” noted Beckwith.

The trend is not limited to developed markets, as premiumization is evident in emerging markets such as India, where rising disposable incomes are driving demand for premium body care.

However, it is not just premium brands that are benefiting from the trend; mass brands such as Unilever’s Dove are extending their portfolios to include more luxurious formulations and a choice of textures. For example, Dove DermaSpa for “spa quality skin” includes creams, lotions and oils formulated with moisturizing actives designed to give long-lasting and deep hydration.

Part of the move toward the premiumization has been the emergence of additional products to the body care repertoire, such as body serums and masks. Like their facial skin care counterparts, these products promise a more intense hydration experience. Body masks have their origins in South Korea where the masking trend has reached its zenith. Sheet masks and patches for different parts of the body or that give a sauna-effect help to lock in moisture. Nannette de Gaspé, for example, has a dry sheet Bust Mask and a dry sachet Derriere Mask to “restore firmness, suppleness and bounce” to the buttocks. Recent body serum launches include Vichy Ideal Body Serum-Milk, promising 48 hours of hydration and Beauty Lab Body Moisture Serum with instant skin firming and smoothing benefits.


Vegan Formulations

The vegan movement is gaining momentum across the whole of beauty, including body care, due to increased consumer awareness about the environmental and ethical implications of mass consumption of animals and their by-products. According to the  founder of Clean Beauty Co, Dominika Minarovic, animal by-products do not have a place in its BYBI skin care products.

“From a performance perspective, we feel there’s no benefit for the skin to include (animal) ingredients. Our vegan skin care brand uses higher quantities of plant-based and natural ingredients, which is particularly suitable for sensitive skin,” explains Minarovic.

Another vegan beauty skin care range is Beauty Kitchen, founded by Jo Chidley, who says her mission is to create the most effective, natural and sustainable beauty products worldwide.
“Vegan living is now more popular than ever,” points out Chidley. “I read recently there are nearly a million hashtags on Instagram alone for vegan beauty!”

Beauty Kitchen is committed to go vegan and currently more than 90% of its range is certified vegan.

“There are some incredible ingredients around nowadays so it’s totally possible to make and create vegan formulations that still deliver a beautiful boost to the skin without common go-tos in natural formulations like beeswax and honey, which are obviously not vegan.”

Chidley said Beauty Kitchen’s body oils and lotions are vegan. They include Seahorse Plankton Transformation Body Cream, which is formulated with microalgae that absorbs deep into the skin and encourages collagen production to help skin feel firmer, plumper and more toned. Future growth in global body care will be driven by the continued move beyond the functional toward products that focus on lifestyle values and mind-body benefits.

Euromonitor International, Mintel and Dominika Minarovic will present at this year’s In-Cosmetics Global Marketing Trends presentations in Paris, April 2-4, 2019.