European consumers are taking an increased interest in beauty supplementation and ingestibles, although the category remains relatively niche. The potential lies with beauty brands that broaden their focus to include wellness products and supplements that claim to offer both beauty and immunity benefits.

The market for beauty supplements and ingestibles has been gathering pace across the globe, including Europe, where consumers want products that combine beauty and wellness. Joining the more traditional hair and nails supplementation are products available in effervescent, liquid and gummy formats that are more pleasurable to take than tablets.

“It is evident that consumers now view their health more holistically and have established a strong connection between the ingredients they ingest and their ability to impact the outward appearance,” comments Lia Neophytou, analyst, GlobalData, who explains this trend is driving interest in beauty supplements and ingestibles. “However … ‘growth’ is in part held back by the demand for instantly visible cosmetic benefits, such as those provided by topical skin care or makeup products.”

She recommends that claims on-pack stating the timeframe in which consumers can expect to see results is a valuable strategy for attracting a wider demographic.

In terms of European countries, German consumers are more likely than most to use supplements as part of their beauty regime, claims Mintel. In 2019, 29% of German women said they had also taken vitamins or supplements designed to improve facial skin. In comparison, 27% of women in the UK and 23% in France have taken vitamins or supplements for this reason.

“Rather than focusing their efforts on a complicated product regime, German consumers would rather affect their skin and hair through diet and supplements,” explains Alex Fisher, associate director, Mintel, Beauty & Personal Care.


Positivity in a Pandemic

According to GlobalData’s COVID-19 Recovery Survey Tracker, published July 14, among all Europeans, UK consumers are showing a tendency to purchase more vitamins and supplements than they did before the pandemic. Young consumers, defined as Generation Z and Millennials, are typically the most proactive in seeking products that can enhance their health, and therefore are potentially an ideal audience for preventative beauty supplement products. Furthermore, Europeans who lead pescatarian and vegan lifestyles tend to buy more vitamins/supplements than before the pandemic. Therefore, appeal of supplements that provide dietary nutrition as well as beauty benefits is likely to be strong.

GlobalData highlights the following BiO launches:

• Caudalie Vinexpert Dietary Supplements (France) contain grape extract which the brand claims is high in antioxidants and can protect cells from free radicals.
• Oksia London MSM Bio Plus (UK) contains MSM which reportedly supports collagen and keratin production, helping to reduce acne, fine lines and pigmentation. MSM is described as a “naturally occurring organic sulfur compound” and has been patented by Oskia.
• Espira AM Protect + PM Restore (UK) is an Avon brand consisting of two beauty supplement, each designed for day or nighttime use. The AM Protect contains antioxdiants said to help protect the skin from harmful UV exposure while supporting healthy hair, skin and nail growth. PM Restore contains collagen and antioxidants and is positioned as a reparative supplement for nighttime use.

Beauty from Within

Wellness has been on the beauty agenda for a while, as fine lines and skin damage are believed to be linked to stress and acne linked to a poor diet.

“What’s improving is the understanding of how these products do their job; for example, how probiotics affect the skin microbiome. This is leading to more opportunities to combine beauty with wellness, as consumers are beginning to understand what to look for,” points out Fisher. For example, UK retailer Boots has played in the VMS category for years and is now aligning with beauty in a more modern way with its Good Gut Skin + Hair Support capsules that contain biotic cultures together with zinc and selenium for healthy skin and hair. The formulation also contains selected vitamins and minerals to support normal digestion for good gut health.

Meanwhile, Bobbi Brown, creator of the globally successful makeup brand, has moved to pastures new with the launch of Evolution_18, striking a deal with Boots to bring beauty ingestibles into the mainstream. The beauty supplement range is designed to target a wide range of beauty concerns and promote healthy-looking skin, strong nails and shiny hair. They come in a variety of formats, including effervescent hydrating “Beauty Bubbles,” Beauty Tea to tackle bloating, Beauty Gummy with biotin in a hair, skin and nail formula, and Beauty Collagen Shot, an on-the-go collagen elixir containing marine collagen peptides and elastin protein builders.

Collagen drinks are increasing in popularity, such as Collagen Shots by Rejuvenated, a UK-based brand that is experiencing success on the European market.

“As a British brand, our strongest market is naturally the UK. During the past year we have found that Europe is very much an emerging market for beauty from within supplementation,” explains Founder Kathryn Danzey.

Collagen Shots is a high performance powder formulated from marine collagen hydrolysate with added vitamin C, copper and zinc to help protect and improve skin condition. Recently, Danzey has observed the demographic profile of Collagen Shots to be getting younger.

“Consumers are seemingly looking to protect their skin and health for the future. It’s becoming increasingly clear that our consumers recognize the relationship between nutrition and skin health.”

While many beauty brands have been affected by the downturn, Rejuvenated has experienced an increase in sales.

“The importance of wellness is more relevant than ever and the initial obsession for health and protection created an upturn in sales,” explains Danzey.

Looking to the immediate future, immunity support will be important in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. According to Fisher, antioxidants and ingredients thought to support the immune system have both a beauty and health audience, meaning this overlap will accelerate. It is likely that beauty ingestibles will eventually be regarded as one of the building blocks in achieving optimum skin health and part of a multifaceted approach that combines the essential elements of good diet, skin care and lifestyle.

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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.