Body Care Formulas Inspired By Facial Skin Care Trends

Many European consumers consider body care an afterthought to facial skin care. Some brands are trying to change perceptions and routines with launches that incorporate facial skin care ingredients and feature similar product types. As a result, many consumers want more from their products which means they are likely to use them more often.

Euromonitor International’s preliminary year-end data for 2023 suggests it was a strong year for the European body care market. Euromonitor estimates sales were just under $4.9 billion, with Western Europe accounting for 80% of body care sales by value. Analysts forecast stronger growth for Eastern Europe in 2024 at 2.8%, compared to 1.3% for Western Europe.

Connor Spicer, senior research beauty analyst for Euromonitor, maintains that European consumers are reinvesting more time and money into their skin care routines following the pandemic.

“There is evidence of more frequent usage among Western Europe consumers looking to take a more proactive approach to their skin health.”

He backs this up with data from his company’s Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey. Fielded in June/July 2023, it includes consumers’ main reasons for purchasing body moisturizers: preventing the signs of aging, improving the look or feel of skin, and addressing specific skin care concerns.

Another survey nugget reveals that Europeans use body moisturizers more frequently, especially UK, French, German and Italian consumers. For example, a third of UK consumers say they used body moisturizers daily or more frequently in 2023, up from a quarter those who agreed with this statement in 2021.

Body and Face

Many body care launches in Europe take inspiration from facial skin care; a trend expected to continue through 2024.

“As consumers become more informed and discerning about their overall beauty regimens, skin care trends can be expected to exert a stronger influence on innovations and preferences in the body skin care sector,” explained Lia Neophytou, lead analyst, health and hygiene insights, consumer division, GlobalData.

One of the more interesting recent successes on the European market is the premium brand Necessaire, which is available in Sephora and Space NK stores. Necessaire, a favorite of beauty editors, was founded by Randi Christiansen, a former executive with The Estée Lauder Companies and Nick Axelrod, co-founder of beauty website Into the Gloss. The tight range of unisex products uses facial-grade ingredients that comply with the EU’s strict formulation standards. The body serum, one of the best-sellers in the range, is a fast-absorbing rehydrating serum formulated with five molecular weights of hyaluronic acid for multi-level hydration. The product earned the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association, making is suitable for the most sensitive of skin types. Other products in the range include a body exfoliator, body oil, body lotion and the body ritual set containing trial sizes of key products from the range.

Beauty Pie borrows facial skincare ingredients for its body care lines, including Superdose Vitamin C, which is a radiance-boosting moisturizing body lotion containing tranexamic acid, a trending skin care ingredient; hyaluronic acid; centella asiatica; firming brown algae and stable vitamin C, which claims to give sun-damaged skin a super boost. The product is made in the UK. Brazilian Lime, Fig Leaves & Tea, also by Beauty Pie, contains shea butter to nourish, yuzu phytoceramides to help maintain a healthy skin barrier and kombucha to help skin feel energized. This product is made in France.

GlobalData detailed several body care launches with facial skin care ingredients.

Garnier Body Superfood, with the strapline, “skin care shouldn’t stop at the neck,” is a range of four scents of body creams that claim to hydrate the skin for 48 hours with fast absorption and instantly visible results. Cacao and Ceramide promises skin repairing properties and is recommended for consumers with very dry skin, while Avocado and Omega 6 claims lipidic-barrier strengthening properties and is suitable for dry skin.

Bielenda BodyDream Spa 2-in-1 body balm (Poland) contains capsules filled with vitamin E serum and is said to regenerate skin leaving it feeling silky smooth.

Atelier Rebul Istanbul Shimmering Body Oil (Turkey) contains grape seed, argan, coconut, sandalwood, jojoba, olive and arnica oils, as well as vitamin E. It claims to nourish, soften and brighten skin with natural mineral-rich pearl particles.

“Each innovation, to some extent, demonstrates the ongoing influence of trends in the facial skin care category,” comments Neophytou.

Recycle and Refill

According to Euromonitor’s Product Claims and Positioning Tracker, skin care packaging that can either be recycled or is made from recycled material grew between 2021 and 2022, and is expected to accelerate in 2024.

However, some brands are taking an alternative approach by offering refill and packaging return options. For example, refills are a key part of the Rituals strategy and are offered across a wide number of products in the range. Its refill body creams slot into the original packaging and claim to save 70% in CO2 emissions, 65% in energy and 45% less water.

Another refill option comes from L’Occitane, whose refill sachets have long been popular for its wash products, but are also available for Almond Milk Concentrate body cream.

A different type of refill scheme is offered by UK-owned Upcircle for online customers to return their empties, which are then refilled and sent back. The used bottles and jars are washed and sterilized using dry heat, a process that destroys bacteria. Upcircle body care products include hand & body lotion and body cream.

Founders Jo and Stuart Chidley of Beauty Kitchen are sustainability pioneers who insist reusable and refillable packaging is the best solution to the problem of single-use packaging. Their Reposit borrow, return and reuse platform was created to drive cross-category collaboration and is designed to be operationally, environmentally and commercially scalable for the benefit of retailers, brands and consumers. Beauty Kitchen users can return used packaging and are given a discount code for future purchases.

But it is the wider application of Reposit by FMCG companies that could be the impetus to change consumer behavior and begin to stem the tide of single-use packaging waste.

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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.