The marriage of beauty with wellness and self-care
Wellness & self-care focus
04 May 2021 --- As beauty, health and wellness increasingly converge and grow into meaningful practices, the idea our beauty habits are providing self-care and act as a form of therapy is resonating with consumers.
Wellness is a key driver in beauty and personal care (BPC) in 2021. As the value consumers place on their wellness journeys continues to rise, there is growing emphasis on wellness, self-care and beauty as therapy. So much so that wellness beauty is now a fundamental BPC theme that guides consumer decision-making and demand.
The beauty of beauty
Often, in our everyday lives, we deprioritize beauty in favor of functionality, necessity and efficiency. But now, with the global population spending large parts of the past year in quarantine at home, beauty as a self-care practice has garnered a lot of attention. Prioritizing self-care features more and more in our everyday lives, with consumers placing growing importance on self-care and beauty as therapy. Brands are tapping into the nurturing and empowering role beauty habits and routines play as part of our wellness efforts.
Recognizing beauty as a soothing, healing and uplifting part of our dedication to wellness is paving the way for innovations in ideas, new product development (NPD) and services. With conversations around how best we can alleviate our stress levels and support positive mental health thankfully loudening, the concept of total wellness and the inclusion of beauty is forming a welcome part of this discussion.
Socially-conscious brands have an active opportunity to help responsibly encourage supportive self-care guidance and information through routines and consciously-created, credible products. The focus for brands is to create value that aids purchasing decisions and builds trust, while offering authentic and scientifically-accurate product campaigns that communicate their product claims correctly.
Click to EnlargeMarrying beauty with wellness
Wellness refers to the active pursuit towards holistic health that encompasses mental, social, environmental, spiritual, psychological and physical wellness. Wellness beauty is highly sought-after. Skin care, body care, makeup, fragrance and personal care brands and products are engaging in marketing activities and NPD that epitomizes the meaning of wellness beauty and beauty as a form of therapy.
The connection between makeup, confidence and self-esteem, for example, is prevalent. Half of the global consumers surveyed as part of the Innova Beauty & Personal Care Survey 2020 either agreed or strongly agreed that wearing makeup products boosts their self-confidence.
Self-care as beauty therapy
During the pandemic, our beauty routines have emerged as a way to deliver self-care through regular BPC habits and regimens. Beauty as therapy is growing in popularity, with brands highlighting in their stances and strategies the importance of:
- Saying no to guilt, doubt or worry.
- Prioritizing and scheduling self-care time.
- Encouraging consumers to find a sanctuary in their homes for their self-care routine(s).
- Providing tips on selecting a self-care beauty practice.
- Gathering everything consumers’ need for their self-care beauty practices.
Brands are also communicating the positives of utilizing beauty as a form of therapy and how it contributes to wellness. Popular ideas include that wellness beauty can:
- Help with stress reduction by having a meditative effect.
- Promote self-esteem and self-love.
- Encourage self-reflection and self-expression.
- Embrace individual beauty and empower us to be our best selves.
- Remind us of the importance of treating ourselves.
- Encourage us to take control when we’re struggling with uncertainty.
Click to EnlargeCombining Wellness Efforts
The overlap of wellness and beauty has been growing in momentum in the BPC industry for several years. As beauty has been heavily influenced by nutrition, nutricosmetics has been gathering pace, with products taking inspiration from nutrition and beauty trends and consumer demands.
Getting a good night’s sleep is considered a hallmark of wellness and contributes to positive wellbeing. Australian indie brand Silk Pillowcase (which before its rebrand in 2020 was called Slip) draws on the importance of sleep and the popularity of wellness beauty and self-care. It strives to appeal to consumers looking for wellness solutions for their sleep and skin via its “anti-aging, anti-sleep crease, anti-bed head 100% pure silk pillowcases.” The brand notes that it “creates 43% less friction on average than a normal pillowcase, which can reduce stretching and tugging on delicate facial skin.”
The sensorial beauty experience, which typically began in physical stores with consumers sampling their potential purchases, has gone. In its place, emphasis on sensorial engagement has turned to the sensorial body care application experience. UK brand Space NK, for example, hailed a 4000% sales increase of its Laura Mercier’s classic Ambre Vanille Souffle Body Crème. French brand, Caudalie, unveiled its VinoSculpt Lift & Firm Body Cream product, which aims to capture the senses by nourishing the skin and applying a delicate scent.
In the coming months, we may well see more brands emerge that seek to marry wellness beauty and self-care with sleep, nutrition, fitness and other areas associated with contributing positively to our wellness.
Future opportunities
Consumers are actively looking for conscious, responsible and credible wellness beauty brands. Throughout the industry, BPC consumers are drawn to those wellness beauty players that emphasize the positive benefits of engaging in beauty routines as a way to create much-needed certainty in our schedules and deliver long-term value.
Looking ahead, we can expect to see wellness beauty brands continue to amass followers and evolve their communication strategies and product offerings to reflect consumer values, concerns and needs. As BPC consumers seek products, routines and brands that promote self-care, wellness and ultimately, feeling good, wellness beauty is one movement set to grow.
By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist