New insights into the future of beauty

Tomorrow’s Beauty is the new trends commentary from IMCD for the personal care industry. It is the third in a series of commentaries from the global speciality chemicals and ingredients distributor, which explore the markets in which IMCD Personal Care operates.

IMCD HAS TAKEN a closer look at what self-care and feeling good truly means to consumers today by exploring their shifting behaviours to uncover new trends.

These trends are set to shape the future of the global beauty and personal care industry.

For customers, IMCD acts as a springboard, offering the market insights, formulation expertise, and high-quality ingredient portfolio they need to help consumers take care of themselves and their families, in 2021 and beyond.

Supported by the latest market data, Tomorrow’s Beauty commentary is intended as an inspirational guide. It features a series of sit-down interviews with technical and business experts from IMCD Personal Care, who share relevant insights into megatrends such as ‘making a positive impact’, ‘the quest for transparency’, ‘inclusivity’, and ‘entertaining experiences’. In this article, we will focus on the inclusivity trend and how to meet increased demands for customisation in personal care and cosmetics.

TRUE INCLUSIVITY

Global beauty brands are waking up to the fact that true inclusivity is down to the details. Take the growing number of colour cosmetic brands that are offering a highly expanded skin tone shade range as standard, with labelling systems that don’t start with the lightest shade first.

Understanding consumer difference means taking the time to get to know consumers’ needs and offering personalised experiences. Leading brands understand the importance of taking the consumer on a journey, for example by opening their website with a questionnaire on skin type, beauty interests or style personality, which leads to a list of personalised product recommendations. Great leaps in technology are making the entire process more intuitive.

EXPERT Q & A

IMCD Personal Care experts Danielle Wheeler, technical director Americas, and Ian Lawrence, vice president Americas share their thoughts on what celebrating individuality means to consumers today.

What are the biggest global differences in self-expression and identity culture that personal care brands need to be aware of?

Wheeler: A lot of trends in self expression were previously driven by big name personal care brands in Europe and the US which dictated their perceptions of what was considered conventionally attractive. Now, global indie brands from around the world are disrupting the marketplace with more niche expressions of what beauty can be, and the big players are struggling to catch-up by acquiring smaller indie brands.

Lawrence: Social media has led to a new openness around mental health which is driving huge marketing changes in the US. Consumers are recognising that makeup, hairstyles and nails can be a way of telling the world who they are, what they have been through and what they believe in. But of course, change moves at a different pace in different regions around the globe, so it’s important to be sensitive to consumer values and priorities in different markets.

Based on purchasing trends, what do you think are the top cosmetic/physical concerns of personal care consumers?

Wheeler: Wellness is really important, as is healthy ageing. The whole concept of ‘anti-ageing’ doesn’t capture the mood of the moment. People are more interested in looking and feeling like their best at every age. Many consumers also really care about finding personalised solutions that cater to their unique needs.

At IMCD, we’re well-positioned to help our customers respond to these trends. We look at what’s trending in different markets and provide suppliers with multi-media kits to open their eyes to diverse consumer expectations. For example, we recently helped suppliers become aware of the need for proof of concept, as well as the growing trend in intimate wellness.

When it comes to product development and selection, what are the challenges in addressing every consumer’s individual personal care needs, all at once?

Lawrence: We don’t see it as a challenge, because IMCD excels at this. We know it is important to always be open to innovation and to prioritise speed to market. Today’s personal care customers are always looking for something new and exciting, and they are willing to experiment. At IMCD, we can support brands in staying agile by offering them tailored solutions, crafted from our vast ingredient portfolio.

Did you know?

Global consumers are eager to embrace new technologies. According to recent research, 43% of Chinese beauty shoppers would be interested in a mobile app that recommends beauty products based on their needs. Meanwhile, 47% of US consumers would be interested in trying a facial skin care product with integrated diagnostic tools. (Source: Mintel: 2025 Beauty Trend Report).

We can support brands in staying agile by offering them tailored solutions, crafted from our vast ingredient portfolio

INCLUSIVE BEAUTY TREND CONCEPT

The concept of inclusive beauty represents the idea that all individuals, no matter their background, age or gender, deserve to benefit from special consideration for their specific skin and hair concerns. This goes hand in hand with a commitment to meeting their aspirations and respecting their individuality.

FORMULATING FOR DIVERSE HAIR TYPES

The experts at IMCD Personal Care US have developed a new formulation concept to address the specific physiological needs of individuals with more richly-melanated skin and highly textured hair. Highly textured hair tends to be more porous and prone to breakage, which therefore requires more intense moisture. It is also more susceptible to damage from styling methods such as chemical relaxers or heated styling tools.

Rich in natural exotic butters and oil, IMCD’s treatment mask intensively repairs, moisturises and strengthens the scalp and hair that has been damaged by intense use of styling methods or colouring treatments. The formulation, available on request from IMCD, contains a natural active ingredient to purify and protect the hair from the effects of pollution. Its high emollient content makes it easier to comb hair and manage curls.

25 years of value creation

IMCD’s extensive global sourcing network, along with its unmatched regional insight into the trends and markets where it operates – are what set this supplier apart from the competition.

The group offers functional and active ingredients, which add real value to formulations.

IMCD sources its personal care specialties from some of the world’s most innovative suppliers. The group is passionate about understanding how trends evolve and applying insights to the solutions it co-creates with its partners. These solutions include skin and hair care products, colour cosmetics, toiletries, oral care products and fragrance brands – developed worldwide.

To download a copy of IMCD’s Tomorrow’s Beauty trends commentary and find out more about its personal care business unit, visit https://bit.ly/3f20eVg.

IMCD –www.imcdgroup.com