INGREDIENT & FORMULATION INNOVATION
Formulations to amplify self-care in 2022 Mindfulness and beauty have become entwined. As the self-care trend that everyone is trying, nurturing their beauty needs gives consumers comfort and a sense of wellbeing during a time when needed most. Karen Maier of Merck South Africa explores new product development ideas to create innovative skin and body care products centred on the concept of at-home spa rituals.
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he foundation of wellness as we know it today was laid millennia ago in ancient India and China with Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. In the 1950s and 1960s, likeminded doctors and scientists in the US revisited these concepts, however, the idea only really gained traction over the past 20 years. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic, the concept of wellness and the art of self-care have been brought to the fore as people are increasingly stressed and have been unable to visit their favourite spa or wellness centre during lockdown. Working from home, blurring of the lines between our professional and private lives, and the stress of the uncertainty of these times have caused consumers to turn to self-care as a form of therapy and way to relax. At-home spa rituals have become mainstream and consumers now expect more from their beauty products, demanding innovation to make the experience more enjoyable. The sensory experience has become paramount, resulting in new concepts and
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Did you know?
According to a study by Ogilvy, 41% of consumers say wellness claims sound believable and 80% want more wellness, and 75% say brands don’t offer enough wellness.
formats becoming highly desired in the beauty category.
TEXTURES, FORMATS AND INGREDIENTS Food-inspired textures like jellies and gels are particularly popular. These feel fresh on skin and are easy to apply. Transforming textures, such as gel-tomilk, cream-to-water or powder-towater, add an element of surprise to the home-spa rituals. A sensation of luxury is also high on the list of demands; products should glide onto skin with a soft, velvety touch. Interesting formats matter because they create a sense of curiosity and enhance the beauty mood. There are many options for innovation – choose from spray-on formats such as serum
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 // WWW.PHARMACOS.CO.ZA
mists, sprayable face masks and body sprays; or waterless formats that offer a wide range of possibilities for sustainable products. Concentrated active formulations and spa-like textures are additional options, as well as DIY concepts. These involve consumers in creating or customising products for themselves, adding to the sense of self-care and feeling of wellbeing while satisfying a curious mind.
