For the cosmetics industry, 2022 was a year of revitalization. Rebirth after the pandemic, which among the many implications on everyday life, has also limited the use of a series of cosmetics, especially products from the make-up industry, that were strongly affected by the epidemiological situation. However, the enforced stop was also an opportunity for humanity to reflect on some emerging and critical issues, such as global warming, and this has contributed to the already growing collective sensitivity towards a sustainable and conscious lifestyle respecting the environment that we live in.
Companies’ investment in the best cosmetic trends: X trends not to be underestimated
As always, the collective feeling influences the production activities, and this obviously also has a remarkable impact on changes in the cosmetic sector; Cosmoprof 2022, which returned to Bologna after 2 years in attendance, was precisely the litmus test of new cosmetics trends. Therefore, basic themes, sustainability and eco-friendly cosmetics, which is transmitted both in the choice of “kilometer zero” raw materials, both in the choice of packaging totally recyclable, and in the increasingly tangible success of solid cosmetics.
With regard to this last sector, not only the by-now famous solid shampoos, but also multifunctional face sticks and solid sunscreen cosmetics are growing in the cosmetics market, for a consumer oriented towards compact products, easy to carry, with anhydrous formulations and generate less waste. The absence of water at the formulation level and the search for low-water formulations are also linked to the awareness of consumers that a large part of the world’s population is destined to suffer from water shortages in the coming years.
The customers of 2022, when choosing a cosmetic, desire transparency in communication, respect for the environment and the individual, they have gained a deep awareness than in the past that is reflected in their purchasing decisions. A further example is represented by the growing sale of Ocean-friendly cosmetics, for a consumer who cares about marine environments, so important in the global ecosystem.
This involves the selection of certain ingredients and the prohibition of others, as well as communicating the company’s choice on the label. Consumers have therefore become more careful when reading the ingredients and searching for information about the manufacturers before making their purchases. Anti-pollution cosmetics are also a growing trend, cosmetic research is increasingly aimed at finding solutions to skin damage caused by pollution, blue light and climatic environments harmful to people’s health.
As far as the organic and natural cosmetics sector is concerned, the 2022 trend is definitely oriented towards vegan cosmetics, with total respect of animals, not only with regard to the testing of raw materials and finished products (it is only right to remember that by law no tests on animals may be carried out in Europe, as laid down in Regulation 1223:2009), but also the search for ingredients that do not exploit in any way the use of animals in cosmetics.
From the point of view of technologies, more and more companies are now using them as a valid partner for the enhancement of the action of cosmetics in the treatment of skin imperfections, and in this sector too there is now a growing avant-garde and innovation in the perspective of personalized and customizable treatments aimed at the well-being of customers. The cosmetic treatment thus also becomes a specific path, individual and experiential pathway, in a holistic vision for the contribution of pleasure to body and mind.
In this sense, there is also emerging interest in and use of prebiotic and probiotic ingredients in cosmetics. The link between intestinal well-being and skin health is now well-known, and functional cosmetics aim to assist the benefits of a proper diet, which alone is not enough to keep the skin in good condition, with cosmetics that are also here specific and customized to the skin’s microbiota. Feeding and proper skin care become two companions that go hand in hand.
Cosmetic trend 2022: beauty at the service of the future
Another great theme of the future, which involves and will increasingly involve the cosmetic sector, is those related to freedom of expression and gender, deeply felt by millennials. Here again, an ethical concept is conveyed in a global market that wants to celebrate the uniqueness of individuals and the open and fluid communication. The youth of today and of the future are not only sensitive to environmental causes and care for the territory, but also to freedom of expression, respect for minorities and rural communities. For this reason, cosmetic companies that embrace this modern and inclusive vision must, in order to be credible, demonstrate that they are involved in initiatives that show respect for the land, small rural communities, the cultivation of raw materials, with packaging that is increasingly inclusive, accessible to all and able to provide unique and emotional tactile experiences.