Thriving in the changing health and beauty landscape

Posted by: Fiona Barber - 17.08.22

Our Philosophy

It’s the little things that truly make a difference. But learning to do a lot of the little things more often can make a big difference to your marketing. 

That’s why we developed Ride in 5: a series of bite-sized five-minute reads that aim to break down complex challenges, highlight industry insight and trends and provide oodles of inspiration for new ways of thinking and doing –helping ambitious marketers hack their day the easy way.

What you need to know

The face of the beauty industry is changing rapidly. Like many sectors, beauty is facing an eco-reckoning to commit to more sustainable practices; calls from campaigners for greater inclusivity and better representation are being amplified loud and clear; and the rise of more advanced technology is inspiring new innovations.

Ready to find out what this means for you? Read on or for more insights download or Health and Beauty Trend Report…

Why it matters

The challenge for health and beauty brands is finding ways to differentiate in an increasingly saturated market. To attract and retain audiences, brands need to tap in to what’s important to their consumers and respond with creative, inspiring solutions. 

Here are some key industry trends.

  • Pressures are growing on brands to move away from beauty products’ novelty, disposable, single-use nature. Eco beauty fanatics mean business: 19% have stopped using brands that don’t have sustainable values, and 80% of daily cosmetics users are trying to reduce their plastic use to help the environment (Foresight Factory 2022). 
  • The anti-perfection and body positivity movements are challenging beauty standards and expanding the definition of what it means to be beautiful. There have been 10 million uses of #bodypositivity on Instagram, along with 22.4 billion views of the hashtag on TikTok
  • Post-pandemic beauty is more established within self-care rituals and the rise of the ‘skintellectual’ consumer is driving a more tech-based approach to skincare. Many are using apps to track the effects of nutrition, pollution, stress, mental health, menstrual cycles, and sleep on the skin. 

What you can do

If you’re looking for ways to super-charge your sustainability, lead the way in inclusivity or dial up digital, here’s what you can do:  

  1. Make sustainable strides – big and small
    Use sustainable ingredients and packaging, introduce green initiatives and pledges. Take a closer look at the full product journey, and help consumers break free of ‘wish-cycling’ (throwing products in the bin and hoping for the best) by introducing recycling stations and prioritising refill options.
  2. Shout about eco-impact
    Invest in content and campaigns to demonstrate the impact of green initiatives. Use messaging to let consumers know that they can still enjoy beauty and personal care, but in a more sustainable way. And quantify the footprint of their personal consumption choices with on-pack carbon labels.
  3. Fight for the new definition of beautiful
    An inclusive ethos extends far beyond product ranges. Support consumers in tackling appearance biases with anti-stereotyping campaigns that challenge negative perceptions and stigmas, and show that everyone is worthy of the same opportunities and respect, regardless of how they look.
  4. Spotlight self-care rituals, not just products
    Self-care is a necessary antidote to the stresses of life, not an indulgent guilty pleasure. Help consumers prioritise de-stressing and recharging and identify how your products fit into some well-needed pamper time.
  5. Embrace digital in full
    From live stream shopping to in-game advertising to TikTok, building a following on new channels can effectively capture attention and support acquisition. Consider if you can you make the customer buying journey more seamless through online tools or in-store QR codes too.

Get inspired

Unilever

Unilever believes in positive beauty, healthy lifestyles. In a bid to use their reach and presence to defy stereotypes to help drive change, the company announced it was banning the word ‘normal’ from ads for hair care and beauty products. It also stopped the excessive editing of photos of models and influencers.

LUSH

In 2014 LUSH began investing in regenerative farming to positively impact the planet. Their aim was to put more trees in the ground, put more money in the hands of farmers and build an ethical business that can grow ingredients with 100 percent transparency. The hope is that the future of regenerative farming becomes a pathway to revitalising land and supporting communities far beyond the land that they own. 

ohne

ohne aims to dispel taboos and shame and empower people to harness positivity during their menstrual cycle. From game-changing period pants to all-natural cbd elixirs, bath bombs, chocolate and more, their 100% organic products go beyond standard sanitary wear to offer a holistic self-care approach for every phase and mood. 

Want more? Download our latest Health and Beauty Trend Report

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