Anti-ageing ingredients and the rise in demand for solutions in China and the APAC region are the focus of Mintel’s latest beauty report.

In China, interest in anti-ageing skincare has come about due to heightened consumer awareness on skin ageing, preventative measures, and the movement of millennials into the 40+ age group whereby skin ageing is a concern.

It was found that when investing in anti-ageing product types, Chinese consumers aged 40-49 were consistently high scoring on regularity of use compared to other age groups.

62% of 40-49 year-olds use facial suncare, and 48% use a facial serum/essence/concentrate. 65% of Chinese 18-24 year-olds use facial suncare – the largest cohort to do so compared to other age groups.

Over in Japan, an ageing population and high life expectancy are also shifting the focus toward anti-ageing solutions.

Consumers are looking for products to counter the ageing effects of mask wearing post-COVID.

Brands on anti-ageing marketing

In much the same way New Zealand brands are increasingly eager to market themselves as sustainable, anti-ageing claims are on the rise by brands internationally.

However, such claims were more prevalent in brands in the UK and in France, compared to China and Japan.

“As local brands are eager to win the attention of younger generations, early anti-ageing is taking a strong hold in the mainstream market and is driving innovation,” the report states.

“Innovations in product texture/formats and technology are the key strategy to be able to differentiate the offer.”

With ingredients such a hyaluronic acid, retinol and peptides having gone mainstream, brands are turning their attention to new anti-ageing ingredients to market to consumers.

“Brands are aggressively targeting the youth market with ingredients that do not directly target wrinkles and sagging, but rather those that have value-added benefits such as antioxidant and barrier repair.”

Future ingredients

Mintel flagged ingredients with ‘Approaching Mainstream’ status as: Pro-xylane, Astaxanthin, Fullerene, Beta-glucan, and Resveratrol, and ‘Emerging’ status as: Ergothioneine, Carnosin, Copper tripeptide-1, Idebenone (hydroxydecyl ubiquinone), and Haematococcus pluvialis extract.

To read the full report, visit the Mintel website.