Beauty manufacturer Rohan Widdision discusses a growing trend in the ‘skinification’ of tanning and body care products.

A tougher economic climate, high consumer expectations, and a market trending towards the ‘skinification’ of body care has led some product categories to rapidly rise above others.

It’s an exciting and dynamic time to be in the beauty business as technology and a more holistic outlook for beauty combine to bring out the next generation of tanning products with skincare properties and body products which perform similar functions to the most sophisticated skincare once reserved for the face and decolletage.

According to market research, the global skincare market is expected to reach a value of $USD196.2 billion ($AUD291.57 billion) by 2030 . Tailored to specific skin concerns, products encompass face care, body care, scalp care, tanning, shaving, and sunscreen. Among these, skincare tanning products and body products are flying off the shelves as consumers search for their holy grail staples to add to their collection.

Skincare tanning

The surge in skincare tanning can be attributed to widespread knowledge of the risks of UV exposure. Consumers seeking a sun-kissed glow minus a side of UV damage are prioritising products with natural and eco-friendly ingredients. Popular items like bronzing drops and organic tanners deliver perfect tans that are also increasingly tailored to different skin tones.

Following the pandemic-driven renewal of interest in maximising the skin’s natural appearance, tanning products are being formulated to avoid that deep tan look which is the telltale sign of a tan that is too dark for the skin. Gone too is the overpowering scent of tanning products – self tanners and natural tanners these days contain peptides, natural DHA, water-based and skin-friendly formulations, plant-based extracts, and more.

Body care spending habits

On the body care front, products are morphing to include more active ingredients which have traditionally been designed for just the face. Popularised by social media especially #skintok, consumers are snapping up products which will help them achieve top-to-toe care. Consumers are actively recreating their own version of TikTok’s ‘everything shower’ trend which involves an elaborate ritual of scalp exfoliation, hair masking, hair removal, body exfoliation, and moisturising, and they’re unlikely to cut back. According to RetailNext, beauty spend is perceived as an ‘essential’ unlike luxury goods or other discretionary purchases .

This goes some way to explain why skincare, fragrance, body care, and makeup have remained resilient despite the tightening of consumer purse strings elsewhere. In terms of product, retinol body lotions are gaining traction in the market along with AHA and BHA shower products, sunscreens with skincare ingredients, and moisturisers with ingredients like ceramides, squalene, hyaluronic acid, and collagen.

Since skin on the body is generally thicker and less sensitive than skin on the face, body products tend to contain a high concentration of an active ingredient. It’s also necessary that base formulations for the body are thicker. As a relatively new product category consumers are only just starting to explore how their body skincare needs differ from their face. Skin texture, pigmentation, redness, dryness, acne sensitivity, and ageing remain top of mind for beauty consumers but issues like ingrown hair, bumpiness, and cellulite are also common body skincare concerns.

Beauty driven by AI

The future outlook for body care is a bright one and more innovative, possibly AI-driven product categories will continue to emerge as consumers look to incorporate high-performing ingredients to their body care routines. As they have become more knowledgeable about skincare and ingredients, consumer expectations for effective body care will be high, and they’ll be seeking inspiration from influencers and media to help with their purchasing decisions.

This broader focus on high tech tanning and body care must be accompanied by consumer education campaigns to demonstrate how products should be used and how they integrate with other products customers are using. Additionally there should be complete ingredient transparency as consumers deeply care about the safety and provenance of active ingredients. Brands that meet such requirements will be setting themselves up in an excellent position to dominate this lucrative and emerging market for the foreseeable future.

Rohan Widdision is the CEO of New Laboratories – a cosmetic contract manufacturer based in Melbourne, VIC.

Photography: iStock

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2024 print issue of Professional Beauty magazine. Read it here.

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