Dare to create something new

After one of the most challenging periods in modern history, consumers are excited for something new to come. In ‘lockdown periods,’ consumers have been unable to explore the world as they’re used to, now they are seeking experiences that offer a sensory escape from their everyday norm. They are going to emerge looking to live loudly, embracing every opportunity to feel, experience and explore.

Within the beauty and personal care space, this is an opportunity to respond to consumers by engaging as many of the five senses as possible through new innovations.

Innovations and immersive experiences

In its 2021 Beauty Influencers report tracking U.S. trends, Mintel highlights that the ways in which consumers discover and purchase products has shifted permanently. They recommend brands look to engage all the senses, offering new layers of digital experiences to guide consumers as they shop.

Social media feeds on immersive platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok are filling up with texture reels and videos featuring the sound of brushes as foundations are applied onto the skin and visuals of products being poured and blended. Satisfying videos that incorporate sound in addition to colour and texture create an auto sensory meridian response (ASMR) experience for viewers, engaging their senses. The rise of new innovative textures and growth of ASMR videos to captivate viewers as part of the experience are in response to the inability of consumers to handle and test products prior to purchase during the pandemic, which had created an overall sensory deprivation while in isolation. Audio and video experiences enhance our interpretation of how products may look and feel through the lens of an influencer demonstrating their effects and results as they are applied and demonstrated on screen.

New sensorial experiences

When we consider engaging all five senses as formulators and brands, we can begin to create truly unique sensorial experiences for consumers that help to distinguish our products, whether shared in a social media video, delivered in a sample format or after purchase. Elevating and innovating the next line of products by appealing to as many of the senses as possible will also play a significant role in the evolution of self-care following this period of isolation. Self care continues to be a trend in the beauty industry that will carry long-lasting effects as consumers focus on their wellness needs and seek products that nourish how they feel and help them express their selves.

As you explore how to engage the senses, consider how each can help improve the mental wellbeing of the consumer, or give them a deeper, more enjoyable experience. For example, rather than just a moisturised skin feel, take things up a notch with a texture that transforms, paired with a fun bold colour and add a lively scent to round out a truly next-level sensorial experience.

Novel textures

After a challenging year, consumers are palpably excited for something new to arrive. Now is the time to experiment, explore and inspire novel experiences for today’s consumers leveraging a wealth of expertise, advanced technologies, and ingredient innovations to revive the senses.

To be bold in formulations, try new approaches, test new materials, aim for another level of creation with next-generation hybrid products that offer new claims and enhanced benefits. Consumers are open and eager to try new formats and textures. A bold new trend concept¹ includes eight formats with beauty and personal care textures for hair and skin care results. In hair care, it’s all about letting the tresses live their best life and ensuring to have a strong foundation for growth and strength. It focuses on products that offer benefits across different hair types with formulations that are rich enough to provide the moisture and conditioning required for 4c textured hair right through to straight and fine hair.

There are new formats that inspire, such as a thick cleansing paste that will allow all hair types to flourish.

The shampoo paste has an outstanding texture that gently cleanses hair like a traditional shampoo. It is full of mild surfactants, as well as conditioning agents. The texture comes from an emulsion. The water phase is stabilised with a rheology modifier², an efficient cold processable sulphate-free thickener. The ingredient has multifunctional properties such as being able to thicken the aqueous system and emulsify the oils. When adding a phosphatidyl choline enriched lecithin³, the texture and stability of the paste shampoo is strengthened, as this ingredient has emulsion stabilising properties.

For the hair conditioning properties, two ingredients are added: One is a novel water-soluble polymer⁴ that is derived from non GMO and PEFC (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification). It is a bio-based and biodegradable polymer with conditioning results especially on damaged hair.

Finally, a cold processable, stabilised waxy corn starch⁵ is added at the end. Used as a sensory enhancer, it brings a powdery feel and softness to the formula.

References:

¹ The Power of Bold kit

² Aculyn U Rheology Modifier from Dow

³ Emultop Velvet IP from Cargill Beauty, Cosmos approved

⁴ Ucare Extreme Polymer from Dow

⁵ C*EmTex 06328 from Cargill Beauty, part of the Waxy Corn Promise sustainability program