2012 Top Skincare Trends & Tips

2011 Top Skincare Trends

Directed by product launches, the strongest theme for beauty in 2011 is once again skincare. Beauty is now less fashion focused than in the ‘80s or ‘90s and the most successful products are built into lifestyle rather than being seasonal trend items.

Customer Loyalty Programs and Building Repeat Business

Earlier this year L’Oreal published a report on the effect that the economic climate was having on shopping trends (The UK Beauty Industry – 2010 Trends, April 2010). It predicted that ‘women will continue to use cosmetics to cheer themselves up and to help them face the pressures of prolonged economic uncertainty’. This suggests a captive audience for new beauty launches.

For sustainability, companies have an interest in maintaining product sectors that can encourage customer loyalty. People are possibly more likely to return to buy a maintenance product than a throwaway, seasonal color item. So the hottest beauty products in 2011 will be about luxury basics and achieving loyalty through consumer satisfaction.

Scientific Skincare Products

New technology, developed outside the beauty industry, is fuelling the growth of anti-ageing formulas. Many of these products are from the big brands based in the US and Europe. Nanotechnology started to become a mainstream beauty buzzword in 2010 but other new marketing phrases are already on the horizon. In a four-page feature on the 23rd of August 2010, Anjana Gosai for Grazia Magazine (UK) reported that ‘A new wave of ‘electricity’ creams are the latest innovation to wage war on wrinkles.’ Is the beauty industry is gearing up for some frantic spending and powerful anti-wrinkle reduction over the coming winter?

In the midst of this, natural skincare brands are competing. Until the mid ‘90s, textures of natural skin products could feel and smell unrefined. This made them the ethical choice of many but never truly big beauty business. However, brands such as Aveda, Ren, Trilogy and Nude have changed all of this. Many mainstream beauty consumers are now getting tempted to the natural side along with those who always sought ethical formulas. Natural now also appeals to a new breed of ingredient-savvy beauty consumer. One who demands refinement but is wary of using too many synthetic additives. Natural brands launched over the last few years are set to establish larger corners of the market in 2011.

• Nude Skincare (Nudeskincare.com) is the high-tech, luxury brand for natural beauty lovers.

• Suki Skincare (Sukipure.com) has been quietly building a results driven, natural empire.

• Elemental Herbology (Elementalherbology.com) are adding high-tech to their otherwise relaxed, spa feeling range with non-nanoparticle sunscreens and a new eye serum.

Beauty Packaging Design, Luxury Body Products and Good Grooming

For the last two years beauty has been about recession-proof glamour that is based on quality, and pretty, feel-good treats. Packaging design is set to reflect the continuation of this in to 2011. Brands such as Miller Harris, Space NK and Diptyque have been ahead in this game for many years but seeming to prove that the trend for quality and luxury is here to stay, even more utilitarian brands are packaging skin care thoughtfully. For example Ren and Nude are moving towards dressing table friendly glass bottles for their new serums.

Body care has never been quite so much on the beauty agenda in Winter as in Summer. With current trends for luxury and grooming, is this set to change in 2011? Winter body care is about feeling good.

• A private winter pedicure is a must for feeling your groomed best in the cold weather, rather than waiting for that desperate summer sandal moment.

• Do not forget to use a good body moisturizer even if arms and legs are not on show.

• For glowing skin and winter invigoration, use a dry body brush.

• Products containing essential oils can have a theraputic effect. Try Velvet Skin Winter Body Wash by Elemental Herbology (Space NK £20) or Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream.

The really nice thing about the trend for grooming is that it does not rely on panic buying make-up to cover up lumps and bumps. Grooming is all about enjoying being whoever you are and felling good. It is not about inadequacies or what surgery to get, or showing off with designer packaging. Use 2011’s grooming and maintenance products to feel good and keeps skin glowing.