Trends in Soap & Bath, Where Do We Go From Here?
It has always been necessary to use soap in order to get rid of bacteria found in our household and workplace. For decades, the soap industry has been innovating new products with safer ingredients and high-quality textures such as foam to improve how soap you buy in the stylish soap packaging kills germs. That innovation will accelerate due to the ease with which COVID-19 is spread.
We were just able to wash our hands before this pandemic. This is no longer the case. It has become more important than ever to kill bacteria. So, it is crucial that we are now being given specific instructions on how to do it. The focus is not solely on killing bacteria but also on product formats and benefits/added values. They may include stress relief and moisture generation from consistent washing.
We saw first-hand how people and businesses impact the environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. It elevates the notion of how brands address sustainability. In the pandemic, consumers will be keeping a close eye on how brands adapt, improve products, and contribute to a better world.
We will continue to see wellness themes
In the next few years, we will see a stronger trend of targeting health and wellness, in part. It is because of the increased focus on safety by consumers. The recent tendency to use OTC products with COVID-19, such as OTC cold remedies. It indicates that wellness and safety are important themes for consumers.
A new way to step up our beauty
The beauty industry will continue to grow and evolve with beauty trends. New trends include body care, skincare, fragrance, makeup, etc., which could lead to product innovation and segment expansion.
Killing bacteria while making sure that it’s safe is a positive situation.
It is less important to be on-trend, but the trend of keeping it clean is a new trend.
Really? Are you sure that people are looking for “clean” now? It hasn’t been an important topic since the 70s. I don’t see any difference between this and any other product category.
There will continue to be strong growth in the over-the-counter health & beauty industry due to consumers’ interest in maintaining their hygiene and well-being. The intense focus on safety by consumers that have occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak will encourage companies to provide products with improved antimicrobial activity and new forms that encourage better hygiene.
Get serious about sustainability/climate change
Companies will pay more attention to the environment. Products will be designed with a focus on performance rather than aesthetics. Weather conditions can drastically change how people feel and how they act, thus, making beauty and cosmetics less relevant to consumers.
For example, a downturn in the economy could lead consumers to cut back on spending on makeup. Instability in the banking sector can leave customers vulnerable if banks are unable to provide credit for purchasing products such as makeup.
Beauty is an essential component of individual identity: it contributes to the quality of life and emotional well-being, thus influencing consumer behavior (Roth & Hutchinson, 1998).
The shift towards sustainability/ climate change will create new challenges for companies.
Create more unique benefits and concepts
We expect to see a new brand concept or benefit, including unique products with some new skincare concepts.
The key is to think about who your consumer is and how you can provide something that they need and want. Keeping clean will be the first goal, but consumers may want additional benefits such as stress relief, moisture generation from consistent washing, etc., thus allowing companies to create innovative products.
The way people interact with their hands will change greatly in the next few years. We expect that more people will use OTC remedies such as alcohol hand wash (i.e., COVID-19) or alcohol gels during COVID-19 outbreaks because they are easy to use and widely available in stores like Walmart.
The use of Organic Soaps is enhancing
Consumers will be paying more attention to what is in their products and where it comes from. In addition to looking for the kinds of ingredients that are safe, they will also very likely pay closer attention to what is in there than before:
- How many ingredients were used?
- Do these ingredients have a residue when they are exposed to water?
- What happens if the solution becomes contaminated with bacteria or viruses? Will this contaminate our hands as we wash them with soap or carry them into our houses?
- Have any previously unknown harmful environmental effects been identified?
People are making choices that “feel right” and rewarding those brands that not only provide benefits but also provide added values.
People Like to have Luxury Soaps
The concern about cleanliness is becoming the most important factor for consumers and will continue to be so in the future.
The product formats are changing, but soap use will remain part of our daily life. We estimate that more than 80% of consumers still use bar soap. Although OTC products such as COVID-19 (or hand sanitizers) containing COVID-19 offer an alternative to soap, we believe that consumers will continue to use soap and other products containing COVID-19 on a regular basis. You can have these soaps in beautiful soap packaging.
It is difficult to see how a low-cost product could compete with expensive luxury brands.
The increasing popularity of eco-friendly bath and body products
More people are making conscious choices in the bath and body products they use. In particular, consumers will seek out products that not only deliver benefits and added value but also contribute to a better world.
- The development of new, safe herbal ingredients for soap.
- Several companies, such as Herbalife, have created products with herbal ingredients for soap/skincare and expect these products to be more popular in the future. The popularity of herbal items suggests that customers would like to see more eco-friendly herbal ingredients used in soap/skincare products.
In addition to better health, consumers will also pay more attention to diet.
As the world becomes more aware of the dangers of smoking, people could start looking for other ways to reduce their dependence on tobacco products. This trend began a few years ago, but we expect it to continue rapidly in the future.
Use of herbal components
As we discussed above, customers will seek out herbal ingredients in cosmetics. These ingredients could include both traditional and new formulations. We expect that herbal constituents will gain popularity as a result of consumer interest in anti-cancer issues. We also expect to have herbal soaps in eco-friendly soap packaging.
