Top Personal Care Trends of 2023
Our hand-picked collection of the top personal care trends of 2023. The topics in this report on today’s emerging personal care trends are selected for their high growth across sites including Google, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, and Amazon. Read more about how we track global trends.
Hair Wax Stick
A hair wax stick is a small, cylindrical container of hair wax. The wax is applied to the hair to give it texture and hold. The wax can be applied in a variety of ways, depending on the desired look. … Read more
Glueless Wigs
Glueless wigs are wigs that do not require any adhesive or tape to be attached to the head. The wigs are made with a mesh cap that is meant to be worn like a normal hat. The cap is then covered in hair that has been attached to the cap in a similar manner to a weft. … Read more
Pimple Patches
Pimple patches are adhesive patches that are meant to be applied to pimples to help them heal and disappear more quickly. The patches are often made of hydrocolloid, which helps to absorb the sebum and pus from the pimple. … Read more
Detergent Sheets
Detergent sheets are a type of laundry detergent that come in the form of a sheet. The sheets are said to be more efficient than traditional liquid or powder detergents, as they are able to dissolve quickly and penetrate fabric fibers. … Read more
Makeup Cleansing Balm
A makeup cleansing balm is a type of facial cleanser that is meant to remove all traces of makeup from the skin. The balm is typically made with oils and waxes that help to break down the makeup and emulsify it so that it can be rinsed away. … Read more
Grip Socks
Grip socks are socks that are designed to improve traction and prevent slipping. The socks are made of a non-slip fabric and often have a textured surface to provide extra grip. They are ideal for activities such as yoga, Pilates, and barre. … Read more
Scar Tape
Scar tape is a medical tape that is meant to be applied to scars to reduce their visibility and improve their appearance. The tape is made of a stretchy material that is meant to be applied in a crosshatch pattern. … Read more
Tattoo Second Skin
Tattoo second skin is a product that is designed to protect new tattoos from the sun. The product is a type of adhesive bandage that is meant to be worn for a few days after getting a new tattoo. The bandage is said to keep the tattoo from fading and protect it from bacteria. … Read more
Lume Deodorant
Lume Deodorant is a natural deodorant that is designed to be used for underarms and private parts. The deodorant is said to be effective in preventing and neutralizing odor and absorbing wetness. It is also free of aluminum, parabens, and sulfates. … Read more
Period Swimwear
Period swimwear is swimwear that is designed to be worn during menstruation. The swimwear typically features a built-in pad or liner that can absorb blood and other fluids. The swimwear is meant to be comfortable and convenient for women who want to swim or exercise during their period. … Read more
Delay Spray
Delay spray is a spray that is meant to be used to prolong sexual intercourse. The spray is said to help men last longer by desensitizing the male reproductive organ. … Read more
Shoe Washing Machine
A shoe washing machine is a machine that is designed to clean shoes. The machine has a basin where the shoes are placed, and a brush that is used to scrub the shoes. The machine also has a built-in dryer to dry the shoes. … Read more
Heat Protectant Spray
A heat protectant spray is a spray that is meant to be applied to hair before using a hair dryer, flat iron, or other heat styling tool. The spray is designed to protect hair from the heat and to help it retain moisture. … Read more
Tattoo Numbing Cream
Tattoo numbing cream is a cream that is meant to be applied to the skin before a tattoo is done. The cream is designed to numb the skin and reduce the pain of the tattooing process. … Read more
Lash Wash
Lash Wash is a product that is meant to be used to clean eyelashes. The product is applied to the lashes and then rinsed off with warm water. It is said to remove dirt, oil, and makeup from the lashes and to help condition them. … Read more
Manscaped
Manscaped is a male grooming company that offers a line of products for trimming body hair, most notably for the groin, nose, etc. The company also offers lifestyle and personal care products for men from apparel to haircare kits and perfume. … Read more
Tape For Body
Tape for Body is a type of adhesive tape that is meant to be used on the body for various purposes. The tape is said to provide support for muscles and joints, improve circulation, and relieve pain. … Read more
Face Lift Tape
Face Lift Tape is a type of tape that is designed to help improve the appearance of the skin. The tape is meant to be worn across the forehead, under the eyes, and on the cheeks to help smooth out wrinkles and give a more youthful appearance. … Read more
U Shaped Toothbrush
A U-shaped toothbrush is a toothbrush that is designed with a U-shaped profile to better clean the teeth and gums in less time compared to an ordinary toothbrush. … Read more
Meridian Grooming
Meridian Grooming is a line of men’s grooming products designed for trimming body hair and especially pubic hair. The line includes a variety of products such as hair trimmer, skincare products, boxer briefs, foot spray, and nail kits. … Read more
Trend Highlight – The Rise of U Shaped Toothbrushes
Americans spend an average of 4 years, throughout their lives, in cars–a period of time that was first monetized with the rise of the radio ad industry, where half of the $30B spent each year on radio ads is played to in-car listeners.
Similarly, Americans also spend a lot of time–an average of 3 months throughout their lives, brushing their teeth. Though this time isn’t being monetized in the same way, a growing number of companies are charging hefty prices to reduce brushing time down to less than one month–a 2 minute brushing down to 30 seconds.
Rising brands like Symplbrush sport witty copy like “The 30-second solution to a 2-minute problem”, “Stop brushing your teeth”, and “Outsource perfect brushing technique”. The device itself looks like a mouthguard filled with toothbrush bristles and has a similar effect to, in concept, applying electric toothbrush heads to all areas of the teeth at the same time.
One of the commonly cited reasons people prefer electric toothbrushes is because they often come with a 2-minute timer. Consumers report that when brushing manually, they need to pay attention to how long they’ve been brushing, and thus perceive the time as long and less enjoyable. When outsourcing this to a timer, users say they can think about other things which makes brushing more enjoyable. This means they’re more likely to brush for longer and therefore get better results.
Demand for this type of toothbrush is also for parents who typically have trouble getting their kids to brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day. Some of the top Google autocomplete suggestions for “u shaped toothbrush” are “for kids” and “for toddlers”.
Trend Highlight – How Gillette Is Disrupting the Razor Market
After years of disruption in the razor market, its biggest player, Gillette, is hoping men will pay a premium for a product that brings a barbershop-style shave home.
The company's Heated Razor retails for $200 and incorporates a "warming bar" inspired by the luxury of a hot-towel shave. While Gillette commands about half of the $2.8 billion men's shaving market in 2017, that's a significant slide from the 70% it enjoyed in 2010. Since then, it has lost ground to newer companies like Dollar Shave Club and Harry's, and in 2017, parent company Procter & Gamble slashed prices by an average of 12% to compete with the influx of competition.
With the Heated Razor, Gillette has a different strategy: Once a customer invests in a base unit (or gets one as a gift), they're more likely to feel locked into continuing to buy the matching blade cartridges at $25 for a pack of four. These are the higher-margin products and where most razor companies make the bulk of their profits.
Trend Highlight – The Rising Popularity of Menstrual Cups
For the feminine care industry, the rising popularity of menstrual cups is part threat, part opportunity.
On the one hand, reusable cups aren't the ongoing moneymakers that disposable products like tampons and pads are; on the other, they take up far less shelf space and — at around $20 to $40 per cup — command much higher margins. And for consumers, cups are not only a way to cut down on waste, but also often a more cost-effective option, as they only need to be replaced every couple of years.
As interest in more sustainable products becomes increasingly mainstream, menstrual cup startups like Saalt and Nixit have been able to position themselves as lifestyle brands, sold alongside hair-growth supplements and CBD oils at stores like Urban Outfitters and Target. For retailers, health and wellness is a profitable, growing category, and offering eco-friendly products is key to winning with younger consumers in particular.
Despite the difficulty of creating change here, the category is heating up. While category leader DivaCup has grown over 630% in the last 5 years, an even brighter indicator is that Tampax, owned by P&G, has finally launched a menstrual cup.
Unlike many products where companies have the consumer's entire life to fight over brand loyalty, menstrual products become very hard to market after a consumer's childhood, when they're usually introduced to a specific product by their mother. And although it's usually from mother to daughter, companies have tried to circumvent this. In fact, the majority of U.S. elementary schools hold a sex ed program called "Always Changing" which is sponsored by P&G's Always pads and includes free product samples.
Trend Highlight – Why Tattoo Numbing Cream Is So Popular
While it may seem like the rise of Tattoo Numbing cream would be driven by consumers, businesses are creatively using the product to cut costs and increase profits in surprising ways.
Tattoo numbing cream reduces the pain barrier to getting tattoos, expanding the market size. And since customers often ask their tattoo artist to take a break because it hurts too much, numbing cream actually speeds up the process of getting a tattoo by reducing interruptions. As well, the parlors using numbing cream have an advantage over those that don’t: reviews are less likely to discuss pain. This is particularly valuable in the tattoo industry where the permanent nature of tattoos means consumers are more likely to do their research and fully read review pages before committing to a specific parlor.
One of the top reasons people avoid getting tattoos is pain. Tattoo purists believe that pain is part of the experience, but as tattoos get more popular, they become less of a way to suffer in order to stand out, and more of a way to fit in.
Tattoos are more popular than many people think. Right now, 3 in 10 Americans have a tattoo, and, among millennials, nearly half have them. Many choose to get tattoos that can be covered with clothing, so the size of the market is larger than it seems. But even visible tattoos are rising in popularity, which is a self-fulfilling cycle: a visible tattoo is an advertisement that it's okay to have tattoos.
The creams themselves are usually based on lidocaine, which has been a popular local anesthetic for decades. Part of the rising popularity of tattoo numbing cream comes from branding: the ingredient is the same as it always was, but instead of buying a generic pain solution, customers are now buying one that solves their specific problem. This is especially important in health; it’s a product that already exists, but the branding assures the buyer that they’re getting exactly what they’re looking for, not doing a DIY hack.
Trend Highlight – The Rise of the Scent Booster
Fast fashion has a surprising side effect: as consumers own more clothes and wear each item less frequently, they’re missing out on the clean-laundry smell. Plus, as the line between workwear and workout-wear blurs, it becomes increasingly important to make sure clothes stay fresh for longer.
Scent boosters are a product that's added to regular laundry loads to improve clean clothes' smells and make the smell last longer. Like many other cleaning products, it's sold partly by creating rituals—manufacturers like Downy and Arm & Hammer want to make it a regular part of the laundry experience, with a smell-driven cue at the end showing that the job is complete.
Habits are a powerful driver for the consumption of cleaning products. Procter & Gamble originally sold Febreze as a way to get rid of bad smells, but after extensive market research, they discovered that people tend to acclimate to smells. Instead, they started advertising it by showing Febreze as a sort of end-of-cleaning ritual—the last thing someone did that marked the task as done–which propelled the product to substantially higher sales.
One driver of scent boosters’ popularity is the growth of fast fashion. People who buy fast fashion tend to have larger wardrobes, meaning less frequent wear for each article of clothing. While this means that clothes last longer, it means that their clothes are less likely to be freshly-washed. For anyone who is used to the smell of newly-cleaned clothes, this means fast fashion spending patterns are actually taking away a key part of how those consumers present themselves in person. Scent boosters help mitigate this. Some users take it even further, by washing their clothes with scent booster and then vacuum-bagging them to keep the smell fresh.
A hidden sales channel for spreading these types of products is the shared laundry room. This can help laundry products spread fast for apartment dwellers, but homeowners are harder to reach. One strategy companies are using is to market to future homeowners in what is probably the first place where they do their own laundry and the last place they'll have shared laundry: college dorms, where some CPG marketers distribute free samples to get the next generation of buyers started.
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