APAC inspires next-gen food-based skin care

Currently a niche segment, global intelligence company, Mintel, reveals that there is the potential for food-based skin care to become mainstream​.

Set to grow in uptake in the US and the UK, brands are increasing the number of formulations that contain nutritive food ingredients in a bid to make the appearance of skin look healthier.

Food ingredients ​

Mintel Beauty and Personal Care Trend ‘Gastronomia​,’ highlighted how face and neck care product launches use the term ‘food’ to promote beautiful skin, and how food and drink are heavily on the beauty menu​. Through skin nourishment and the use of superfood actives, brands are bringing together the food and cosmetics industries by including ingredients and labels that are food-based and supplement-grade.

The food-based trend relates heavily to the natural and organic-certified beauty product uptake, along with the focus towards healthy eating, nutrients and supplements with the millennial demographic.

Beauty from within is a key concept and Mintel highlighted: “Those who have already switched on to ‘inside-out’ beauty will be more ready to accept the ‘outside-in’ beauty potential of using nutritious food ingredients in facial skin care”​.  

Botanicals, herbal extracts and antioxidants are becoming commonplace on cosmetics packaging to support the natural and organic trend. Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD)​ has found that botanical and herbal extract-related claims are prevalent in nearly two in every three global face and neck care product launches.

However, these results show that antioxidant claims have fallen to below one in five products in recent years. This indicates that botanicals have replaced antioxidants as the most popular food-based claim on cosmetics and personal care packaging.

Skin care nutrition today​

Young Millennial females in both Europe and America are expected to opt for nutrient-dense food ingredients in skin care products that also feature organic and vegan labels.

Asia-Pacific markets including South Korea, Japan and China are seen as market leaders and inspirational indicators of where skin care and food meet. These areas include ‘food’ as a primary or additional aspect of the skin care positioning. Brands launching food-based skincare items also formulate using “highly nutrient-dense vegetables and fruit”​ that appear less in Europe and the US.

Fermented foods including yoghurt and rice, protein-rich tofu and eggs, vegetables rich in fibre and vitamins are increasing in popularity.

Asian trends also use bright, colourful and nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables in green, red, purple and black foods to appeal to the ‘outside-in’ beauty that is set to strongly resonate with Millennial females.