Quality over quantity: Minimalist beauty trend expected to thrive as consumers adapt to economic pressures

Today’s beauty consumers are increasingly prioritising high-quality items that deliver results.

This "less-is-more" approach sees more consumers looking for products that offer maximum effectiveness with minimal steps or simplified ingredient lists.

The minimalist beauty trend started gaining traction in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but is expected to endure as consumers adapt to rising economic pressures.

Ingredients maker Lucas Meyers Cosmetics by Clariant has observed a rising demand for innovative ingredients that streamline the beauty routine while offering enhanced performance.

“We’ve seen some cost pressures – even coming from the customers that we serve – and this is exactly why having multi-functional products will matter a lot,” said Maybelline Tan, regional marketing manager, Lucas Meyers Cosmetics by Clariant.

Tan was speaking at a press conference hosted by Clariant at in-cosmetics Asia 2024, which was held from November 5 to 7 in Bangkok, Thailand.

As beauty consumers become more conscious about their spending habits, Tan emphasised that products must give them the confidence to make the purchase by promising safety and efficacy.

“Consumers want something that is able to work very well, ideally very fast and very efficacious. They want to have confidence in the products they are buying, not only from a safety aspect by also from a performance aspect,” said Tan.

This is influencing the development of the company’s most recently ingredients, such as Corneopeptyl​, which strengthens the skin while tackling signs of ageing.

Next-generation emulsifier

The company’s latest innovation is Pickmulse, a surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsifier developed from its patented quinoa starch technology.

The ingredient was launched at in-cosmetics Asia 2024 and awarded the gold award for Best Functional Ingredient at the trade show.

“In terms of emulsification, it uses the Pickering structure for emulsification, and this helps to maintain the skin barrier integrity, and it doesn't affect the skin microbiome as well,” explained Tan.

The company described Pickmulse as a next-generation two-in-one ingredient.

“Not only can it be used as an emulsifier, but Pickmulse also has another function, encapsulation. Depending on how you use Pickmulse, you can actually achieve different properties in your formulation,” said Tan.

The company described the sensory characteristics of formulations using this ingredient as a “powdery-soft touch.” Furthermore, the ingredient can offer proven sensory benefits.

According to the company, Pickmulse has been proven by to stimulate feelings of relaxation and comfort by using magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG).

Tan said: “After applying the formulation containing Pickmulse onto the hands of the volunteers, it actually triggers areas of the brain to light up from the sensation of the product. So, they actually feel good. These, these areas of the brain that light up actually corresponds to the feel-good, well-being sensation. This was compared with a control without Pickmulse – so just a conventional emulsifier – and there was a difference.”