Fermented skincare products among new natural beauty trends

Fermented beauty products, raw processing, bacteria-rich formulas and waterless application are tipped to become some of the hottest natural beauty trends. A report by the Innovation Group, the trend forecasting arm of J Walter Thompson Intelligence, explored the cultural drivers and trends informing consumer demand for a new standard of natural and organic beauty products.

It discovered that an increasing number of consumers are looking for alternatives to synthetic additives. Lucie Greene, worldwide director of the Innovation Group, commented: “Natural products are no longer seen as niche alternatives, but are aspirational.” Expectations are that more brands will develop waterless cleansing products such as micellar or floral waters, lotions, oils or balms, which contain water but don’t require a water supply to use, as shortages become more frequent throughout the world. In a bid to develop an alternative to controversial parabens, the report predicts that brands will adopt the Asian trend for fermented beauty products to preserve ingredients.

The process of fermentation also creates probiotics, fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants and enzymes, adding further product benefits. Global demand for organic personal care products, of which one third is skincare products, is expected to reach AED 4.58 billion by 2018.