While those of us who prefer natural handmade skincare don’t tend to follow trends, this year we’re seeing a lot of positive changes of direction in the beauty world. The skincare trends for 2020 are leaning towards greener solutions and demanding better practices and higher quality from beauty brands. Even some of the least eco-friendly brands are scrambling to reinvent themselves and their products to keep their sales up. Although we’d prefer that brands make these changes for the right reasons, it’s wonderful to see a movement towards putting sustainable, natural, responsible, and healthy products in shops. So, here are some of the skincare trends we love that will be turning the tables this year.
The term blue beauty is less about the colour and more about what it stands for. Last year we saw a big push for waterless beauty products, as well as more and more brands jumping on the packaging-free bandwagon. This year that will continue with more focus on creating products that don’t generate waste and won’t end up in the ocean or poison marine life. Therefore, the term ‘blue beauty’ seems perfectly fitting because it’s taking clean beauty to the next level to protect our water. Not to mention that more and more brands are teaming up with NGOs to clean up the ocean and work to reverse plastic pollution.
We’ve touched on the topic of vegan beauty in a few blog posts before and as many of you already know, you don’t need to be vegan to use cosmetics made from only plants. With the rise of plant-based diets, cafés, and products, this trend is spilling over into beauty, as well. Consumers are demanding cosmetics that are made primarily out of plants and vegan beauty is becoming merely an umbrella term for this big beauty shift. More sub-categories are forming by the day and experts say that this year halal beauty and shortcut cruelty-free beauty will move to the forefront. We’re excited to see more people moving towards completely clean, plant-derived beauty products since that’s what we firmly believe in.
In the last sixty years, the topic of mental health has become far less taboo. Regardless of social standing, society as a whole knows that it’s important to take care of your mind and soul just as much as your skin. This year, we will see these two fields merge even further with more activists, models, and companies shedding light on the importance of beauty in mental health. From podcasts to mobile phone apps, self-care is becoming a given and allowing future generations the space to learn to love themselves early on. Adwoa Aboah and Revlon makeup collaboration, Gurls Talk, is just one example of how beauty and mental health are thriving side-by-side.
We’ve long been fans of upcycling and have written about it at length in previous posts here on the blog. For us, recycling sometimes just isn’t enough, especially when you take a look at the facts and figures surrounding recycling in Ireland and the UK. Because of that, we’re ecstatic to hear that more beauty brands are encouraging consumers to upcycle their product pots and containers. The conventional beauty world tends to use containers that are difficult to recycle, ergo this feels like a logical step towards reducing waste. While not everyone can make the move towards going completely packaging-free just yet, upcycling is a fair plan of action for the moment.
Last year, the word transparency blew up. With social media, it’s easier than ever for people to call out companies and brands for irresponsible practices and demand better services. Businesses today know that if they want to survive cancel culture, they need to be as transparent as possible and put all their cards on the table. In 2020, we will see more of this in overall skincare trends and it will most likely become pillar in brand culture moving forward. Honesty is the best policy, after all.
Granted that while it’s only January, these skincare trends for 2020 promise a lot of positive shifts in the beauty world. What is your favourite skincare trend for 2020? Be sure to let us know in the comments! If you are searching for a little guidance on how to share their skincare talent with the world, learn more about WapoBeauty’s eBook on How to Sell Your Skincare Products Legally in Ireland and the EU. For more hands-on instruction on how to formulate and make safe and professional skincare products, sign up for WapoBeauty’s Complete Facial Skincare Course for Beginners. Join the ranks of past students who found this class valuable and rewarding!
Ashuni Pérez is an American writer based in Valencia, Spain. She has a passion for natural beauty and the environment. Ashuni loves to cycle and drink smoothies in the sun. Follow her on Instagram at @ashuuuuni