In the ever-evolving world of beauty and personal care, three key areas of innovation are emerging as the market leaders in 2024 – catering to the needs of curly hair, proactive skincare, and multifunctional sun care products. These new trends are backed by the data collected by an artificial intelligence-powered innovation platform that analyzes new brand launches and sub-brand launches in 54 best performing consumer goods categories across 32 countries.
More individuals are beginning to accept natural hair textures. This shift is especially noticeable among young people, who are increasingly identifying as having curly hair, significantly more so than older generations. As of 2024, nearly a quarter of all consumers worldwide affirmed that they had curly hair. This acceptance of one’s natural hair type has resulted in a surge of new products specifically for curly, coily, or Afro-textured hair – a welcome change in a market that predominantly featured products focused on straight hair.
Leading the innovation for curly hair care products across the extensive market of 32 countries is Kérastase, a hair care brand under the umbrella of beauty mogul L’Oréal Group. Several other brands like Color Wow Curls, Revolution, Bondi Boost, and Redken are also contributing to the growing selection of curly hair products, especially in Western European markets. Curly hair products are now incorporating protective ingredients like lipids, shea butter, olive oil, and sesame oil, offering dual benefits of nourishing the curls while also combating frizz and providing thermal protection.
In the realm of skincare, there has been an amplified focus on developing multifunctional, multi-benefit products. The present consumer preference leans towards skincare products with specific ingredients and clinical formulations that address their primary skincare concerns. They are particularly keen on safety, transparency, and products associated with healthy living.
In response, many skincare brands are launching products with proactive measures in mind. These include anti-aging solutions, concentrated formulas, and serums, driven by consumers’ demand for targeted and intensive treatments. This shift was observable in an increase in the use of facial serums, oils, and emulsions in 2024. The new generation of consumers seems to prefer facial moisturizers, treatments, and acne remedies that are well-suited to be paired with makeup or to be applied as overnight treatments.
The area of sun protection has become another critical pivot point in the beauty and personal care industry. The frequency of usage is increasing, and consumers are favoring multi-benefit day creams with built-in SPF. This trend is being driven by the increasing consumer awareness about the multi-faceted benefits of regular sun protection year-round, prompting an expansion in product variety.
The past couple of years have seen significant growth in sun care product launches, many of which boast a multifunctional nature, or sport an ethical positioning. The rising popularity of mineral-based sun protection products and self-tanning alternatives to UVA and UVB exposure validate that as well.
These emerging trends and leaps in innovation are not just driven by the stalwarts of the beauty and personal care industry, but also influenced by the new product launches from specific players and retailers.
