Skincare's impact

A new business?

Since 2018, statistics show an interesting difference between the growth of the skin care market and the growth of the makeup industry. While the first one increased by 13%, the second one only faced a rise of 1% in 2018.

The gap continues to be accentuated by conscious customers who express a stronger desire for healthy products able to care about the various issues of their skin, rather than products that will cover these issues. Concretely, we are talking about a market of $136.71 billion in 2022.

In order to answer customer’s requests, new brands are popping everyday and you can just open social media like Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest to see celebrities promoting mask, serum, remover-cleanser, scrub and sometimes their own brand. They have a direct impact on their followers who become more concerned of pollution and sun impacts on their skin. They want a clear and short inkey list that does not contain endocrine disruptor and more cruelty free.

Social media isn’t necessarily enough. More skincare brands and retailers like Sephora, Douglas Cosmetics, Kiehl’s, Vichy and Bobbi Brown are deploying solutions like virtual advisor to speak in real time to customer, revealing their needs and concerns, recommend products and guide them through the sales process.

“The market is accelerating, thanks to digitalisation as beauty and digital are really a perfect match… It has never been easier to discover beauty, share it and shop it. […] Digital is also strengthening our power to connect with consumers… and beyond digital, new technologies around data and Artificial Intelligence are opening new horizons.” – Jean-Paul Argon, CEO of L’Oréal.

How to build the correct skincare routine?

Great skin is not simply a matter of DNA. Your daily habits definitely have an impact on what you see in the mirror. Depending on which products reviews you read, where you shop, which doctor you consult, there are thousands of opinion on everything, from how to moisturise to how to protect yourself from UV rays. Consequence: caring about your skin is personal. Here are some guidelines that could help to understand the essential steps of a healthy skincare journey.

Cleansing & Moisturising

Cleansing to wash your face in order to start on a neutral base ready to be hydrated and softened by moisturising. Once you have this in mind, it’s time to choose the products you would like to use.

Now that you have a clear overview of the products to use, let's dig in the inkey list which contains all the ingredients on the packaging of the product. Some components should be avoided and particularly the PEG.

Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are products of condensed ethylene oxide and water that can have various derivatives and functions. Since many PEG types are hydrophilic, they are favorably used as penetration enhancers, especially in topical dermatological preparations. PEGs, together with their typically nonionic derivatives, are broadly utilised in cosmetic products as surfactants, emulsifiers, cleansing agents, humectants, and skin conditioners. Some examples of compounds include PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, and PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil.

Depending on their manufacturing process, PEGs may pose allergy risks due to the irritating pure substance. It can be harmful by inhalation, ingestion and contact due to the potentially carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane (according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer) contained in PEGs. This is the case for example of PEG-60. The same goes for the manufacture of SLES – sodium lauryl sulphate – used in shower gels and other foaming products. PEGs are thus banned from cosmetics with an "organic" label also because they degrade poorly and accumulate in the environment.

J.T