The outbreak of COVID-19 in Q1 of 2020 in Ireland saw consumers across the country social distancing, with many working and staying at home, impacting buying behaviours for beauty and personal care goods. These changing consumer behaviours are expected to impact overall growth negatively for beauty and personal care in 2020, especially in areas focused on appearance.
Beauty and personal care performed positively in Ireland in 2019, with all areas posting solid value growth. Sun care saw the strongest growth, driven by consumers growing awareness of the dangers of the sun, and the benefits of sun protection products.
In Ireland, beauty and personal care continued to be led by L’Oréal in 2019, which benefits from its well-established brands, that have recognisable names, established consumer trust and loyalty. In 2019, the player led hair care, skin care and sun care, offering established brands such as Elvive, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay and Kérastase.
The impact of COVID-19 is expected to record a decline in growth for beauty and personal care in 2020. This decline will be recorded by both premium and mass products, with growth expected to decline for items related to appearances, such as colour cosmetics, or high expense, such as fragrances.
Physical appearance is very important for many people, and skin complaints can have a significant impact on confidence. Problems such as ageing, dry and sun damaged skin tend to be very visible and can have a significant impact on confidence and lifestyle. When thinking of ways to address your customers’ skin issues an initial recommendation may be to try a range of topical creams and lotions.
As experts and trusted advisors to your customers it could enhance their experience to also advocate the use of supplements that can target specific beauty concerns, supporting the health and balance of the complexion from the inside out.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body, accounting for approximately 16% of total body weight. Skin is organised into two primary layers; the epidermis and the dermis, and plays a key role in protecting the body from the environmental threats including smoking, sun exposure and pollution.
Sun-damaged Skin
Sun exposure is important as it allows the body to produce vitamin D. However, skin is vulnerable to photoageing and damage from overexposure to the sun and excessive exposure to UV carries health risks, including atrophy, pigmentary changes and wrinkling. Ultraviolet B (UVB) is the primary component of sunlight that causes sunburn as well as UV light from tanning beds.
Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema, is an inflammatory condition characterised by skin dryness and intense itching. AD is associated with a reduction in the barrier function of the epidermis, and impacts up to 20% of children and 3% of adults. Factors that can contribute to dry skin include the weather, chemicals and cosmetics.
There are several specific nutritional supplements available through pharmacy which can support beauty from the inside out, in addition to the usual skin creams and topical lotions.
While a healthy, balanced diet, which includes plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, is required for healthy skin, more and more people are using beauty supplements (nutraceuticals) to help add further benefit.
VITAMINS (A, C& E) – it’s widely known that vitamins are good for general health. But it’s worth stressing how important these Vitamins A, C, and E are for skin health.
• Vitamin A increases cell reproduction and stimulates collagen production.
• Vitamin C helps prevent damage to cells, thus facilitating the production of elastin and collagen.
• Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects skin cells and helps maintain moisture.
Coenzyme Q10- commonly referred to as CoQ10, this antioxidant helps get rid of free radicals and other toxins in the body. Thus, it has the effect of promoting healthy skin and allowing the body to make as much collagen as possible.
Biotin -an essential B vitamin, also known as vitamin B7, that helps promote healthy skin, as well as healthy nails and hair. Researchers also think that Biotin works to reduce the death of skin cells. Biotin is found in foods like cheese, beans, eggs, and leafy greens. People can add more of these foods to their diet to ensure they’re getting plenty of Biotin, or can take a tablet as a supplement.
Hyaluronic acid – also known as sodium hyaluronate, has strong moisture-retaining properties, which benefits healthy skin. While this compound is an ingredient in many creams and serums, there’s little evidence to suggest hyaluronic acid is effective when applied topically. It’s best to ingest an oral tablet to receive maximum benefits from this skin supplement.
