For the last couple of years, self-care and wellness have risen to become staples of our lives; during this time, makeup took a step back, and skincare jumped to the front stage, fighting against new and unique problems (such as maskne). But as we enter the post-pandemic world, some of us wonder, what's to come in the beauty industry this year?

We asked the experts to make their beauty and hair trend predictions for 2022.

Rohan Widdison

After nearly half a year of increasing at-home self-care, DIY beauty treatments, endless online shopping, and the adoption of new beauty habits, the team at New Laboratories are starting to see some recent trends in the beauty industry as the industry regains some normalcy.

One of the main trends we're expecting to see in 2022 is shifting power from the beauty industry to the consumer. Instead of the beauty industry setting the trends consumers follow, 2022 will see more brands being consciously driven by social awareness and led by consumers instead of the traditional supplier trend-setting approach, which has been the way of the past. 

From what we see in the market already, trends that you will see more of next year will be digitalisation, sustainability, and evidence-based marketing. Here are NewLabs’ top six beauty industry trends for 2022: 

1. Skincare. 

Instead of makeup and other beauty products, skincare will be more on people's radars. With a lot more people working from home and the requirement to wear masks, women especially aren't wearing makeup as much as they used to, and their focus is shifting more on skincare, with serums and results-driven products at the top of the list. Body related products, like booty creams, are also on the rise. And don't ignore skin health, as insightful brands take on a holistic approach to their formulations.

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2. Brands carving their niche.

Many brands realise that they can't be all things to all people, so instead, they're finding and carving their niche and becoming experts in that niche. In 2022, we will see more brands follow Fenty Beauty's footsteps, which carved out an industry niche for a luxury beauty line at a budget price. 

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3. Pre-teen and tween market.

These markets will boom in 2022 as parents help their children adopt good skincare habits from a young age using products that promote skin health, with the pre-teen and tween market becoming more educated each generation through their access to media. Parents will be increasingly looking to help their children adopt good skincare habits from a young age to help manage acne problems and protect their skin from potential scarring.

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4. Evidence-based skincare.

‍Our prediction for 2022 will see people move slowly away from clean beauty to evidence-based skincare. Consumers are done with fake news and blue sky promises; they want the evidence and want to know what they're getting for their money. 

5. Digitalisation.

With artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, augmented reality, and DNA analysis, the beauty industry is becoming increasingly technology-driven in delivering personalisation in ways that the traditional cosmetic counter cannot. With consumers' needs changing and demanding more custom and specific results, such as exact skincare matches and personalised formulas, digitalisation of the beauty industry will continue to increase in 2022. 

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6. Sustainability.

I think we say this every year, but we're going to say it again. Consumers are becoming increasingly sustainably conscious and expect their brands to do the same. Whilst nearly all companies have sustainable practices in place, consumers are expecting more from their brands in this space, including more plastic-free products, refillable packaging, fair and ethical sourcing, and a proactive approach to reducing overconsumption. 

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