Beauty trends


On the cover and right: from the shoot at WabiSabiCulture (photo Rosi Di Stefano): "Gentle waves embrace and bring life to the warm reflections of the colour schemes and soft textiles to give gentle movement." (Mauro Galzignato, Kemon Art Director& Education Coordinator).

Outfit:  Maatroom total look.

The emotional factor will continue to be the most powerful leitmotiv to influence consumers' needs and desires. Our relationship with objects and products of daily use is undergoing a profound reassessment: the concept of "local" over global is increasingly apparent, whether it means our preference for belonging to a group or, most of all, our choice of where we purchase our products. Focus is rising on other factors, such as the preparation stages, centred on practicality, sustainability and craftsmanship and a reduction in the resources required for production. All this is mixed with an ethics of design, concisely summed up by the Victorian writer, William Morris (one of the main founders of the Arts and Crafts movement, who was considered a precursor of modern designers and had a considerable influence on the architecture and architects of his time): "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." The story (and above all the ability to tell that story - in other words the storytelling) of how a product is made will increasingly be as important as the product itself. This leads us to a celebration of imperfections, of the hand-crafted process, via minimalism which becomes a mentality and not merely an aesthetic canon: the everyday, triumphant application of the principles of “Less is more” and “Less but better”.

This is then applied to beauty, with meditative rituals to take care of ourselves, which celebrate a simple pleasure of beauty and wellbeing. Additional, personalised, home-grown or locally sourced ingredients (appreciated as sustainable, key ingredients) will be a trend which will certainly strengthen over the next few years: an approach that goes back to our origins, which will tend to make us choose products using simple raw materials and the production of which will use fewer resources.

More specifically, the act of bathing, the preparatory ritual, the concept of slow beauty will become the focus, to the detriment of quick, more frequent showers, just for personal hygiene. On the contrary, the bath will see new, more popular factors: no longer tiny moments of joy, but long periods of pleasure. This leads to proposals of products with formulas that increase your energy or at least help to reduce stress: detox baths that reinforce the immune system and ease aching muscles; baths with antioxidants (e.g. lemon and eucalyptus) to lift your spirits and improve concentration; baths using body gels and facial oils (e.g. from basil), to cleanse and moisturise, using protective antioxidants.

The new concept of the "slow bath" also envisages experiential scents and botanical ingredients, which are slowly revealed and add layers of "desire and play" to the ritual. We will also see bathtubs full of various accessories more frequently: body brushes and bowls for masks and scrubs, candles, diffusers... A nostalgic return to the calm and peace of the past, to the search for comfort and meaning to reconnect us with positive memories.

The fragrances of our childhood, such as the traditional floral scents of rose, gardenia and lavender, have been proved to offer reassurance and help reduce stress. Moving in the same direction, traditional packagings and formats will see a revival with a ring of past decades. From an aesthetic point of view: floral prints and Art Deco-inspired patterns on the packages, tiny hints of vintage beauty revisited in a minimal, contemporary style (even better if the cases and bottles can be refilled or reused). This confirms people's attention to safeguarding resources and the environment by carefully selecting brands which not only take daily decisions based on sustainability, but which also include a high percentage of natural, organic ingredients in their formulas.

The rituals, therefore, will replace the concept of a "beauty routine" with a new "hedonistic awareness" to guide a more inclusive and not merely aesthetic concept of beauty.
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