The Top 10 Skincare Trends of 2022
Skincare trends change from season to season, and viral products come along every week, so it’s not easy to stay up to speed with what’s in… and what’s not. The best way to stay ahead of the game is to know the trends for the coming year and adapt them to what your skin needs and tolerates.
We’re rounding up some of the biggest trends we’re expecting to take off in 2022, including health-focused skincare, skinimalism, and treatment systems. We’re exploring what the trends are and how to include them in your daily routine, and you’ll find some of our favorite up-and-coming products for you to add to your skincare arsenal this year.
1. Plastic-free beauty
Not so much an ingredient-based trend as an eco-conscious packaging one, but plastic-free beauty products are set to take up more space on our shelves before the end of the year. A trailblazer in the plastic-free cosmetics movement is Oquist, who recently won a Nordic Natural Beauty Award for their 6-in-1 Antiaging Serum. Moving beyond plastic is also a goal for packaging maker Sulapac, who has created a cosmetics-safe bioplastic that is already being used by the likes of Chanel.
2. Treatment systems
Forget mixing and matching. This year we’re moving towards prescription-style systems designed to make your skin look and feel its best without having to use multiple products. Hanacure’s All-In-One Facial set gives the benefits of in-office treatments at home, reducing signs of aging and helping skin appear radiant without engaging in a multi-step skincare regimen. This is possible thanks to considerable advances in skincare ingredients. For example, Hanacure’s Octolift® technology works by absorbing impurities, creating a tightening effect, moisturizing the skin and reducing fine lines, and soothes sensitive skin.
3. Fighting inflammation
We know that inflammation is the root cause of several signs of aging and some chronic skin conditions. Dermatologists and skincare experts are looking into how the inflammatory system can be ‘hacked’ to help reduce early signs of aging. The move will see us improving our skin’s microbiome by using more gentle probiotic cleansers such as Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Cleanser and staying away from stronger retinols.
4. Minimalist routines
The shift towards multi-purpose products might stem from our post-lockdown desire for minimalist skincare routines. The days of Korean skincare routines may be in the past, with a change toward simple 3-step skincare. That doesn’t mean you won’t get the benefits of a long and involved skincare routine; it simply means that laboratories are putting work in to create formulas that can perform multiple tasks within one product.
5. At-home treatments
Another trend that can most likely be attributed to the long weeks we’ve spent in lockdown over the last couple of years, at-home spa-style treatments are growing in popularity. NIRA Skincare’s Skin Resurfacing Laser is designed to offer the benefits of in-office laser treatments at home. Other brands are also exploring the trend by adding tech such as facial steamers and LED face masks to their product ranges.
6. Microtechnology
Sonic and steam infusion devices are trending, with experts moving toward treating skin more deeply at home. The ReFa Clear ionic and sonic cleansing device uses ionic and sonic technology to deeply cleanse skin without stripping it of essential natural oils. In turn, Droplette’s misting system is designed to help ingredients break through the skin’s natural barrier so actives can get to work at deeper levels without losing their effectiveness during the absorption process.
7. CBD-based skincare
CBD has become a buzz-worthy ingredient in lots of different spaces in recent years, but its place in the skincare market is looking set to become more prominent this year. CBD has been linked to improved skin hydration and reduced inflammation, making it the perfect ally for problem skin. Brands like Bawdy embrace the ingredient’s benefits, with the Bawdy Oil containing 300mg of CBD oil in each bottle.
8. Skin health is key
As skincare grows in popularity, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of ingredients. There is an increasing understanding of how ingredients permeate from the outer layers of your skin into your bloodstream. Instead of focusing on quick fixes, expect a shift toward long-term skin health. Eating well, staying hydrated, maintaining regular care with a dermatologist, and generally seeing skin as part of your overall health.
9. Fermented ingredients
Think kombucha for your skin: cleansing, purifying, goodness. Fermented ingredients are believed to help relieve skin inflammation and could help combat early signs of aging. Glossier has joined the fermentation hype with their Cleanser Concentrate, which contains grape ferment along with a great lineup of other cleansing ingredients to create a gentle but effective product.
10. Blue light protection
With everyone spending increasing amounts of time in front of screens, blue light has become a real threat to youthful skin. One Ocean is stepping up and creating products designed to be worn daily to protect your skin from the light generated by your laptop or other screens. Their Hydrating Mist is designed to be sprayed onto skin whenever you need a refresh and tops up protection with each spray. Not to be confused with SPF sun protection, blue light protection doesn’t protect against harmful UV rays, so it’s essential to layer it up.