Top Personal Care Trends of 2022 & 2023
U Shaped Toothbrush
A U-shaped toothbrush is a toothbrush that is designed with a U-shaped profile to better clean the teeth and gums in less time compared to an ordinary toothbrush.
Wearable Breast Pump
A wearable breast pump is a pump that attaches to the breast and is worn like a bra. The pump is designed to be hands-free and allows for the user to multitask while pumping.
Beard Roller
A beard roller is a tool that aims to enhance beard growth. Similar to the microneedling trend, the device contains hundreds of tiny needles. Users are meant to roll the device over the beard area to stimulate hair follicles.
Face Lift Tape
Face Lift Tape is a type of tape that is designed to help improve the appearance of the skin. The tape is meant to be worn across the forehead, under the eyes, and on the cheeks to help smooth out wrinkles and give a more youthful appearance.
Scent Beads
Scent beads are small, scented balls that are meant to be placed in a sachet or diffuser. The beads are said to provide a long-lasting scent and can be used to scent a room or personal belongings.
Under Eye Patches
Under eye patches are patches that are applied to the under eye area to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. The patches are often made of fabric or gel and are said to help improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.
Delay Spray
Delay spray is a spray that is meant to be used to prolong sexual intercourse. The spray is said to help men last longer by desensitizing the male reproductive organ.
Grip Socks
Grip socks are socks that are designed to improve traction and prevent slipping. The socks are made of a non-slip fabric and often have a textured surface to provide extra grip. They are ideal for activities such as yoga, Pilates, and barre.
Detergent Sheets
Detergent sheets are a type of laundry detergent that come in the form of a sheet. The sheets are said to be more efficient than traditional liquid or powder detergents, as they are able to dissolve quickly and penetrate fabric fibers.
Pimple Patches
Pimple patches are adhesive patches that are meant to be applied to pimples to help them heal and disappear more quickly. The patches are often made of hydrocolloid, which helps to absorb the sebum and pus from the pimple.
Pura Scents
Pura Scents is a popular fragrance diffuser using smart home technology. Using the app and the device, users can control the schedule and intensity of when the scents will be diffused.
Scar Tape
Scar tape is a medical tape that is meant to be applied to scars to reduce their visibility and improve their appearance. The tape is made of a stretchy material that is meant to be applied in a crosshatch pattern.
Shoe Washing Machine
A shoe washing machine is a machine that is designed to clean shoes. The machine has a basin where the shoes are placed, and a brush that is used to scrub the shoes. The machine also has a built-in dryer to dry the shoes.
Finger Sleeve
A finger sleeve is a stretchy sleeve used by gamers and usually worn on the forefingers and thumb. It is made of nylon and spandex and is designed to protect the fingers, absorb swear, and reduce friction.
Toothbrush Timer
A toothbrush timer is a timer that is designed to help people brush their teeth for the recommended two minutes. The timer beeps when the two minutes are up, and can be used to time other activities such as flossing and rinsing.
Period Disc
A period disc is a disc that is designed to collect menstrual blood. The disc is made of silicone and collects menstrual blood for up to 12 hours. It is said to be a more eco-friendly alternative to pads and tampons.
Lume Deodorant
Lume Deodorant is a natural deodorant that is designed to be used for underarms and private parts. The deodorant is said to be effective in preventing and neutralizing odor and absorbing wetness. It is also free of aluminum, parabens, and sulfates.
Lash Remover
Lash remover is a product that is used to remove lash extensions. The remover is a liquid that is applied to a cotton pad, which is then used to remove the extensions. Some removers also contain a conditioning agent to help keep lashes healthy.
Ear Wax Removal Kit
An ear wax removal kit is a kit that is designed to help remove ear wax from the ear canal. The kit typically includes a syringe-like device, a wax removal agent, and instructions on how to use the kit.
Meridian Grooming
Meridian Grooming is a line of men’s grooming products designed for trimming body hair and especially pubic hair. The line includes a variety of products such as hair trimmer, skincare products, boxer briefs, foot spray, and nail kits.
Hair Lotion
Hair lotion is a type of hair care product that is used to moisturize and condition the hair. It is often applied to the ends of the hair to help reduce frizz and keep the hair healthy.
Heat Protectant Spray
A heat protectant spray is a spray that is meant to be applied to hair before using a hair dryer, flat iron, or other heat styling tool. The spray is designed to protect hair from the heat and to help it retain moisture.
Tattoo Numbing Cream
Tattoo numbing cream is a cream that is meant to be applied to the skin before a tattoo is done. The cream is designed to numb the skin and reduce the pain of the tattooing process.
Exfoliating Gloves
Exfoliating gloves are gloves that are meant to be used to exfoliate the skin. The gloves have a rough surface that is said to remove dead skin cells and improve the appearance of the skin.
Incontinence Underwear
Incontinence underwear is underwear that is designed to absorb urine and/or feces in the event of an accident. The underwear is typically made from absorbent materials and may come in a variety of styles and sizes.
Piercing Cleaner
Piercing Cleaner is a product that is meant to clean piercings and the piercing area. The cleaner is a sterile saline solution that is used to flush the piercing and remove any impurities.
Lash Cleanser
Lash cleanser is a product that is meant to be used to cleanse and condition natural lashes or eyelash extensions. The cleanser is said to help remove makeup, oil, and dirt from lashes, and to help condition and strengthen them.
Postpartum Pads
Postpartum pads are pads that are designed to be worn after giving birth. The pads are meant to absorb blood and other fluids, and are often larger and thicker than traditional pads.
Period Underwear
Period underwear is underwear that is designed to be worn during menstruation. The underwear is made of absorbent materials that can soak up blood and other fluids. The underwear is said to be more comfortable and absorbent than traditional pads and tampons.
Trend Highlight – The Rise of U Shaped Toothbrushes
Americans spend an average of 4 years, throughout their lives, in cars–a period of time that was first monetized with the rise of the radio ad industry, where half of the $30B spent each year on radio ads is played to in-car listeners.
Similarly, Americans also spend a lot of time–an average of 3 months throughout their lives, brushing their teeth. Though this time isn’t being monetized in the same way, a growing number of companies are charging hefty prices to reduce brushing time down to less than one month–a 2 minute brushing down to 30 seconds.
Rising brands like Symplbrush sport witty copy like “The 30-second solution to a 2-minute problem”, “Stop brushing your teeth”, and “Outsource perfect brushing technique”. The device itself looks like a mouthguard filled with toothbrush bristles and has a similar effect to, in concept, applying electric toothbrush heads to all areas of the teeth at the same time.
One of the commonly cited reasons people prefer electric toothbrushes is because they often come with a 2-minute timer. Consumers report that when brushing manually, they need to pay attention to how long they’ve been brushing, and thus perceive the time as long and less enjoyable. When outsourcing this to a timer, users say they can think about other things which makes brushing more enjoyable. This means they’re more likely to brush for longer and therefore get better results.
Demand for this type of toothbrush is also for parents who typically have trouble getting their kids to brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day. Some of the top Google autocomplete suggestions for “u shaped toothbrush” are “for kids” and “for toddlers”.
Trend Highlight – Why Tattoo Numbing Cream is so Popular
While it may seem like the rise of Tattoo Numbing cream would be driven by consumers, businesses are creatively using the product to cut costs and increase profits in surprising ways.
Tattoo numbing cream reduces the pain barrier to getting tattoos, expanding the market size. And since customers often ask their tattoo artist to take a break because it hurts too much, numbing cream actually speeds up the process of getting a tattoo by reducing interruptions. As well, the parlors using numbing cream have an advantage over those that don’t: reviews are less likely to discuss pain. This is particularly valuable in the tattoo industry where the permanent nature of tattoos means consumers are more likely to do their research and fully read review pages before committing to a specific parlor.
One of the top reasons people avoid getting tattoos is pain. Tattoo purists believe that pain is part of the experience, but as tattoos get more popular, they become less of a way to suffer in order to stand out, and more of a way to fit in.
Tattoos are more popular than many people think. Right now, one in 5 Americans has a tattoo, and, among millennials, nearly half have them. Many choose to get tattoos that can be covered with clothing, so the size of the market is larger than it seems. But even visible tattoos are rising in popularity, which is a self-fulfilling cycle: a visible tattoo is an advertisement that it's okay to have tattoos.
The creams themselves are usually based on lidocaine, which has been a popular local anesthetic for decades. Part of the rising popularity of tattoo numbing cream comes from branding: the ingredient is the same as it always was, but instead of buying a generic pain solution, customers are now buying one that solves their specific problem. This is especially important in health; it’s a product that already exists, but the branding assures the buyer that they’re getting exactly what they’re looking for, not doing a DIY hack.
Trend Highlight – The Rise of the Scent Booster
Fast fashion has a surprising side effect: as consumers own more clothes and wear each item less frequently, they’re missing out on the clean-laundry smell. Plus, as the line between workwear and workout-wear blurs, it becomes increasingly important to make sure clothes stay fresh for longer.
Scent boosters are a product that's added to regular laundry loads to improve clean clothes' smells and make the smell last longer. Like many other cleaning products, it's sold partly by creating rituals—manufacturers like Downy and Arm & Hammer want to make it a regular part of the laundry experience, with a smell-driven cue at the end showing that the job is complete.
Habits are a powerful driver for the consumption of cleaning products. Procter & Gamble originally sold Febreze as a way to get rid of bad smells, but after extensive market research, they discovered that people tend to acclimate to smells. Instead, they started advertising it by showing Febreze as a sort of end-of-cleaning ritual—the last thing someone did that marked the task as done–which propelled the product to substantially higher sales.
One driver of scent boosters’ popularity is the growth of fast fashion. People who buy fast fashion tend to have larger wardrobes, meaning less frequent wear for each article of clothing. While this means that clothes last longer, it means that their clothes are less likely to be freshly-washed. For anyone who is used to the smell of newly-cleaned clothes, this means fast fashion spending patterns are actually taking away a key part of how those consumers present themselves in person. Scent boosters help mitigate this. Some users take it even further, by washing their clothes with scent booster and then vacuum-bagging them to keep the smell fresh.
A hidden sales channel for spreading these types of products is the shared laundry room. This can help laundry products spread fast for apartment dwellers, but homeowners are harder to reach. One strategy companies are using is to market to future homeowners in what is probably the first place where they do their own laundry and the last place they'll have shared laundry: college dorms, where some CPG marketers distribute free samples to get the next generation of buyers started.
