What’s on the horizon in 2021?
Change is in the air, that’s for sure.
Comfort, resilience and the uplifting power of beauty and self-care products have never been more important, while specific “trends” like the call for more inclusive beauty brands aren’t just trends, they’re a top priority.
KEY WORDS 2021: eyes, hands (obviously), affirmations, celestial & crystal beauty, stress-less, simplicity, sunlight, clarity, resilience, community, plastic-free, plant-a-tree, Scandinavian, planet-friendly, healing, havening, soothing, stabilising, sensorial, strengthening, slowing down, grounding, supporting, giving-back, rebalancing, mood-boosting, “moodtropics”, immunity, gut-brain, brain health, nature, sanctuary, connection, at-home rituals (relaxing facials, mineral salt baths), CBD everything, deep rest, calming our nervous systems, sleep is the ultimate luxury, and finding joy in the year we all hope will be the upswing.
AMLY Botanicals’ Essential Oil & Crystals sets: PURIFY, RESTORE, GROUND and HEARTEN (for more, see No. 2 below)
So here we go! From butterfly pea flower and paracress to crystals and plastic-free packaging heading for the exit door, here’s a look at the trends and trending ingredients I think will be headlining this year…
1. EYES & HANDS (getting the obvious two out of the way first)
Hand sanitisers get gentler and more innovative (“softest” one for hands so far – Saltee) and eco-luxe (Twelve Beauty) to safeguard alcohol-battered skin.
While eyes will obviously be a big makeup/creative focus (as will dark circle/puffiness solutions). And hair, for the same reason.
2. PLASTIC PACKAGING heads for the exit door (but not fast enough).
What looks interesting? On the goodbye plastic bottle front, Scandinavia has been leading the way with Paboco, the paper cosmetics bottle developed by Danish entrepreneurs at The Paper Bottle Company.
Bamboo performs well as a clean, zen and natural packaging material. It’s a super-fast grower and sustainable (with paper, I worry about the trees).
Stora Enso’s Paperboard Tubes…skincare’s future new home? (Stora Enso’s another Scandinavian company, headquartered in Stockholm and Helsinki)
Although the tube cap and shoulder is still plastic (eco developments underway), “the paperboard tube will offer cosmetics brands who want to appeal to eco-conscious consumers a competitive new alternative,” says Henna Paakkonen-Alvim, Vice President, Innovation, Stora Enso Consumer Board division.
Rice Husk (and wheat husk)
I really like rice husk containers, perhaps best-known in the form of eco travel cups.
”Low key is the new planet-positive glam”
Rice husk is a byproduct of rice milling (homewares/food & drink) – and it’s “zero taste”, super-light and quite resilient. Rice husk packaging is a clever use for all these husks which would normally be discarded. The downside is, there are currently limited suppliers and we’ll have to wait to see if or how rice husk could translate pragmatically and cost-effectively to beauty packaging.
Innerbottle’s recyclable inner silicone “balloons” inside paper bottles (eg for liquid soap or sprays) are another attempt to edge out excessive plastic.
Multiple Beauty Shortlist Awards winner AMLY Botanicals introduces its mycelium-based (mushroom) low impact gift box.
Made from mushrooms and hemp and hop crop waste, this box decomposes in the same earth that “grew” its ingredients. And because you drop the oils onto the crystals, there’s no liquid, heat, or electricity required making this a truly portable wellness tool.
Yes, mushroom packaging does look like an egg box, but low-key is the new planet-positive glam.
Mycelium meets the crystal trend (more on that below – see: No. 23 “The Energy Workers”: Crystal Beauty)
In the meantime, against the backdrop of future innovations, the current heroes of planet-friendly packaging are the almost-naked, paper-wrapped soaps, shampoos & conditioners, dish/home cleaning/fabric soaps and balm bars – and deodorant cylinders.
We’ll be seeing more of these this year – for sure.
3. 100% HOME COMPOSTABLE IS THE NEW RECYCLING
Australian beauty/self-care brand Biode’s Skin Salve-ation Balm, a winner at the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards, is one of beauty’s “firsts” – it’s 100% home compostable.
Kudos to these use-then-compost products which are real-life problem solvers.
Use and enjoy, then compost your beauty balm in your own garden or local composter.
Happy face, zero trace.
Also you might want to look out for Beauty Shortlist awards winner Rejuvenated’s new compostable Collagen Shots packaging which launches this year.
4. FEEL BETTER BEAUTY
Beauty is an inside job, we know that no amount of foundation can mask unhealthy skin (and camouflaging really isn’t the point here).
With our mental health our no. 1 priority this year, and so much attention to the gut-brain connection, a calm mind = better skin and health.
If there’s one thing more precious and priceless than everything else this year, it’s Emotional Health (as we take up where we left off in 2020).
There are a number of modalities and trends linked in to this: aromatherapy, flower essences, crystal beauty and the new moodtropics (more on these below).
5. MEET SAFFRON: 2021’s ANCIENT+NEW MOOD-BOOSTER
Saffron joins the mental wellbeing stars we know and love (B Complex, ashwaganda, CBD, probiotics, omega 3, and flower remedies like Bach and Saskia’s and aromatherapy).
You’ll find it in supplements like Joy-Filled by San Diego-based Happy Healthy Hippie or Youtheory’s ashwaganda-rhodiola-saffron blend called Saffron Mood & Mental Focus Support.
“Saffron may exert anti-depressant effects by keeping balanced levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin“
Both the safranal and crocin compounds in the crocus plant “may exert anti-depressant effects by keeping balanced levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (according to Hosseinzadeh et al., 2004)”.
Studies in humans show there is a benefit to both anxiety and depression and having trialled saffron for two months (for mood, and once again going through an extended lockdown on my own) it worked really quickly for me (I find it works well with ashwaganda so you get the mood boost-adrenal support combo).
6. TEXTURE TUESDAYS, EVERYDAY
Many of the formulas entered into the 2021 Beauty Shortlist Awards (Tuesday 2 March) have been impressive but as much as we love exotic berries, wildharvested plants and alpine flower extracts, sublime textures as a “category unto themselves” have been a highlight this year.
Case in point: master of textures Pedro Catala’s TWELVE BEAUTY Hyaluroil Lip Treatment.
The formula is an intelligent and ultra-effective edit of white cacao butter or cupuacu (Latin name: theobroma grandiflorum seed butter), argan oil, sodium hyaluronate (to help keep lips more moist) featuring in the ingredients line-up. It’s a gorgeous-to-use product which literally improves the texture of lips and combats dryness.
Not only does this formula “fix” lip dryness at a deeper level, its divine and not-oily, hint-of-a-balm texture leaves a pleasing “comfort blanket veil” on lips.
Slow Ageing’s Essential Firming Body Essence is another texture-of-perfection product I’ve come across recently.
Founded by David Lieber (owner of Decleor UK for 30 years), this particular light, not oily body oil is one of my current favourites, there’s not a hint of oiliness yet it’s full of gorgeous oils, it’s luxuriously botanical and the scent is intriguing. Among the ingredients are hazlenut, ho wood, ylang ylang, rosemary and lemon verbena.
Body oils with therapeutic, not just scented, assets are set to be stronger this year, overall, as we look for genuinely calming/wind-down-before-bed or energising, mood-lifting self-care products.
“Ease tired limbs, energise and smooth skin with this light, non-greasy blend of nourishing and firming pure botanical oils. This stimulating body tonic fuses antioxidant ylang ylang with lemon verbena and rosemary to boost microcirculation and flush away skin-dulling toxins. Cell renewal is restored for radiant, silky-soft skin” – Slow Ageing’s Essential Firming Body Essence.
Other examples of texture heaven:
OSKIA’s pink, velvety gel Renaissance Mask (results are as superb as the texture!)
MODM London’s sun-shiny bright orange, want-to-dive-into-it Vitamin Cleansing Gel
7. 2021, BIDENS PILOSA’S YEAR?
Last year Bakuchiol was the darling of the “vegan retinol” news but this year it’s time to get to know another retinol “equivalent” that’s been showing up in all kinds of (hero status) products.
This unassuming member of the daisy family has a secret power: a retinol-like effect on skin
We’re talking Bidens Pilosa. (Not quite Biden Pelosi…but almost!)
This unassuming member of the daisy family has a secret power: a retinol-like effect on skin and it also helps diminish the signs and damage of photoaging along with a collagen boost effect. In addition, bidens pilosa has acne-calming, sebum-regulating properties and can pacify psoriasis.
Photo: FRESHLY cosmetics
In in vitro tests Bidens Pilosa was shown to increase collagen 1 by 24%, functional elastin by 42% and sirtuin-6 gene expression* (an indicator of cell longevity) 2.4 times.
*Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6 or Sirt6) is a stress responsive protein deacetylase and mono-ADP ribosyltransferase enzyme encoded by the SIRT6 gene. SIRT6 functions in multiple molecular pathways related to aging, including DNA repair, telomere maintenance, glycolysis and inflammation.
Where can you find it? Bidens Pilosa makes an appearance in:
Evolve Organic Beauty’s Bio-Retinol Gold Mask
Tropic Skincare’s Skin Dream Firming Cream Concentrate
REN SKincare’s Bio Retinoid Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate Oil
FRESHLY cosmetics’ Green Vitamin Concentrate Serum
8. BUY BETTER, BUY LESS
‘The virus’ has made us take a hard look at what really matters and from a skincare perspective, it’s about ethics (including provenance), ingredients, scents, efficacy, planet-friendly factor and texture.
So with most of us very price tag aware right now, this is a year where hero products come to the fore – when your bathroom shelfie might be less cluttered…but more interesting.
“Natural/organic doesn’t always mean more expensive although in many cases it is, and rightly so – because of the use of more precious ingredients, fresher, artisan-produced, farm-to-pot formulas…”
And it’s worth repeating the fact that natural/organic doesn’t always mean more expensive although in many cases it is, and rightly so – because of the use of more precious ingredients, fresher, artisan-produced, farm-to-pot formulas, etc.
It’s easy to fill a jar with cheap synthetics and fillers and keep it in a warehouse.
Three brands that immediately spring to mind would be:
Tropic Skincare, Evolve Organic Beauty and True Skincare – all affordable and Beauty Shortlist Awards winners as well.
9. SOAP: THIS YEAR’S ALMOST-NAKED ECO HERO
A soap bar that does lots of things, doesn’t take up much space, no plastic packaging, just a recyclable wrap and nothing to throw away? (As they say “what’s not to love??!”)
Battlegreen’s Lemon & Eucalyptus Dish Block Soap is my new kitchen hero (grease? No prob! It’s excellent for dishwashing and kitchen surfaces) and everyday it reminds me how ”simple is so often so much better”.
My other soap love at the moment is Finnish brand FIINI Naturally‘s Siivoussaippua Cleaning Soap (peppermint), I’d happily have a larder full of these soaps. (Their Disinfectant Cleaning Spray is great too, apparently, I haven’t tried that one but trusted sources tell me it’s excellent).
FIINI also make a stain remover bar ”stain stick” which worked well on white fabrics last summer. I was shocked at how quickly a turmeric stain came off a (new, of course) pristine white top.
The space-saving benefits of these bars is priceless, no need to hide bottles under the sink.
And a round of applause for the new crop of improved formula shampoo and conditioner bars too – check out eco brand SBTRCT’s soap-balm offerings, including this foaming cleansing bar…
From Greece, with love: KEAR (not KEAP!)
10. 2020 WAS NOOTROPICS : 2021 IS MOODTROPICS
Moodtropics: not yet coined officially as an actual word, I don’t think (?) I’m hopeful that saffron (crocus sativus) mentioned previously could emerge this year as an important new (but ancient, really) HPA axis regulator and mood booster.
Last year, with brain diseases like Alzheimers still causing an enormous amount of suffering (to families as well) and very much in the news (RIP Dame Barbara Windsor), I did a lot of research into nootropics.
[Side note here: if you know anyone with dementia please get this book: The End of Alzheimer’s by Dr Dale Bredesen].
It’s no longer categorically true or correct that this is an incurable disease despite what mainstream health sites (and organisations like the NHS of the Alzheimers Society) etc will tell you.
Why? Read Dr Dale Bredesen’s books, or watch his YouTube interviews. His protocol is being rolled out internationally, including in the UK, Australia and the US where he’s from.
A highly respected neurologist, Dr Bredesen’s follow-up book is The End of Alzheimer’s Programme (a simpler read which sets out his ReCODE protocol – main points include checking homocysteine levels (if too high, supplement with B12), exercise, brain training, nutrients as in supplements, meditation and more, and for a neurologist-devised protocol it’s perhaps surprisingly holistic-centric).
Bredesen’s protocol has now halted and reversed Alzheimers in over 2,000 patients the last time I checked. During the first trial, which was absolutely tiny but yielded very encouraging results, 9/10 people either stabilised or actively improved and for example went back to work.
Next to come are individual case success stories written by actual patients, and Bredesen’s own and third book featuring his “the proof of the pudding” success stories will be published this August.
Bredesen’s ReCODE protocol involves 36 points that need addressing which are clearly not do-able or practical for many BUT you can implement at least some core parts of the protocol at home incorporating:
B12 (to control homocysteine levels)
Vitamin D
Omega 3
Curcumin
Coconut oil
Magnesium L-threonate
Plus, dietary modifications (blueberries and salmon included) and other natural remedies like Lion’s Mane, Huperzine and Bacopa Monnieri.
Bredesen recommends having a brain check cognoscopy (in addition to the usual colonoscopy we’re advised to have when we turn 50) – so that any symptoms of MCI (mild cognitive impairment) can be treated before they progress. One of the ultimate take-aways in this sector of brain research is also the fact that – contrary to what scientists have thought – the brain has shown it’s capable of neuroplasticity – regrowing cells.
Autophagy (which is in layman’s terms basically a “clean out of weak/infected cells”) takes place while we sleep, so good sleep and ruling out sleep apnea are particularly important for brain health.
Why don’t we hear about this? The answer is glaringly obvious.
Big Pharma.
If I were a formulator, I’d focus on brain health, memory and mood because of the way these issues affect all of us at very different ages, from teenagers struggling with low mood or depression to the “other pandemic” – the upwards trajectory of dementia in older people.
So I think we can expect to see more mood-boosting (specifically) formulas emerge.
It’s important to distinguish these from calming/stress relief in that the mood-boosting and calming components will actively combine/be formulated specifically to uplift our mood rather than just relax us – mood-boosting and calming are actually two completely different yet intertwined things.
Moodlifting saffron again
I like saffron when it’s teamed with ashwaganda, but like both ashwaganda and rhodiola, holy basil is another adaptogen with the ability not just to calm and stabilise but actually boost one’s mood.
I sometimes take Fushi Wellbeing’s Calmaid to help me get to sleep when my mind’s racing, but I find it’s also a rather nice gentle daytime mood stabiliser, too, with an element of mood “lift” – so this is another formula well worth looking at.
Which brings us to…
11. AMINO ACIDS: THE NEW SLEEP STARS
Herbs, melatonin and magnesium aside, I think we could see a proliferation of advanced formula sleep supplements – particularly during this epidemic.
Some of the key amino acids liked to healthy sleep would be GABA, Glutamine, Glycine, 5-HTP, L-Theanine and L-Trytophan (5-HTP from the seeds of griffonia simplicifolia shows up in a lot of sleep supplements including Inspiriko’s Cosmic Calm, Bee Rested Sleep Support by Unbeelievable health – which ALSO has saffron – and Together Health’s Night Time Magnesium Complex).
5-HTP teams well with L-Theanine.
”L-Theanine is fantastic if you need to calm down but focus/work/study/take an exam and not feel sleepy – it can help keep you on an even keel as you go about your day”
L-Theanine is fantastic if you need to calm down but still need to focus/work/study, as there’s no soporific effect and it can help to keep you on an even keel while you go about your day – it’s like a quiet stabiliser that won’t make you fall asleep at the wheel.
12. IT’S NOT JUST WHICH VITAMINS YOU’RE TAKING – IT’S WHICH FORM? (AND YES IT MATTERS WHEN YOU TAKE THEM!)
I’m still amazed at how little information is generally shared about which *form* of a vitamin is best. And no, I’m not a doctor or nutritionist so in essence the following are my recommendations based on my experience and research, but…
If I were a formulator in another life, I’d design a multi-vitamin with only the ideal (not inferior) versions of the vitamins included. I keep seeing ascorbic acid (the inferior version of Vit C in too many otherwise quite good formulas, for example) – either uphold the quality or don’t bother.
In other words what we’re looking for is raw form/nature-derived vitamins extracted from a clean, organic natural source, traceable back to the seed for example – not GMO/bio-engineered/man-made/synthetic
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY (SIDE OF VITAMINS)
Here are a few examples of why it’s important to check the source and type of your vitamins.
Vitamin C
Ascorbic acid – NO (most often produced in China, this synthetic form of Vit C involves acetone during the manufacturing process)
Raw wholefood Vitamin C – YES
Vitamin B12
Cyanocobalamin – NO (all too common, cyanide-based, cheap, and there are calls to regulate/diminish this ingredient in the USA)
Cyanocobalamin contains a cynanide molecule, something I’m not planning to put into my system!
Methylcobalamin – YES
The safe alternative (and for that reason more expensive) is methylcobalamin – look for that instead.
In my fridge
Magnesium
Not all magnesium is created equal!
Too much to go into here. So many forms. Let’s just say AVOID magnesium oxide for starters.
For brain issues, the only version that can cross the blood-brain barrier is Magnesium L-Threonate so that’s the one to get it you’re taking it for cognitive support.
See the differences below – note that Magnesium Oxide is rightly so not on the list.
”Avoid magnesium oxide, and for brain health, the only version able to cross the blood-brain barrier is magnesium L-threonate, so that’s the one to get if you’re taking it for cognitive support”
Vitamin D + K2 (the K2 is important)
Supplementing with Vitamin D (actually a hormone) alone is not a great idea. We need the K2 to avoid arterial calcification, and together they work optimally.
I like BetterYou’s Vit D + K2 (it’s a portable little spray) but my favourite would be drops, eg. Nutriadvanced’s Drops. 3 drops provides 1,000iu’s of Vit D3.
Most Vit D comes from the lanolin in sheep’s wool, if you want to avoid that, take something like Viridian’s Vitamin D Drops (I just bought another bottle) where the vitamin D is derived from lichen. About a quarter of a dropper 0.5ml provides 2,000 iu.
I take 5,000iu daily and although we don’t hear about it much, hospitals use single doses of 60,000iu on Covid patients.
It’s almost useless to recommend 400iu daily – in my opinion it’s irresponsible. This is far too conservative. It takes a while for our D levels to build to a decent level and with little or no sun during winter (you’d need to be outside for an hour wearing very few clothes) D supplementation is critical.
On the other end of the scale in the 1940s massive doses of over 200,000iu Vitamin D were given to rheumatoid arthritis patients (see: Mayo Clinic Proceedings Editorial: May 2015) which cause serious problems.
If you have asthma, or are at risk for dementia, make sure you’re taking a decent daily dose and get your levels checked – results are often a shock.
Tip: Vitamin D3 is best taken in the morning with a little fat, while B12 is best absorbed on an empty stomach (as are collagen and serrapeptase, for example).
Vitamin D’s role in non-skeletal conditions (i.e. not just bone health) is becoming better recognised too. It can help prevent coronary artery disease, lower the risk for Parkinsons and I’ve personally tested it successfully for my cough-variant asthma (10,000iu over a two week limited period). It helps, every time.
Deficiency is also linked with stroke incidences and Vitamin D helps the brain “clean itself” – again, important particularly if you carry the APOE4 gene which is directly connected to increased risk of Alzheimer’s as well as earlier onset of Dementia.
Vitamin E
Tocopherols – GOOD
Tocotrienols – BETTER?
Life Extension has a tocopherol+tocotrienol mix formula called Gamma E which covers the entire Vitamin E spectrum.
Why are tocotrienols important? (Still very under the radar but I think we’ll see more on these in the next couple of years)
It’s best to take a COMPLETE Vitamin E supplement (Dr Mercola does one) because tocotrienols are more powerful as an antioxidant, in addition to being believed to be cancer, cardiovascular, osteoporosis and brain protective.
They can help with gastrointestinal health and on the beauty front they’re a great hair and skin ally, too.
13. C IS FOR CBD (AND IT’S MAKING ITS WAY INTO ”EVERYTHING”)
One of the strongest overall categories in this year’s Beauty Shortlist & Wellbeing Awards hands down, has been CBD (we’ll known which brands scored best of all on Tuesday 2 March, I’m really looking forward to sharing the brands with you – there was quite tough competition in the CBD categories and not all CBD oils are equal – by a long shot!)
Full spectrum, broad spectrum, isolates, day time, night time, delicious gummies (yes, vegan!), muscle rubs, body lotions, face creams, overnight treatments, CBD coffee, hummus, decadent CBD chocolate and chill-out-and-drift-off sleep formulas like APOTHEM’s Lights Out…(think: high quality CBD oil with milky oats, lemon balm, chamomile and more – plus 5-HTP and L-Theanine, the icing on the cake).
APOTHEM describes the taste of Lights Out CBD Oil as “notes of vanilla, caramel and cardamom”. If you hate the taste of CBD oil, you won’t be able to detect it here.
“APOTHEM describes the taste of its Lights Out (pre-sleep) CBD Oil as having notes of vanilla, caramel and cardamom”
These kinds of products are the future of CBD and I think 2021 is going to be an incredibly exciting year on the CBD front for consumers looking for moments of calm in stormy times.
There’s more CBD-infused chocolate around this year, and it has already made its way into water, coffee, lemonade and hummus (just for starters)…
APOTHEM’s Lights Out Drops (the bottle’s more of a dark translucent purple under my bedside light)
Cheerful Buddha, brewing up CBD Coffee
Two edible CBD treats from Love Hemp
Soil Association-certified chill-out chickpeas
CBD brand PASO’s 75mg per bar dark chocolate (also in milk)
#yesimighthaveanothersquarethanks
OTO’s “relax and restore” CBD Night Cream
One of the most interesting, superior quality CBD brands on the British market, currently: LADY A’s blood orange infused
“Morning Tincture”
14. 2021, THE YEAR OF THE AMBER GLASS BOTTLE
With more and more skincare pouring its way into dark glass/Miron Violet Glass bottles (and rightly so – not just for the planet but also to preserve the integrity and freshness of the natural ingredients), we’ve seen more amber AESOP’s signature shade) bottles and skincare jars coming in for the awards than in any previous year (2020 was more “black & white”).
It’s nice to see more colours on the UV-protective dark glass spectrum alongside three other “signature shade glass bottle” brands that spring to mind – Neal’s Yard Remedies’ iconic indigo blue and VOTARY and BAMFORD ORGANICS’ strong emerald glass branding.
Also check out Made for Life by Spiezia’s gorgeous frosted glass jar colours, they make magical tealight holders after you’ve scooped the last drop of balm out of them.
Lovely ultra-protective dark Miron Violet Glass aside, I’m happy to see more colours emerging in the glass bottle world.
Nailing the Modern Apothecary vibe
British beauty & wellness brand ede
15. MORE PERSONALISATION
Expect a new flurry of tailor-made, individually-targeted beauty products (and supplements).
16. COLLAGEN (BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT)
Collagen’s still having a field day. It’s cheaper than a series of facialist treatments or eye serums with eye-watering price tags – and for the non-bovine, non-fish crowd there are vegan options around now (including a product by Collagen Shots maker Rejuvenated).
But – collagen just got more interesting… now there’s some very early research using collagen 1 as a Covid prophylactic
Watch this space?
17. ”YOU ARE STRONG, YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE GOING TO FIND A HIDDEN AFFIRMATION IN YOUR NIGHT CREAM BOX”
This is the first year affirmations have been popping up inside more than just a few beauty boxes. I had saved some of them for this feature but they’ve disappeared into the recycling bin already. I’ve loved these!
OTO CBD Night Face Cream
We all need as much positive reinforcement as we can get right now. Encouraging secret messages. Yes please.
“We need as much positive reinforcement as we can get right now“
18. INCLUSIVE BEAUTY: NOT A TREND – A PRIORITY
More brands, more shades, more textures, more hair products…but why so late? The glaring lack of choice of inclusive beauty specific products until recently is incomprehensible.
Two things, if I had to put them on the table, irk me about this industry:
1) greenwashing (pitching a product as natural or organic and totally misleading consumers, when it really is NOT)
2) the dire lack of choice in the “inclusive beauty” sector
”The glaring lack of choice within the inclusive beauty sector…is incomprehensible”
I’m watching this particular space keenly this year (also look out for the Inclusive Beauty winners in this year’s Beauty Shortlist Awards – particularly the hair and makeup brands).
Black-owned beauty brands “forza!” – onwards and upwards. We want you and we need many, many more of you.
19. SPOTLIGHTING SOURCING
Provenance – the backstory and very essence of a brand – or “roots to retail” as I call it, I think will become even more important than ever before(for a number of reasons, including soil health, ethics and so on).
”Provenance – the backstory and very essence of a brand – or “roots to retail” as I call it – will become even more important than ever before”
It’s one thing to gaze lustfully at a beautiful label sprinkled with heavenly-sounding fruit, plant and herb extracts, it’s a whole other story when you dig deeper and ask: “OK but where did these “beautiful ingredients” come from, how and where (and by who) were they harvested?
As leading organic beauty formulation school Formula Botanica advises its students, we should be asking:
– Where does the ingredient come from?
– Who produced it? (And harvested it?)
– Where was the plant material collected?
– Were the plants wild harvested or cultivated?
Side note: Much as I love organic, the purist inside me loves wild-harvested just a little more. I strongly believe plants that survive climate extremes out there in nature’s wet, freezing or hot, dry and wild landscapes are more resilient and potent. Organic doesn’t mean wild-grown (you can have an organic garden at home).
Wild-harvested plants are the Wim Hofs of the beauty world.
As for sourcing, here’s a case in point:
A few years ago, I went on a private tour of a Swiss CBD lab in Geneva (having phone and asked if this was possible, it was a fascinating two hours).
When I got home, I decided to research other Swiss CBD brands to see what the competition was up to and one particular brand founder, a young-ish, very confident guy kept popping up in news clips on Swiss German TV.
Something in my gut told me something wasn’t right, though. I Googled the location of his cannabis farm because I didn’t recognise the name of the place.
Oh my goodness…according to Wikipedia, the small municipality, enclosed by swathes of emerald green forests and dotted with brilliant sunflower fields “is home to one of the most toxic hazardous waste landfills in all of Switzerland”. (And since 1978, gah!)
I contacted the grower and brand founder to ask him about this and unsurprisingly, no response.
Then there are those ubiquitous glyphosates, contaminating community crops like corn, oats, wheat, soy and sugar beet.
Glyphosate has even been found in the placenta of pregnant women living in heavily sprayed locations. Round-Up should never have been allowed to be put on the market.
With everything else we have to be extra-vigilant about this year, including soil health, sourcing will be a key consideration.
“With everything else we have to be extra-vigilant about this year, including soil health, sourcing will be a key consideration”
Pollutants seep into the soil, natural water sources and the air we breathe. So knowing where and how natural ingredients are sourced is key (and who is harvesting them, how ethical is the company, and are the workers paid fair wages?)
20. LET IT SNOW MUSHROOM
Look out for tremella fuciformis mushrooming in more top-scoring beauty products. It’s one of my personal favourite ingredients, almost a dupe for hyaluronic acid with its cushiony, gelatinous texture. While HA holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, snow mushroom (also called silver ear) manages 500 but its smaller particles allegedly penetrate the skin better.
If cushiony, dewy, plump and elasticising are words that make your skin sing, snow mushroom is for you.
Looks like a bath sponge, acts like Hyaluronic Acid and if there was a mushroom beauty contest, snow mushroom would win
Eminence Organics are fans of snow mushroom. Their star eye product containing this ingredient (if your eye area is dry, lined, feels dehydrated and in need of some serious plumping and moisturising with staying power) is:
Eminence Organics Snow Mushroom Moisture Cloud Cream (a Beauty Shortlist 2020 winner I remember vividly – it was fantastic).
Tremella fuciformis also appears in: Naya’s Glow Serum, Dr Alkaitis Organic Beautifying Mask and Kypris Glow Philtre Mask.
21. P IS FOR PARACRESS (aka SPILANTHES)
Another natural wonder filtering its way into more skincare products lately is Paracress. Also called the peek-a-boo plant (red peeking out of the yellow) acmella oleracea (Latin name) is showing up more and more on ingredients labels.
Used for toothache, skin health, and possessor of anti-bacterial properties, this unusual looking “flower” (actually a flowering herb, part of the asteraceae family which includes sunflowers, daisies and echinacea) is rated for its botox-like effect (by relaxing muscles and thereby visibly firming skin).
Native to more exotic environments like Brazil and India, this little medicinal gem is also cultivated in Switzerland by A. Vogel.
When I grow up I want to be a sunflower…
Spilanthes/Paracress/Acmella Oleracea, nature’s botox – also used medicinally for toothache
What’s it in? A growing number of products, some key examples being:
Samaya Ayurveda’s Kapha Anti-Ageing Oil
Balance Me’s Hyaluronic Plumping Primer
This Scandi beauty brand Facial Oil by Lernberger Stafsing
22. FLY ME TO THE MOON (OR THE SUN AND THE STARS): CELESTIAL BEAUTIES
Arguably one of the biggest trends of the 2021 Beauty Shortlist Awards are the brands whose essence is “celestial beauty”, tapping into the feminine energy of the moon, celebrating the life-giving energy of the sun, paying more attention to circadian rhythms…it’s all about “Celestial Beauty”.
As Melanie Tritt, founder of California brand Moon Beings notes:
”We all live on this earth and when we look up – we all see the same moon. This moon runs our tides, our planet and affects every human on planet earth. This unites us all.”
While the Bowie-esque celestial makeup trend – like glitter-flecked lips and star-spangled eyes isn’t new, with the state of things in Europe and the USA at the moment, life on Mars might be a nice escape…at least for a while.
It looks like we’ll see more sun-and-moon nomiker brands like Moon Juice, Moon Skincare, and “full moon, new moon and blue moon” products like Graydon’s Full Moon Serum in the limelight this year, especially with LIGHT (shining our own light, both for ourselves and for others) being a big spiritual theme for 2021.
Fly Me To A Full Moon…Canadian brand Graydon’s Full Moon Serum
“Joy-inspired aroma”.
More joy. Yes please.
Iconic seasonal-cycle, moon-phase aware “modern classics” Dr Haushka and Weleda both pride themselves on biodynamic farming (while we’re on the subject of farming, Regenerative Farming will be incredibly important in 2021). There’s good reason for sowing and reaping in harmony with moon cycles and the seasons.
“Iconic seasonal-cycle, moon-phase aware “modern classics” Dr Haushka and Weleda both pride themselves on biodynamic farming”
For Weleda, biodynamic farming lies at the very core of the brand:
“To ensure the best quality ingredients we grow our own plants in herb gardens to biodynamic® standards, which is a form of farming we call “super-organic” – it isn’t just about how the plants are grown it’s also about where and when we grow them.
“We ensure the eco-system is balanced, planting in line with the biodynamic calendar; odd at first until you realise that the moon, sun and planets all affect the way a plant grows. Farming in this way isn’t easy but it is well worth the extra effort we go to as our plants make potent tinctures from which we make your medicines.
“No pesticides or artificial fertilisers are ever used here, the land is managed sensitively and we’ve developed different habitats such as a pond, woodland, meadows, hedgerows etc. which help to sustain a rich and diverse population of insects, birds and animals.
– WELEDA
23. THE ENERGY WORKERS: CRYSTAL BEAUTY
As for crystal beauty? Just like those hidden affirmations, crystal power is gaining momentum within the clean beauty movement, and it’s somewhat interlinked with the “celestial beauty” trend.
Kora Organics’ rose quartz-infused Crystal Luminizer
(at Cult Beauty)
Catalonian brand Freshly Cosmetics’ Rose Quartz Facial Cleanser
All the good things…
Citrine-infused Campfire Glow Illuminating Face & Neck Serum by Topanga-based Californian brand Cult of Treehouse
YAGE Organics’ SLEEPING BEAUTY Intensive Night Facial Oil – blueberry-rich, and infused with Moonstone
Kristin Paeonia’s US brand Nourishe Organics is all about natural, plant-potent ingredients – her Daily Face Wash contains anti-bacterial hero shungite (also a water purifier, root chakra stone and EMF protector, grounding and protective)
Herbivore’s BRIGHTEN Instant Glow Mask
with Brazilian Micronised Tourmaline Gemstone Powder
Eminence Organics’ new Gemstone Collection with Malachite in the mix of its Charcoal Exfoliating Gel Cleanser (known for its cleansing, healing, positive transformation qualities) and whether you’re into crystals or not, this ultra-purifying, deep-cleansing addition to the range is worth earmarking.
Pink Tourmaline – in Eminence’s Camellia Glow Solid Face Oil (one of my new joys late last year)
24. BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER (IS THE NEW BLUE TANSY)
Hello lovely butterfly pea flower!
Keep your eyes peeled for the skincare star that doubles as the prettiest blue tea ever – welcome to skincare with colour therapy benefits.
This intense blue flower is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich and a very useful ally if you need help for redness/rosacea and acne-prone skin.
Naturally high in proanthocyanidins (the dark blue or purple polyphenols in blueberries, etc), Butterfly Pea Flower power could be skincare’s prettiest 2021 trend.
”Butterfly Pea Flower is
the new Blue Tansy”
Beverly Hills skin expert Sonya Dakar’s Blue Butterfly Balm
…or drink it.
Leaf People’s (a lovely brand) Blue Butterfly Pea Flower “powder”
Nature is the best painter
Photo: Oh, How Civilised (a really lovely tea blog by Jee, a certified tea sommelier)
25. THE SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY + FOOD STAR: MICROALGAE
Microalgaes like spirulina and chlorella (as opposed to kelp, red, brown & green seaweeds, etc that fall under the term “macroalgae”) are popping up more, not just in skincare but in the nutritional sector as well.
”Microalgae: Food of the future?”
As New Food Magazine notes in:
“Microalgae: Food of the Future?”
Microalgae is an ingredient full of potential, being rich in numerous health-beneficial compounds such as omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LC-PUFA). … In a search for more sustainable food systems, microalgae are considered one of the most auspicious sustainable sources of food ingredients.
Micro v macro – the differences, by The Difference Between
Here’s Inlight’s Super-Food Mask with Spirulina…
And the mask that “led” the kale obsession
I’m a big fan of micro- and macroalgae skincare products and nutritionally, both spirulina and chlorella contain chlorophyll.
I take chlorophyll when I have a mountain of work to get through (eg right now, pre-Awards), I find it’s definitely helpful with high dose Vitamin B12 drops, for stamina and resilience.
If you’re feeling wearier than usual chlorophyll (which makes leaves green) is worth trying…
Finally! (This has taken me so long to write, so many interruptions and excel judging sheets to get through).
Perhaps the most important trend of all – which embraces EVERYTHING, beauty, wellness, self-care and mental health – is NATURE.
NATURE is a human being’s best tonic (along with good food, sunlight and good sleep).
I get up early and go and sit on my terrace wrapped up to the nines with a tea (even if it’s cold and rainy) and listen to the early birds starting their day.
This (wacky?) “morning ritual” calms me before the day kicks off and I’m sure it’s made me a bit more resilient. In fact I don’t think a day or two has gone by since the virus entered our lives when I haven’t done this.
And one more quick thing before signing off: ask yourself before you hit the pillow, or perhaps after dinner, “What went well today?” (I love this tip by brain health specialist Dr Daniel Amen).
NATURE is such a deep source of joy and solace. The birds don’t sing only when they’re “happy” – and I know, admittedly they’re not dealing with tax returns or bereavement and supermarket shortages or have to do jobs involving wearing a mask all day. They don’t pay any rent, they have no mortgages and they sing every day to remind us of the joy of being alive (something that’s been somewhat lacking for so many of us lately).
The beach fixes everything
Surfing life’s waves in Agadir, Morocco
Photo: Gianfranco Lanzio
Let’s see how 2021 pans out. Fingers crossed it’s the “year of the upswing” but we have to go through it to get out the other side first.
So there we are. What looks strong for 2021.
COMING SOON…
Save the date:
The 2021 Beauty Shortlist Awards, Tuesday 2 March.
What do you think will be big/different/new in 2021?
“Blessed are they who never read a newspaper, for they shall see Nature”
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
#PutYourPhoneAway