Upcoming Wellness Trend

Wellness Trend

One wellness trend that has been taking shape in 2018 is the promotion of clean, non-toxic beauty and body products. These beauty products can range from make-up, shampoo and conditioner, nail polish. The alarming fact is companies can get away with including harmful toxins in their products because there is no strict safety law regulating these beauty products. In Singapore, beauty products do not require HSA’s approval to get onto the shelves as they are considered a lower risk when compared to other health products. HSA will only interfere if products are deemed harmful through routine sampling serious incidents. However, it seems a little too late as such products have already been roaming in the market for some time.

Consumers becoming increasingly conscious of the products they are using, the demand for non-toxic beauty products also increases. And in response, cosmetics giant – Sephora has their own dedicated category suited for consumers who wants to avoid said harmful ingredients. With more than 50 brands signed on with “Clean at Sephora”, brands who qualify will each feature a seal on the Sephora product page. To qualify for the certification, products cannot contain any prohibited ingredients that have been determined through various reasons, be it harm to the human body or the environment. By having a huge industry player take a stand on the issue, it sets an example for the rest of the industry which will then be forced to reconsider their methods of production.

Screengrab from 'Clean at Sephora'

This worldwide trend can also be seen in Singapore where consumers want transparency from the products they use. Consumers want to feel good while using their favourite moisturizer per se, without having to worry potential harm that could follow. Therefore, one impact created by the trend can be seen in the form of new product offerings emerging to cater to the trend. Personally, I came across an article about the harmful effects that can be caused by sulfate shampoos. After which, I went out to check out my nearby supermarket. And as expected, it was not difficult to find a shampoo with the words “sulfate free”, slapped across the label. The fact that mega brands such as Silkpro have developed their own sulfate free product line in response to this wellness trend, shows that there must be sufficient demand from the mass market.  From this personal example, this shows that the consumer market here in Singapore has also taken attention in moving towards clean beauty products, and it is a trend that is growing rapidly.

Sulfate shampoo I bought

Despite me unable to uncover any relevant information about local spa and wellness centers acting based on this ongoing trend, I do foresee some movement within the industry in the near future based on the above-mentioned observation and example. Consumers can expect to see spa starting to market themselves towards the term ‘clean’. This can take form in areas such as newly curated spa treatments consisting of organic and eco-friendly ingredients and being transparent when it comes to what they are putting onto the customer’s skin.

All in all, the ‘clean’ trend is more than just something companies should seek just to keep up with the game and generate profits. It relates back to consumers being granted the knowledge and power about the products and services they are purchasing. This knowledge and power can be viewed as both an ease of mind for the consumer and also a literal safeguard of the human health and well-being. This movement towards transparency is something that has been neglected for way too long. Companies need to be held responsible for their offerings both as an ethical and safety issue. With this trend, hopefully the industry will be able to progress positively upwards into an eco-friendly space where customers come to seek beauty and wellness, rather than having to worry for any underlying undesirable effects. This should be done for the benefit of both our physical and mental bodies, and our mother earth.