Galderma Issues Report Outlining Key Trends

Galderma has unveiled a forward-looking industry report on the global aesthetic trends that are anticipated to shape the future. NEXT is the product of research commissioned by the company in collaboration with leading trend forecasting agency WGSN and co-created with a global network of renowned aesthetic practitioners and influencers. It presents the movements and trends that may impact the future demand for aesthetic treatments.

 

Aesthetics is increasingly becoming part of our holistic beauty and well-being routines, which, in turn, are expected to drive the category’s projected growth. By 2028, the aesthetics market is predicted to nearly double in value and reach $25.9B.₁

 

The report outlines three core macro-movements that support this growth, from which Galderma has identified six trends that are driving aesthetics towards the next phase.

 

Each trend is supported by data and insights from industry influencers and leading aesthetic practitioners across the world, indicating how each trend will shape tomorrow.

 

 

The rise of less invasive treatments, termed ‘tweakments’, as coined by journalist Alice Hart-Davis, illustrates the desire for convenience, minimal downtime and (often) immediate results. Additionally, patients now have greater access to aesthetic treatments via new treatment locations and options. Over the past five years, more than 400 aesthetic clinics and care centres collectively raised $3.1B from investors, making this segment the fastest-growing of the aesthetics industry.₂

 

Affordability still has a significant influence on the accessibility of aesthetics. The availability of more affordable pricing options in recent years has widened the pool of people who are able to access treatments. Furthermore, beauty is being treated as a right instead of a choice in countries such as Brazil, where the government subsidies nearly half a million

plastic surgeries every year.₃

 

The typification of aesthetics ‘for women’ is moving to ‘for all.’ The inclusivity that has reshaped the beauty industry at large is predicted to have equal influence within the world of aesthetics. Notably, change in gender expressions has invoked an openness to men participating in beauty, which is evidenced by the fact that the American Society of Plastic Surgeons saw a 182% increase in treatments in men from 2000-2020.₄

 

The rise of aesthetic tech has expanded not only the variety of treatment options available but also their appeal. Take, for example, augmented reality and face editing apps, where people can share visuals with their aesthetic doctors as part of the consultation process.

 

A 2020 survey completed by an artificial intelligence app that enables users to preview cosmetic procedure results suggests there is a rising trend in aesthetic tech; it found that 55% of adults would be interested in an app or website that allows them to see how aesthetic procedures affect their faces or looks in a medically accurate way.₅ 

 

In addition, new innovations are improving existing products – for example, by expanding indications and offering longer-lasting efficacy. We are also seeing new innovative product developments. Such advancements provide practitioners with more options to address the patient’s wants and needs

 

Awareness and understanding of aesthetic treatments have increased through social media. 

 

Aesthetic practitioners are using social media to garner sizeable followings, highlighting that the world of aesthetics has a far-reaching platform of increasing influence.

 

Indeed, Californian facial plastic surgeon Dr Kay Durairaj, who has 400K+ followers on TikTok, notes that 80% of her patients come from social media.6 Aesthetic treatments are not only being normalised but also popularised online with patients using social networks for guidance, advice and knowledge.

 

The six future trends that are emerging as a result of these macro movements and are anticipated to shape the future consumer demand for aesthetic treatments are: 

 

The rise of ‘prejuvenation’ treatments, which focus on ‘prevention’ rather than ‘correction,’ reflects the zeitgeist of today. For aesthetics, this means a move toward early intervention. 

 

Today’s consumer is invested in preparing for a future where they can prolong their youthful appearance for as long as possible, rather than how their DNA and external factors dictate. This is supported by the fact that 47% of U.K. adults agree that social media has made getting non-surgical procedures more commonplace. It has become ‘the new normal’ for us to think ahead about how aesthetics can intervene on the signs of ageing.₇

 

Looking forward, effective ways to stimulate collagen and elastin production are likely to emerge. So, too, will solutions that more widely restore what is lost with age: developments addressing bone loss and hair thinning are afoot._8,9,10 As proactive beauty becomes established, we will likely see multi-modal treatment plans combining several aesthetic interventions with skincare, nutrition, as well as long-term health and wellness to make prolonging youthful appearance a reality.₁₁ 

 

The ethos of mindful beauty has reached the aesthetics market. Consumers are increasingly embracing products with minimal environmental impact that align with their ethical values and provide natural-looking results. The statistics speak for themselves: the global natural and organic beauty market is projected to hit $22B by 2024 and is one of the fastest-growing categories in the personal care sector.₁₂

 

Additionally, there is demand for products that seamlessly integrate with the body, indicating a push-back against artifice.

 

As a society, we are increasingly aware that what we put into our bodies can impact our health and beauty. Today’s consumer expects transparency and accountability regarding ingredients, as well as sustainability and ethical impact. In addition, ‘Skinimalist’ consumers are actively celebrating wearing less makeup. 

 

We will also see more sustainable packaging solutions.

 

The fact that trends in the fashion world rise and fall is nothing new. But the addition of aesthetics is a recent – and noteworthy – development. “What we [as humans] perceive to be beautiful is actually quite fickle because…we can influence what we perceive as beautiful. 

 

Approximately half of beauty-interested Gen Zs and Millennials use social media to follow celebrity performers.₁₃ Yet, while today’s trends are often instigated by celebrities, their growth is enabled by viral social media trends. 

 

Here today, gone tomorrow – consider these recent examples of treatments, which have increased and decreased in popularity quickly.

Aesthetics intersecting with immediacy isn’t going away; for consumers it’s about satisfying novelty but for practitioners, it’s more complicated. It’s about how to know if a look is ‘fast’ or here to stay – and how to safely react to the mindset of ‘disposable looks.’ In the future, we may see treatments designed for temporary life states (i.e. a wedding, a vacation) as well as a continuation of treatments that can be safely reversed. Practitioners highlight a responsibility to bust myths about how easily treatments can be reversed while ensuring that patients are fully informed about the ‘trends’ they are asking for; spending more time in consultation and considering a stepwise approach to treatment will become key.

 

There’s a new and more extreme take on fandom and stardom at play in the aesthetics world today. This trend indulges in fascination with niche idolisation – from cultural icons to digital filters, anime and beyond – which is leading to a desire for metamorphosis. 

 

This trend reflects how the world of aesthetics responds to the culture of fascination with metamorphosis and mimicry that is fuelled by digital communities that explore unique beauty ideals. How practitioners respond to this consumer trend is a controversial and delicate topic, bringing questions of ethics and where the limit sits for physicians facing such requests.

 

Social media has enabled niche fan groups to connect, especially on TikTok, while constant exposure to famous faces has triggered an aspiration that also impacts consumer demand. Digital filters can seamlessly morph real faces into those of animated characters, cueing aesthetics with the possibility of bridging the gap between fantasy and reality, as well as prompting how practitioners can manage patients’ potentially unrealistic expectations.

 

There is a greater interplay between a sense of self and self-expression. We live in an era that encourages people to embody and own their individuality in fashion, styling, hair, makeup and now aesthetic treatments. Who you are and who you want to be; it’s all open to exploration in a trend that celebrates every aspect of self and that links to our personal worlds and cultural communities.

 

Beauty standards are increasingly a thing of the past; empowerment to be yourself leads the charge. Indeed, eight in 10 Gen Z and Millennials claim that ‘being yourself’ is the phrase that fits their definition of beauty₁₄, and one in five people in the UK augment their appearance as a form of identity expression.₁₅

 

Personality, culture and gender are all open to being redefined with aesthetic treatments. The need to go beyond a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach will grow, with consultations that consider all patients’ desired outcomes, even if they differ from typical beauty standards. 

 

Consumers are cancelling expectations of what certain ages should ‘look like,’ as consumers employ aesthetics to express their ageless attitude. The vital attitude shift is towards ‘preservation.’ Nearly 72% of women globally said that they want to focus on looking healthy rather than young, and 63% of women globally agree that ageing is no longer something to fear.₁₆

 

As stem cell technologies, wearable diagnostic tech and biotechnology are gaining momentum. At the same time, Silicon Valley billionaires invest in DNA editing, cellular rejuvenation technology and human ailment reversal. As a result, consumers are expecting longer, healthier lives – with the faces to match. The notion of ‘age appropriateness’ is also becoming old-fashioned, and language is pivoting away from reversal-focused ‘anti-ageing’ and towards preservation focused terminology such as pro-ageing, age management and agelessness.