Trends depend on many external factors and, around the world, health has been our primary focus since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. After months of lockdowns and changing restrictions, our routines – including our approach to skincare - have evolved at a rapid rate.

Quick-fix solutions and fads are being replaced with more measured, long-term practices and routines that are simpler and slower but still results-driven. Being indoors more than ever before has affected everyone on an emotional and behavioral level. It won’t be a surprise to you that this affects our skin, with increased exposure to blue light from our devices being our complexions’ #1 indoor enemy. Taking this global shift into account, we have dived deep into the skincare world to bring you a rundown of the 5 latest trends (not fads) to try.

Healing Routines

Research from The Future Laboratory’s Beauty, Health & Wellness Futures 2021 report shows that the emotional impact of the pandemic, extended periods of working from home, the amount of exposure to blue screens and an uncertain future have resulted in anxiety, declining skin health and premature ageing. These unwanted fine lines and dark spots are also known as ‘Covid Face’. To combat this, ingredient innovations are powering new products that support the skin during times of stress. The magic ingredient that counteracts the effects of digital pollution? Vitamin C.

Clare Varga, Head of Beauty at trend forecasting agency WGSN, reveals Vitamin C was the most searched for skincare ingredient, from April 2020 to April 2021. Alongside this, the most popular key phrase we globally typed during this period was ‘blue light’. While searches for ‘serums’ and ‘niacinamide’ are extremely hot topics, according to Google Analytics.

So, what makes Vitamin C so popular inparticular?  It helps to revitalise the skin while also improving your skin tone and visibly reducing the appearance of fine lines. It has been proven that it contains a high dose of powerful antioxidants to combat skin ageing and bolster collagen production. Collagen is the protein that makes your skin firm, plump and elastic. In addition, the antioxidant and anti-ageing properties of Vitamin C help bring a radiant glow to your complexion. Add our Vitamin C Natural Booster to your daily skincare routine by adding 4-5 drops once or twice a day onto a clean face and neck. The lightweight, silky finish of the water-based formula will heal your skin from within and makes it look fresh.

Another booster from our skincare collection that is going to help to visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots and enlarged pores caused by increased screen time, is our Niacinamide Natural Booster. This water-soluble vitamin, also known as Vitamin B3, is praised for the brightening properties and helps even skin tone and texture.

A final addition to this list of natural beauties is the Peptides Natural Booster helps relieve your skin from the effects of oxidative environmental stresses. These natural peptides counteract the effects of digital pollution and help the skin become more resilient, as well as improving firmness and elasticity.

Sustainable beauty

One of the positive outcomes of the global lockdowns, is that Mother Earth was able to catch her breath for a while. Although The Guardian published that the slowdown of human activity was too short to reverse years of destruction, and so the pandemic pointed out the urge for bigger industries to develop themselves in a sustainable way. On a global level, climate change is the biggest risk, according to the World Economic Forum. It is crystal clear that brands need to innovate on a sustainable level to foster a greener future.

One of the most important pillars in this vital sustainability issue, is packaging. Sustainable packaging helps reduce our carbon footprint and this mission is important to Rituals. We have three sustainability pillars: Clean, Conscious & Caring With every product developed, Rituals works to create packaging that is optimally fit for purpose in terms of functionality, the use of the resources, waste reduction and the environmental impact. In 2019, Rituals saved 8.5 million litres of water (3.4 full size Olympic swimming pools), used 272.682 kg less material and saved the amount of energy equal to the annual use of 1.806 households.

Refills are also a big part of our sustainability focus. Not only good for your wallet, but also for the planet. Try for example the Refill Body Cream of The Ritual of Jing. This refill saves up to 70% CO2 emissions, 65% in energy and uses 45% less water. Extra plus: it fits perfectly into your original luxury jar.

Beauty and the beard

According to WGSN, men will prioritise skincare, and by 2024, there will be a leveling up of the gender split in skincare. Changing grooming priorities and evolving cultural attitudes to masculinity will see ʻproper skincare routinesʼ finally gain lasting traction with men. The industry has gone from being merely a market focused on shaving and fragrance to one that provides a variety of skin products, haircare products, shower gels, and body lotions.

The pandemic has influenced men's grooming habits just as it did for women. Ladies, if your beloved night cream suddenly ran out faster than usual, we might know why. WGSN found out that heterosexual men, in particular, began to experiment with their partners' products and try out new looks with the extra time in lockdown. Since stores were closed, they embraced online shopping to explore skincare in a less intimidating environment. Products that have anti-ageing and anti-fatigue effects are the most popular among men. One of the reasons that men have a strong desire of younger looking skin, is the confronting virtual workplace.

Louisa Maaldrink, Category Manager Innovation at Rituals, confirms this trend. Looking at sales and the experiences of store staff, the Purifying Charcoal Wonder Mask is an absolute hit among men. This purifying face mask helps remove impurities and waste substances, exfoliates dead skin cells and stimulates cell renewal. The result: deeply cleansed, soft and smooth skin.

Louisa also stresses the importance of men’s products having their own look and feel. The packaging should be ‘masculine’, meaning dark(er) colours and clean, plain jars. A good example of this is the skincare collection of The Ritual of Samurai that helps men to build confidence and to nourish their skin. Create some extra space in the bathroom for the Face Cleansing Foam, Face Scrub, and Anti-Ageing Cream.

Personalised skincare

When going on a short trip, a handwritten welcome note on your pillow will make you smile from ear to ear. We all (secretly) love attention and the feeling that someone is looking after you. This is no different with skincare. With thousands of products on the market, we totally understand that your craving for a routine that’s made especially for you. Personalised skincare can help you focus on specific concerns at a certain time.

According to The Future Laboratory, skincare will increasingly focus on less but better, with multi-step routines replaced by concentrated products and personalised formulas that address multiple concerns in one. Better known as skinimalism, this minimalist approach embraces the reduction of products in your skincare routine. The goal? Letting your natural texture shining through. Being a skinimalist means using multi-tasking products, being both economical and eco-friendly. In short - one of the biggest skincare trends out there, it that the products provide everything you need taking the time of the month, day or even season into account. A great way to personalise your skincare is with our Natural Boosters.

Cleansing

With this trend we are going back to the basics. It sounds so obvious, but without clean skin it won’t absorb all the goodness from the skincare ingredients you apply. Consumers are shifting their focus to natural beauty and cleansing right can truly help improve your skin.  According to data from Pinterest, searches for ‘how to get naturally glowing skin’ quadrupled in 2020 and cleansing is key.

Dr. Sophie Shotter, doctor at Illuminate Skin Clinics, underlines the importance of a thorough cleansing routine: “I suggest being rigorous with cleansing, and don’t be afraid to double cleanse at night.” The Ritual of Namaste shows the utmost respect for nature as well as your natural beauty. All the products have been developed with responsibly sourced natural or naturally-derived ingredients, making them ideal for unveiling your natural beauty. There is a selection of cleansers, so you can find a texture and type that suits you, from an indulgent Cleansing Balm to a quick and easy Micellar Water.