Whole Foods Market, and its Trends Council, have announced five clean beauty trends that they predict will be most popular among consumers in 2021.

Amy Jargo, Global Beauty Buyer at Whole Foods Market, comments:

“The beauty industry has seen significant consumer shifts this year due to Covid-19, and our trends are a true reflection of these changes. Customers are looking to streamline their beauty routines, while also seeking out brands that align with their values like those that limit their environmental impact with waterless and upcycled products.” 

Clean Beauty Trend #1—Beauty Goes Waterless

Solid, waterless formats mean less plastic packaging since a brand can choose a box or tin when a product isn’t in liquid form. The product is also generally smaller, which reduces the amount of packaging needed and the shipping weight.

Clean Beauty Trend #2—Multitasking Balms

There are balm products, typically in stick packaging, for just about all cosmetic products—for lips, cheeks, cuticles and more. They’re in sync with a poll commissioned by Whole Foods Market that reveals consumers will continue with a more simplified skincare and makeup routine, post-pandemic.  

Clean Beauty Trend #3—Juiced Up Skincare

Skincare and self-care essentials are packed with top superfoods to ‘feed’ your skin, including vitamin C, celery, mushrooms, and blueberries.

Clean Beauty Trend #4—Upcycled Beauty

Whole Foods Market states, “We’re seeing repurposed ingredients in beauty products— think quality coffee grounds, discarded apricot stones, leftover argan shells…giving what would have been food waste, new life.” See UpCircle’s skincare products made from coffee.

Clean Beauty Trend #5—Stressed Skin, Meet Ramped-Up Remedies

Skincare with soothing ingredients address skin issues currently “inflamed” by the pandemic, such as “maskne.” Products formulated to counteract the effect of stress on your skin are also helpful right now.

See products that represent each in the slideshow: Clean Beauty Brands Representing Top Trends of 2021

Poll Reveals Simplification & Transparency Are Key

Whole Foods Market also shared results of a recently commissioned online survey, conducted by The Harris Poll. 

Staying at home during the pandemic means women are used to wearing less makeup—and the poll reveals that 85% of consumers who simplified their beauty routines over the past year plan to continue.

Transparency also remains essential. More than half (57%) of consumers surveyed said they are interested in learning more about what ingredients are in the beauty products they are buying.

Packaging the Trends—Whole Foods’ Artisan Bags

To make it easy for consumers to try products representing these trends, Whole Foods Market created two Beauty Bags—Glow-Up Beautiful and New Essentials. 

Each is $20 (valued at $135) and available in-store while supplies last. They contain a mix of mini and full-sized products from brands like cocokind, Dr. Hauschka and Acure.

The bag itself is a score alone—it is Queen Alaffia cosmetic bag, handprinted by artisans in Togo, West Africa.

See the bags in the slider above. 

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See the slideshow: Clean Beauty Brands Representing Top Trends of 2021