What are some of the new and interesting skincare trends for 2021? How are our skincare habits changing now that we are a year into the pandemic? After the dumpster fire that was 2020, it’s difficult to predict anything. But certain skincare trends have cropped up on our radar.
Maskne treatments
We might not know when, but the lockdown will end at some point. However, facial masks are going to be around for a while. Obviously, they are a necessity. In 2020, many of us experienced a variety of skin issues due to constant mask-wearing. Maskne treatments are here to stay. Expect to see even more products targeted to treat those pesky outbreaks and irritation.
The skin microbiome
The skin microbiome is another topic that is bound to be big in 2021. The microbiome is crucial in keeping our skin healthy. When the microbiome is balanced, it protects us from environmental stressors, reduces the risk of inflammation, and keeps our moisture barrier functioning at its optimum. When the skin microbiome is disrupted, it can lead to all manner of skin issues (including sensitivity and irritation, which were a big thing last year). Expect brands to develop even more products with prebiotics, which are essential to boost the diversity of bacteria in and on the skin. Prebiotics are an energy source for probiotics and help us achieve the balance between the good and bad bacteria.
Skincare minimalism
Many of us learned a few things during lockdowns:
• More isn’t necessarily better, whether it is steps in the skincare routine, the frequency of chemical exfoliation, or the percentage of actives we use.
• Skincare IS self-care.
• We want products that give results.
With that in mind, at the beginning of lockdown we went a bit crazy with adding new products to our routines. We expect the trend to swing the other way. Skin minimalism is the name of the game for several reasons. Just because the farther we’ll get is to our couch or the back garden doesn’t mean we want to spend a ton of time doing our routines. Also, effective products we know work for our skin cut down the risk of potential irritation and sensitivity.
Scalp care
In 2020 we were forced to become our own hairdressers. Obviously, there is a reason why hair salons were booked solid once they were allowed to open (hairstylists, we ain’t). But scalp care emerged as a trend in 2020, and we realised just how vital scalp health is for the state of our hair. Chances are, we’ll see even more products formulated to treat a variety of scalp issues.
Hand care
Our hands were a mess last year. Understandably so, we stopped counting how many times we wash our hands every day. Together with regular cleaning around the house and frequent sanitizer use when out, no wonder our hands are a cracked mess. This is nothing compared to key workers, who had it even worse. Some of the things that will be on everyone’s radar this year include at-home hand treatments, fancy soaps to keep your hands healthy, and hand sanitizers that don’t dry out the skin.
