A recent report by market intelligence agency Mintel reveals that the Asia-Pacific region produced one-third of all new beauty and personal care products aimed at relaxation and stress relief in the first nine months of 2018. This represents a significant increase from 2015 when the region accounted for only 26% of similar global product launches.
Sharon Kwek, Senior Innovation and Insights Analyst, Beauty and Personal Care at Mintel, addressed the in-cosmetics Asia event stating that today’s fast-paced, demanding world has normalized stress. As a result, people are becoming more aware of the importance of emotional and overall well-being. Kwek points out that companies from various industries, including beauty, are recognizing their role in helping consumers manage stress. She highlights the impact of rapid urbanization and increased pace of life, particularly in Asia, which leave people feeling fatigued and emotionally drained. Asian women, in particular, increasingly understand the link between daily habits and skin health. This awareness is driving beauty brands and companies to develop products that cater to emotional wellness. Kwek predicts that Asian beauty brands will benefit in the coming years from creating innovative products that address these mental well-being needs.
Mintel’s research reveals growing concern over work-related stress, particularly among urban Chinese consumers aged 20-49, with a rise from 25% in 2013 to 30% in 2018. Similarly, a significant 60% of urban Indonesians and 59% of urban Thais aim to decrease stress for personal health and wellness reasons. Underscoring the sources of modern stressors, 32% of urban Indonesians aged 25-34 link constant connectivity, including device and social media usage, to increased stress.
The study also demonstrates a strong understanding among Asian consumers that lifestyle impacts skin health. Half of urban Chinese women and half of urban Thai women believe adequate sleep is crucial for skincare, with the latter group also recognizing the significant role of lifestyle factors like sleep and stress levels on facial skin appearance.
Kwek highlights two significant Mintel trends. The first, Mood to Order, underscores consumers’ desire for products that enhance mood. The second, Power Play, a 2025 global beauty and personal care trend, points to growing consumer awareness of needing to address low energy levels. According to Kwek, beauty brands are responding with products emphasizing energizing benefits. She sees a clear opportunity for the beauty industry to develop mood-boosting products that directly address emotional and mental well-being. This shift will likely see beauty routines evolving into self-care routines with an expectation of emotional benefits across all beauty product categories.
Consumers are actively seeking solutions to improve their emotional and mental well-being. Mintel’s findings show that 45% of urban female health supplement users in China purchase them to combat fatigue and boost energy, while 39% aim to enhance sleep quality. Reflecting a similar trend relevant to the beauty industry, a substantial 87% of urban Chinese women aged 20-49 find relaxation in beauty services.
Kwek believes that the Asian market’s inclination towards health supplements for overall well-being signifies an opportunity for the beauty industry to adopt a similar approach. She envisions a holistic self-care movement driving beauty from within, with potential for topical beauty products to be paired with beauty supplements. This comprehensive system would enable consumers to address both their physical and mental well-being. Kwek suggests that both physical and online beauty platforms can capitalize on the growing self-care trend to engage contemporary consumers. Finally, she suggests that beauty brands explore incorporating crystals as ingredients, given the enduring belief in their healing and protective properties among Asian consumers.