Key trends in beauty and personal care for 2022 include waterless washing, high-puff hairstyles and fermented ingredients, according to trend roundups from Pinterest and WGSN.
1. Fermented beauty
Fermented ingredients can enhance skin absorption of actives or even boost antioxidant levels. These qualities make these materials a clear winner for beauty in 2022 and beyond, per a new report from WGSN.
The trend is led by the Korean and Japanese markets, per the report, and draws on naturally occurring bacterias that can prolong product shelf life. It also offers a sustainability appeal.
Previously: Skai's 2022 Beauty Trends
2. Waterless washing
Waterless beauty has been one of the hottest innovation sectors in the industry, driven by a desire for more sustainable and shelf-stable products.
WGSN predicts this trend will now merge with hygiene for waterless washing products. This will be appealing to those without access to clean water, as well as those seeking greener products.
3. The color of joy and positivity
WGSN's Coloro sister brand has selected Orchid Flower as the color of 2022, featuring an "intense magenta" that reflects an "appetite for joy and positivity." The color will perform well in physical and virtual spaces, the firm argues.
Previously: 2022 Beauty Trend Forecast
4. High puff hairstyles
According to Pinterest's 2022 beauty trend roundup, a love of natural textures is driving the popularity of high-puff hairstyles, as shown by the platform's search data.
High puff hairstyle searches have grown 165% in the period between October 2019 and September 2021. Space buns natural hair searches grew 100% in the same period, while searches for "two puffs natural hair hairstyles" jumped 65%.
Meanwhile, searches for short natural hair styles jumped 185%, while "natural hair bun styles" searches increased 160%.
5. Nail scapes
Another theme in the last two years has been the rise of individualist expressions of beauty, per Pinterest.
In 2022, Pinterest predicts consumers will apply "landscape-style designs on their digits." Related search terms are particularly strong among millennials.
Per Pinterest, "galaxy nail art" searches between October 2019 and September 2021 jumped 115%. Searches for "Aurora nails" have risen 400%.
At the same time, searches for "ocean nails acrylic" rose 500%, "desert nails" jumped 105% and "geode nail art" searches increased 200%.
6. Rebel cuts
Similar to the nail scapes trend, many consumers will pursue "hard-to-miss hair" styles, including octopus hair, mullets and bob cut wigs. This trend, per Pinterest, is driven most by Gen Z.
Bob cut wig searches were up 300% between October 2019 and September 2021.
In the same period, octopus haircut searches jumped 200%, while "shaved head dye designs" exploded 1,200%, "short hair mohawk" increased 200% and "mullet hairstyle" rose 190%.
