Consumers are going back to basics with their skin care routine, claims market researcher The NPD Group, as sales in the category tumbled by 23% in 2020.
Despite the past 12 months being heralded as the end of the 'lipstick effect' and the era of the 'serum effect', the growing skinimalism trend encourages shoppers to shun complex multi-step skin care routines in favour of a minimalist approach.
The movement has been attributed to the decline in skin care sales during the pandemic.
Prestige face cream declined 20% last year, followed by premium face cleansers at 17% and facial exfoliators at 3%.
“As the pandemic hit, our skin care routine remained consistent when the country went into lockdown," said Emma Fishwick, Account Manager for NPD UK Beauty.
"However, consumer confidence has been hit, and people are more reluctant to spend. At the same time consumers’ focus on sustainability also means that skinimalism has become very topical.
"Beauty buyers seem to be purchasing less products, and the products that they are opting for are more targeted."
Eye treatment products historically represented the third largest skin care category in terms of sales, but facial cleansers have surpassed eye creams and serums for the first in three years.
Anti-acne serums were one of the few winners in skin care, as consumers increasingly became concerned about 'maskne', sales soared by 51% in 2020.
"We have also seen an increase in beauty brands concentrate their messaging on the active ingredients in their products," continued Fishwick, adding that Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum re-launch, Origins Multi-powered Youth Serum and Charlotte Tilbury’s Hyaluronic Happikiss highlight the branding choice.