Euromonitor reports that femcare has become part of the broader scope of women’s health and beauty. This segment involves multifaceted concepts for not just mental and physical health, but also a sense of self-recognition and satisfaction, according to the company’s Voice of the Consumer Surveys.1
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Euromonitor reports that femcare has become part of the broader scope of women’s health and beauty. This segment involves multifaceted concepts for not just mental and physical health, but also a sense of self-recognition and satisfaction, according to the company’s Voice of the Consumer Surveys.1
Sephora, offering lotions and washes as well as lubricants, toys and sex lotions, concurs. “Sexual wellness and intimate care are becoming more important elements of overall wellness,”2 the company’s website states. Ulta Beauty also describes intimate wellness as “maintaining and nurturing your sexual health to better enjoy your intimate life, supporting your overall health and well-being.”3
Beyond intimate care and sexual wellness, Euromonitor adds that the combined effects of growing female empowerment, “down-there” de-stigmatization and self-care awareness have contributed to the growing recognition that wellness is a multidimensional whole, encompassing skin, body and mind. This has reportedly accelerated the drive to re-examine and redefine femcare through a holistic wellness lens.
How are cosmetics R&D companies redefining this category? What future directions will femcare and intimate wellness take? We asked several industry experts to weigh in. Following are their responses.
Beyond Basic Hygiene
Carole Gherardi, market segment leader for personal care at IFF, sees today's femcare as having evolved beyond basic hygiene. It has become “a pillar of well-being, as lines between beauty and wellness blur, driving an increased focus on sexual and vulvovaginal health,” Gherardi writes. “In addition to cleansing, consumers desire skin-improving benefits such as moisturization, microbiome-balancing and skin barrier reinforcement in their intimate care products.”
Gherardi notes that consumers are also looking for products that are easy to use and that can relieve discomfort in the intimate area because genital skin is physiologically different from facial skin. “Genital skin is exposed to conditions of higher temperatures and moisture due to the semi-occlusive environment,” Gherardi explains, adding it is also more prone to irritation from friction.
Furthermore, the increasing attention to the role of the skin microbiome and how it contributes to the barrier function of the skin implies that consumers may start looking for skin actives in intimate care products. Gherardi continues, “brands can leverage the skin microbiome trend by using pre- and probiotics as key ingredients, to help balance the intimate environment.”
For example, Genencare XL (INCI: Xylitol) is a prebiotic moisturizer that can support skin microbiome balance. Gherardi notes that xylitol stimulates lactate production by Staph. epidermidis. “Lactate is one component of the NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor), which helps to retain water in the stratum corneum. Lactate also helps to maintain the pH of the intimate area, which is slightly lower than facial skin. Xylitol can also help increase the antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria. Both modes of action contribute to create the conditions for a healthy intimate area.”
Strengthening, Hydrating Femcare
A major player in feminine care is the intimate microbiome, according to Timo Dijkstra, account manager for Gobiotics Ingredients. Per Dijkstra, this dynamic society primarily consists of Lactobacillus spp. “Disrupting the intimate microbiome leads to serious discomfort,” Dijkstra explains. “New insights into the intimate microbiome led to concerns about traditional methods. Surfactants, for example, disrupt the intimate microbiome. So, respecting the protective microbiome is now a major trend.”
Dijkstra notes that women are in search of safe, well-tested and natural ingredients. “To meet these requirements and contribute positively to the microbiome, the trend of prebiotics is shaping the market for wellness and especially femcare,” Dijkstra writes. “Prebiotics make the intimate microbiome stronger. This means that the possibility of intimate discomfort is greatly reduced.”
One well-tested prebiotic for intimate hygiene is Biolin/P (INCI: Inulin (and) Alpha-glucan Oligosaccharides). “[An] external study among 50 women evaluated whether intimate discomfort could be prevented with Biolin/P,” Dijkstra explains. “All 50 women did not experience any discomfort anymore.”
Looking forward, Dijkstra believes femcare will evolve from merely cleaning and respecting the intimate area toward products that also actively strengthen and hydrate. “Obtaining results through the intimate microbiome is highly appreciated by the consumer. Therefore, we expect that the intimate microbiome will become more important.”
Durable, Holistic Well-being
Ophélie Bourgon, marketing manager of Roquette Beauté, highlights how consumers are faced with a complex world and how they aspire to calm and clear away the superfluous. “They aim for a simpler life, where their well-being is central,” Bourgon explains. “The key concern shaping the market for wellness and femcare is around safety and protection to ensure well-being."
“Consumers are looking for a durable holistic well-being. They expect from brands authenticity and new experiences; for their skin protection [and beauty products] to avoid everyday irritants; … and, for their well-being, new interactions between emotions and skin.” Per Bourgon, there is potential for plant-based functional ingredients with unique sensory profile.
Bourgon continues, “emotions are at the essence of new approaches to skin care. There is much talk about active fragrances and emotional actives. However, not much is said on textures. While bio-based functional ingredients have truly enabled the sustainable transition, what if they could also be part of the emotional revolution?”
According to Bourgon, by offering unique sensory experiences with plant-based solutions, Roquette Beauté can answer these key concerns for wellness and femcare. Beauté by Roquette ST 118 (INCI: Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch), for example, is derived from potato and offers a silicone alternative. Its unique sensory signature reportedly creates an emotion when applied on skin thanks to its velvety touch and cushion effect.
In a different direction, Beauté by Roquette DE 006 (INCI: Dextrin) answers to consumers focused on safety in wellness and femcare. The ingredient is a plant-based solution that protects the skin against everyday irritants. “It is a microbiome-friendly soother acting against mechanical and chemicals aggressions, reducing redness and offering an enjoyable me-time,” Bourgon adds.
Healthier, More Natural and Sustainable
“In recent years, we have observed a growing trend of consumers looking for a healthier lifestyle, and consumption habits linked to using more natural and sustainable alternatives,” Thom Stephens, home and personal care marketing manager for Indorama Ventures, writes. “This trend reflects on aspirational aspects, packaging and product development.”
According to Stephens, clean ingredients help formulators to create gentler, more eco-friendly products. “These perceptions have increased demand for the use of natural ingredients or natural derivatives, particularly those from plants and other renewable sources,” he explains. “We believe in more comprehensive approaches to developing solutions in line with this trend, such as the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which helps to understand the impact of our innovations on different environmental attributes throughout the production chain.”
Indorama Ventures is focused on environmentally sustainable products. “As we improve our portfolio with purposeful solutions, we contribute to people’s well-being through chemistry,” Stephens says. Among the company’s portfolio of offerings, the Oxismooth line (INCI: Varies) reportedly presents a sustainable approach for skin and hair care applications. “The line is made from 100% renewable sources – isoamyl alcohol, obtained from sugar cane upcycling and natural oleochemical derivatives,” Stephens writes.
References
1. Qian, L. and Villena, A. (2022, Sep 30). Rethinking femcare amid holistic wellness movement. Available at https://www.euromonitor.com/article/rethinking-femcare-amid-holistic-wellness-movement
2. Sephora. (Accessed 2023, Sep 6). Intimate care. Available at https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/shop/intimate-care
3. Ulta Beauty. (Accessed 2023, Sep 6). Intimate wellness. Available at https://www.ulta.com/discover/wellness/intimate-wellness
