As the United Nations recently declared 2021-2030 the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, we see a surge within beauty and wellness that moves from a focus on green to blue beauty.
We find ways to honour the water, seeking ways to preserve and learn from it. The blue beauty movement grows, expanding to include “Blue Zone” lifestyle trends, as we continue to look at ocean conversation and a new wave of blue ingredients like blue spirulina, tansy, or matcha.
The emerging Blue Space movement also highlights the psychologically restorative effects of being close to rivers, oceans, lakes, and ponds. Bluebiotechnology also emerges with a focus on science-based actives that help alleviate the strain off of ocean environments, with options like lab-regenerating kelp or fermented ocean microalgae and bacteria that offer a more sustainable, reliable source of oceanic benefits instead of taking from the environment.
Brands like Ama Sea Beauty help to “fuse self-care with…healthy oceans” through products like their SeaMist Marine Mineral Toner, which utilizes wild Californian seawater responsible harvested in cooperation with aquaculture researchers and ocean conservationists.
Preserving the Ocean
Ocean Conservation becomes a central focus of the overall sustainability conversation, as the protection of its wildlife becomes a key concern for consumers and brands alike. We see more brands giving back to support ocean conservation efforts and creating better practices to support its wellbeing and longevity.
Special holidays like World Oceans Day become an important event for brands to participate in and encourage eco-conscious efforts and initiatives. Brands like Dariya Hope donates $1 from every sale to the SeaLegacy Nonprofit.
We also see ocean-preserving beauty initiatives, like Sunrise Session’s plastic-free shampoo and conditioner droplets, which use ingredients like marine algae in ocean biodegradable melting pods for a package-free solution.
Packaging continues to focus on becoming plastic-free, waterless and ocean-safe biodegradable. Keeping plastic out of the ocean in one way brands are proving their sustainable commitments, like Love Beauty and Planet’s bottles made from recycled, 100% ocean-bound plastic bottles. Seashells are even inspiring a new trend of packaging design; not only encouraging sustainable upcycling, but resulting in a durable and beautiful final product that’s built to last.
Sea Based
Sea-based ingredients surge, as consumers increasingly look to the nutrient-rich benefits. Trending sea vegetation like sea fennel, sea kale, sea moss, and sea oak also gain momentum, prized for their nutrient-rich, moisturizing, and detoxifying properties, as consumers explore new options from ocean depths.
Aside from these varieties, seaweed and algae remain major influences, as brands utilize the diverse varieties of seaweeds and algaes to offer a wide range of properties to products, from anti-ageing and moisturizing to acne-calming or brightening.
We see sea-based ingredients infuse bodycare routines with oceanic nourishment, with options like Phytomer’s seaweed particle soap, which uses seaweed to both gently exfoliate as well as soothe the skin. Aside from seaweed, other marine vegetation debuts in bodycare products, with nutrient-rich options like Sea Moss appearing in Majenye’s ultra moisturizing, sensitive skin safe soap.
Need for Calm
In addition, the power of the water continues to inspire and influence us, as consumers look to connect with the ocean and preserve marine environments while immersing ourselves in aquatic ingredients. Blue Zone living gains popularity and we see inspiration coming from Mediterranean areas like Ikaria, Greece or Sardinia, Italy as consumers begin to look at how living near water generates a healthier lifestyle, food culture, and rich traditions.
Skincare plays a huge role in self-soothing, with options like Holistick’s Bulan Facial Oil, which invites relaxation thanks to its deep blue hue and naturally calming ingredients.
Blue Ingredients
Trending blue ingredients gain in popularity, as ingredients like blue tansy grow in popularity lending its naturally calming blue shade and potent calming, soothing benefits to skin, while also providing anti-inflammatory and skin healing relief.
Others like blue spirulina – a derivative of algae – merge both the sea-based ingredient movements and the surging blue ingredient boom. In addition to these steady favorites, we also see unique innovations like blue algae derived vitamin C, which shifts the consumer notion of vitamin C as being associated with orange citrus fruits to a blue, oceanic ingredient, as well as extracts like blue lagoon sea water, which add a mineral-rich, skin-fortifying benefit to serums.
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