After two years that can best be described as "unprecedented" and "uncertain," predicting the future can feel a bit weird. But when it comes to beauty, it's safe to say that the trends have evolved with the times. While 2021 was all about elevated hygiene, maskne products, and a newfound acceptance of our natural skin and hair, we're ready to bring more experimentation in 2022. From scientific haircare treatments for hair loss to robots that paint your nails and fragrances that hack your mood, these are the forecasted beauty trends experts predict will emerge in the coming year.
Although environmental factors certainly play a part, the truth is that your genes largely determine how you age—as well as your predisposition towards pigmentation and sensitivity. That's why a growing number of beauty brands are capitalizing on DNA-based skincare, bespoke products based on your genetic makeup. Nomige is one of these brands—all you have to do is submit a DNA sample, and a high-tech online test will gather information about your genetic makeup, analyze variations in your DNA, and translate that data into a customized skincare regime. Pretty cool, right? Investors think so too: These global DNA-based skin care products are expected to reach a value of nearly $10 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.
There's no room for human error in these upcoming treatments, largely because, well, there is no human. Nimble is a gadget that uses AI technology, microcameras, 3D image processing, and tech-y algorithms to paint your nails for you. It works by scanning each individual nail to identify where the nail starts and ends. The device then autonomously paints the nails using the precise amount of polish for a perfect manicure in 10 minutes. It even integrates a warm airflow system to speed up your nail-drying time.
Another AI making waves is Luum, the first-ever robot for lash extensions. The Luum robot takes the tedious gruntwork out of human-applied lashes and provides a micro-precise treatment that can be completed in half the time as a usual lash application. Experts are predicting this AI wave will make beauty treatments faster, cheaper, and more popular than ever.
Traditional body contouring continues to trend in popularity (up 35%, according to Yelp's 2022 Beauty Trend Forecast Report) and for those looking for similar results without the surgery, non-invasive procedures are expected to be all the rage. See: Cutera's truSculpt flex+ muscle-sculpting technology, which is now enhanced with a 15-minute no-down-time treatment that can target eight areas simultaneously—and show results in as little as 6 weeks.
Skincare is expensive, which is why we go to extreme lengths to stretch out our products as long as possible. However, we play much less attention to how much of our moisturizers and serums are actually getting absorbed into our skin. Because the skin is so good at keeping things out of it, only 10 percent of topical products absorb beneath the skin's surface. We're all getting more conscious about this, though—skincare rollers that help skincare penetrate are more popular than ever.
The technology is advancing beyond jade rollers too. Enter: Droplette, a MIT-developed, NASA-funded skincare technology that combines fluid physics with beauty. It works by breaking down skincare actives into a micro-mist and then shooting this mist into the skin at high velocity. This means that products are more easily absorbed (compared to other formulas that sit on the surface). Réduit (French for "reduced") also condenses 50-200ml of traditional skin and hair products into a single concentrated 5ml "Smartpod." The brand's proprietary magnetic misting tech disperses formulas as an ultra-fine mist with droplets that are 50 times smaller than traditional topicals.
It's obvious that the DIY mentality was the top trend of 2020 and 2021. As salons closed everywhere, we were forced to become our own hairstylists, estheticians, colorists, and dermatologists overnight.
2022 is offering some assistance. Although at-home treatments aren't going anywhere any time soon, remote access to professional help has improved. Take Color&Co, a personalized at-home color service from L'Oréal that aims to take the risk out of DIY hair color. First, they connect you to video chat with a colorist, who will give advice on colors that are best for you, application, and keeping your hair healthy. Once you've come to a decision, they will send you a unique formula that's been created just for you with personalized instructions.
This also reaches across scalp care, skincare, and oral care. The Inkey List's 'myINKEY' is another example—the 1-on-1 coaching program provides free access to a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week hotline for anyone to ask skin, hair or scalp questions and receive answers from skin-care professionals. Period-tracking app Clue recently partnered with L'Oreal to offer personalized hormone-related skincare advice from dermatologists (P.S. If you haven't tried period-syncing your skincare yet, you should). And dental tech app Toothfairy connects patients with licensed dentists and allows real-time assessment of your teeth.
Surveys have indicated that skincare brands touting ingredient transparency are gaining popularity. Biodegradable and sustainable claims aren't a bonus anymore—they're a requirement. Consumers want to know what's in their products, and rightfully so. This added pressure has caused companies to steer toward more sustainable formulas, whether via packaging, formulations, or reducing its carbon footprint. According to Barb Paldus, PhD, Codex Beauty founder and EWG board member, "If you can't make the sustainable choice when creating a product, even if it costs you more, you don't deserve to be creating a brand."
The skin-ification of haircare is officially mainstream. That's to say there's much more overlap between haircare and skincare, especially with the newfound focus on the scalp (which is also skin, after all). With all the scalp concerns that have come up during the pandemic, particularly hair loss, treatments like platelet-rich plasma ("liquid gold" injections that have scientific data that improve hair loss) are also rising, as well as an inside-out approach to haircare (making use of supplements to help with hair health), and scalp-tox (Botox on the scalp) for sweaty scalps.
Stargazing just got a little easier. According to Pinterest Predicts 2022 report, more people will paint landscape-style designs—especially galaxy nail art and ocean nails—on their digits. Geode, desert, and constellation-inspired nail art are all trending up, especially among millennial searchers.
According to Cosmetics Business, male-marketed beauty and grooming is on the rise, and is a sector expected to generate global sales of $81 billion by 2024. As the norms around masculinity continue to evolve, there is more emphasis on self-care for men, along with product choices that can help them achieve that. Male celebrities are following suit—Harry Styles recently launched unisex beauty brand Pleasing in order to "dispel the myth of a binary existence," and men like Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Yachty, and AJ McLean also all launched nail polish brands.
Although the traditional mentality is that we wear scents to smell attractive to others, the fragrance industry is shifting to focus on the wearer. And we're not just talking about aromatherapy here—these "wellness fragrances" aim to change mood at a more scientific level. You may have heard of artist Ani Liu, who made personalized perfumes that smell like a specific person, helping the mind reconnect to a memory. Another brand specializing in mood-hacking scents is The Nue Co., which uses patented neuroscience technology to tap into different parts of the wearer's brain and deliver different benefits. The brand's Functional Fragrance works almost as a supplement, alerting and activating different areas of the brain to de-stress. And if you're looking to relieve pain, menstrual cycle care brand Fewe offers a scent infused with CBD formulated to calm you during your period.