How WFH and lockdowns have changed the way we care for our skin

Consumers are turning to products that can help protect their skin from the potentially harmful effects of screens, as well as opting for at-home beauty treatments. Photo: 123rf.com

With home working now widespread, consumers are progressively turning to products that can help protect their skin from the potentially harmful effects of screens, not to mention spa-style treatments that can do the job directly in their bathrooms.

In fact, blue-light skincare and at-home treatments are proving particularly popular as 2021 rolls out and the effects of the pandemic continue.

In the space of a year, women's beauty concerns have been shaken up completely by the Covid-19 pandemic, with mask wearing, the switch to home working and successive lockdowns.

Right now, skincare is all about going back to basics, protecting skin from the harm it can face day to day, and deep treatments that don't involve leaving the house – no matter where in the world you may be.

Protecting skin...from screens

The blue light emitted by screens can be harmful for skin cell renewal, and can affect skin's natural radiance and accentuate wrinkles.

So it's no surprise that internet users have been searching en masse for skincare to combat this phenomenon. The global search platform Stylight notes a +136% increase in Google search interest for "blue light skincare" since the beginning of 2019, peaking at +336% in May 2020, during lockdown.

Celebrity skincare brands are still riding high, such as Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr that had a 485% increase in online searches. Photo: Instagram/@mirandakerr

Faced with these gloomy times of lockdowns and face masks, internet users are also looking to boost their skin with products rich in vitamin C.

On Stylight, clicks for the top vitamin C serums rose sharply (over 1,000%) in late 2020 to early 2021, compared to the same period last year.

Bringing treatments home

Another notable trend of early 2021 is at-home beauty treatments. While it's currently still possible, in some countries, to go to beauty salons for favourite treatments, consumers seem to be looking for home-based alternatives.

As a result, chemical peels – which can be applied at home – are popular right now. According to Stylight, clicks on top BHA/AHA peels increased by over 1,000% at the end of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.

Similarly, eyebrow dyes and eyelash growth serums are gaining ground (+1,000%), showing growing uptake among some beauty fans for the kinds of treatments usually carried out by specialists in salons.

Other top trends include celebrity skincare brands, which are still riding high.

After bursting onto the scene a few years ago, this trend has gone from strength to strength, and the pandemic hasn't put paid to that. KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr (+485%), Fenty Skin by Rihanna (+300%) and Jessica Alba's Honest Beauty (+181%) are among the most popular brands.

Note too, the growing popularity of pharmacy staples and newfound interest in age-old Ayurvedic wellness practices and tools – two trends to watch closely.

This report is based on Stylight's internal data collected from its 120 million yearly users across its international platforms.

Stylight analysed clicks on different brands and product categories in the period from Nov 1,2020 to Jan 15,2021, compared to the same period one year earlier. – AFP Relaxnews

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