It’s always exciting to start a new year to see what the beauty industry has in store for us and whether or not that matches with our own goals. From the sounds of it, 2016 trends manage to offer a little something to cover of everyone’s needs.
Here are 5 spa and wellness trends to watch for (and follow!) this year.
1. Wellness in the Workplace. This goes one step beyond having a gym available as part of a company’s facilities. Many businesses see this as a long-term investment in the health and happiness of their employees. It’s not uncommon to have company-sponsored yoga classes, fitness workshops and even delivery of healthy lunches available. “The Intern”, a recent movie starring Robert DeNiro, features an in-house massage therapist, which is not as far-fetched as it may seem: Google employs a whole team of them.
2. Multi-Masking. Using Korean beauty trends as inspiration, North American spas (and more importantly, the customers) are embracing the idea of using different mask products to address different concerns on the face, neck and décolletage. This continues the personalized approach of bespoke skin care that has been showing an upward swing in recent years.
3. Spa Tourism. Spa treatments shift from being vacation add-ons to vacation goals. Beyond luxurious, spa tourism caters to those who truly want to get away from their ordinary lives and experience all-inclusive holidays that heal the body and soul with healthy cuisine, yoga classes, wellness therapies and spectacular natural surroundings.
4. Spa Subscriptions. While we can all agree that regular facials reap a myriad of benefits, we may find it difficult to schedule a visit to our favorite esthetician on a consistent basis. Cue the spa subscription. Like a monthly gym membership, spas are using subscriptions or package deals to overcome the top two obstacles when it comes to self-care: making skin care a priority and committing to a regular routine.
5. Natural, Natural and More Natural. Consumers continue to be drawn to natural ingredients, whether it be in their skin care, the products they use at home or the food they feed their families. For spa professionals, this means seeking out trusted brands and products that can balance natural ingredients with effectiveness along with preservation and stability of ingredients.
Are any of these trends in your future this year? Conveniently, # 4 dovetails perfectly with one of my own skin care resolutions for this year. I think they’re on to something.
