In the UK, 60% of adults who have taken beauty supplements in the last 12 months noticed a difference in their skin/hair/nails after taking beauty supplements. This means consumers who are buying into the category are seeing a return on their investment, which brands can promote in marketing campaigns, and suggests there is potential for significant growth in the category moving forward.
A significant threat to the category lies in the lack of trust in beauty supplements. Furthermore, consumers’ shift towards integrating whole foods into their diets instead of relying solely on beauty supplements presents another hurdle that brands must overcome.
However, crossovers with F&D and a focus on gut health present exciting growth opportunities in the category. By building trust through the development of innovative beauty supplements that deliver proven results (particularly with pre/pro/postbiotic ingredients, collagen-boosting broths and treat formats), brands can drive sales, diversify revenue streams and expand their market share.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Consumer usage and barriers to usage of beauty supplements
- The most sought-after ingredients and claims in beauty supplements
- The impact of social media trends and technology’s influence on the beauty supplement category
- Attitudes towards the role of diet and gut health in beauty routines
- The latest and next wave of innovation opportunities in the beauty supplement category, including crossovers into sports nutrition and the ‘treat’ market
- Consumer education around plant-based vs animal-based ingredients, single-ingredient vs multi-ingredients and branded vs own-label supplements
The beauty supplement category has strong potential to be a staple in daily diets, driven by a rising interest in holistic and anti-ageing solutions.
Shiyan Zering, Beauty and Personal Care Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report focuses on consumer attitudes towards and innovation in beauty supplements.
Mintel defines beauty supplements as those which predominantly claim to benefit external appearance when ingested, in particular:
- enhancing skin condition/texture
- enhancing hair condition/texture/density
- enhancing/strengthening nails
- providing a tanning effect
Beauty supplements formats include pills/capsules, sprays, gummies, pre-mixed liquids, powders, gels and patches.
Additionally included in the scope of this Report is:
- general foods, such as fruits and vegetables, eaten to boost appearance
- foods and drinks that carry specific beauty claims (eg enhancing skin texture)
Excluded:
- supplements that claim to boost health only (eg glucosamine)
- diet/weight loss supplements
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the beauty supplement market
- Attract new users to the category
- Build trust in beauty supplements
- Invest into crossover products and beauty ‘toolboxes’
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market predictions
- Sales of beauty supplements increased 3.8% in 2023
- Consumers are ingredient savvy
- Graph 1: Google searches for ‘beauty supplements’ vs ‘collagen supplements’, 2023-24
- What consumers want and why
- Traditional supplement formats remain popular
- Mistrust is a significant barrier to usage
- Consumers are looking for recognisable ingredients…
- Graph 2: sought-after ingredients in beauty supplements, 2024
- …and multifunctional solutions
- Graph 3: interest in beauty supplement claims, 2024
- There’s still room to educate
- Innovation and marketing
- Pills and capsules are the standard, but gummy innovation is growing
- Graph 4: new product launches in the vitamins and supplements category carrying beauty claims*, by format type, 2021-24
- Novel flavours and formats can shake up the category
- Embrace consumer engagement with gut health
- Brands are exploring functional food and drinks
- Identify trends from novel food ingredients
- Anti-ageing innovation is rife
- Social media is a powerful tool when used resposibly
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Market Dynamics
- Market drivers
- Beauty VMS fared well in 2023
- Consumer confidence for the year ahead
- Graph 5: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Target the new face of consumers
- Fight photoageing internally
- Treat skin condition concerns
- Graph 6: select behaviours related to skin conditions, 2024
- Enter meal topper segments to appeal to diet-savvy consumers
- Graph 7: changes to beauty/grooming routine in the last 12 months, 2024
- Power suggestions with AI
- Be aware of CBD production complexities
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Usage of beauty supplements and format preferences
- Traditional supplement formats remain popular
- Graph 8: usage of beauty supplements, 2024
- An opportunity to bring new users into the category
- Capitalise on prestige users
- Graph 9: usage of beauty supplements, by annual household income, 2024
- Tap into active youth generation
- Graph 10: usage of beauty supplements, by age, 2024
- Capitalise on Gen Z’s vanity
- Gels ooze convenience benefits
- Consumers are looking for a sweet treat
- Satisfy consumers’ sweet tooth with treat supplements
- Address concerns around patch formats
- Barriers to taking beauty supplements
- Mistrust is a significant barrier
- Graph 11: barriers towards beauty supplement usage, 2024
- Boost trust through sampling
- Ease side effect concerns
- Consider correlating comprehensive solutions
- Guide uncertain consumers to the right choice for them
- Ease swallowing concerns
- Sought-after ingredients in beauty supplements
- Skincare favourites are desired
- Consumers are looking for a wide range of ingredients
- Graph 12: sought-after ingredients in beauty supplements, 2024
- Call out omega-3’s beauty benefits
- Look to how skincare ingredients are perceived…
- Graph 13: select attributes associated with BPC ingredients, 2024
- …and capitalise on positive sentiment
- Bank on consumers’ interest in collagen
- Put ingestible retinol on the map
- Innovate with postbiotic ingredients
- Graph 14: new product launches in the beauty supplement category carrying pre-, pro- and post-biotic claims, 2019-24
- Superfoods are emerging as a consumer favourite
- Revamp approved beauty ingredients
- Graph 15: select sought-after ingredients in beauty supplements, 2024
- Revive CBD with wellbeing links
- Graph 16: Google searches for ‘cannabidiol’ in the health category, 2022-24
- Do due diligence around Ayurvedic/adaptogen NPD
- Consumers are seeking multiple ingredients
- Graph 17: repertoire of sought-after ingredients in beauty supplements, 2024
- Beauty supplement knowledge, research and usage behaviours
- Consumers are educated
- Supplement users are seeing results
- Graph 18: beauty supplement knowledge, research and usage behaviours, 2024
- Consumers are clear on gut-skin-brain axis
- Embrace consumer engagement with gut health
- Get men on gut health train
- Beauty brand supplements will resonate well with consumers
- Interest in beauty supplement claims
- Consumers are seeking holistic solutions
- Graph 19: interest in beauty supplement claims, 2024
- De-stress consumers for restful beauty sleep
- Graph 20: effects of stress experienced in the last 12 months, 2023
- Tackle the primary ageing concerns…
- Graph 21: concerns around facial skin ageing, 2024
- …and address other needs
- Make a ripple in routines with hydrating solutions
- Extend the reach of wellbeing supplements by highlighting anti-ageing benefits
- Adding skin condition, hydration and hair growth claims can engage two third of UK adults
- Protect pollution-affected skin barriers
- Help women through various the stages of menopause
- Attitudes towards beauty supplements
- Consumers recognise the importance of a balanced diet
- Graph 22: attitudes towards beauty supplements, 2024
- Nourish consumer appetite for longevity
- Quench consumer thirst for beauty waters
- Refine regulation research
- Appeal to both animal and plant ingredient seekers
- Boost innovation in blended or plant-based collagen
- Revamp private label’s reputation
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Beauty ingestibles are on the rise
- Graph 23: % of launches in the healthcare, food and drink categories carrying beauty-related claims, 2019-24
- Drinks regain attention
- Graph 24: launches in the healthcare, food and drink categories carrying beauty-related claims, by category, 2019-24
- Brands are creating functional foods…
- …as well as drinks
- Learn from F&D
- Help consumers start their day
- Blood sugar levels spike consumer concern
- Biotin and zinc are prevalent in NPD
- Graph 25: % of beauty VMS launches formulated with select active ingredients, 2021-24
- Look to broth innovation for inexpensive collagen
- Ride on the fungi frenzy
- Capitalise on the tide of sea ingredient innovation
- Tomatoes are an all-round skin solution
- Look at growing ‘fountain of youth’ interest
- Graph 26: Google searches for ‘nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide’, 2023-24
- Tap into the emerging inflammageing trend internally
- NPD is looking peachy
- Private label makes its mark
- Beauty supplements made by athletes, for athletes
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Vitabiotics spreads the word
- Revive Collagen uses celebrity backing
- Hairburst highlights National Hair Loss Awareness Month
- Diversify marketing sources for higher engagement
- Graph 27: sources for learning about healthy eating, 2024
- Zooki educates on collagen…
- …and capitalises on TikTok Shop
- Spotlight healthy ageing in advertising
- Collaborate with local drink spots for beauty smoothies
- Slick Gorilla targets men
- Take learnings from VMS advertising scrutiny
- Be wary of overconsumption tendencies
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Appendix
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- GNPD data links
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
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