What kind of innovation is the hand cream track ushering in?

Image source: Brand provided

Hand cream products are ushering in a new round of appearance innovation. Dior’s recently launched Le Baume uses a unique pebble shape for its appearance, similar to the palm-sized design of the very popular Glossier hand cream. In addition, brands from emerging markets-such as Haan in Spain and Tamburins owned by Amuse and Gentle Monster in South Korea-have also launched chic portable versions.

Photo by: Dior

The appearance of the new generation of hand cream products is a clear shift from the ordinary tubing that consumers were used to before, and also reflects the change in skin care focus since the outbreak. In the era of strict hand washing, the once neglected hand cream has become a new status symbol.

Growing consumer interest has made hand creams and lotions a very commercially attractive product category. According to the latest data from Euromonitor, sales of high-end hand creams jumped to $0.724 billion in 2022, up 23.5 percent from $0.586 billion in 2019, and are expected to reach $0.813 billion in 2025. A similar situation has occurred in the mass armour market, which will have sales of $2.9 billion in 2022, up 11.5 percent from $2.6 billion in 2019, and is expected to grow to $3.2 billion by 2025.

Connor Spicer, senior research analyst at Euromonitor International Beauty, believes that the outbreak has greatly changed consumer behavior and the hand care industry is expected to benefit. “Although consumer hygiene practices are not as stringent today as they were at the worst of the epidemic, they are still significantly better than before, especially from a global perspective. Therefore, consumers want to reward themselves with hand care, which is a more prominent idea than ever before.” Spicer said the shift is linked to a trend toward “skincare systemization,” where shoppers pay the same attention to other parts of the body (such as the scalp) and the face.

Photo by: Hann

Pia Fisher, beauty strategist at WGSN, said hand creams represent only a small part of the overall skincare market (worth $151 billion by 2022, according to Euromonitor), but the importance of the category is rising as it becomes a new entry point for luxury brands.

“We are seeing the lipstick effect (consumers spending more on affordable luxury goods while reducing big ticket purchases) expand into a wider category with the emergence of a ‘self-healing culture’. Hand creams provide the perfect buying opportunity for luxury brands to bring tiny moments of joy to consumers.”

Price and size are important factors. Dior’s Le Baume is made from a single, recyclable material with a Dior Oblique logo motif and costs $60. It rivals the hand cream of peer Chanel, who launched the $63 egg-shaped La Crème Main in 2017 and remains a popular mainstay in many beauty editor handbags.

Photo by Chanel

“Premium hand creams are not cheap, especially when compared to every milliliter of other beauty products. However, this is offset by the fact that hand creams are often sold in smaller

as consumers want to carry them with them,” Spicer said. “In stores or online, this category seems to be cheaper than other products. The Gen Z ‘girl math’ theory can be applied here because hand creams are a good deal to consumers.”

# New standards for product innovation

Unlike traditional hand and body creams that are usually kept at home, less inspiring and considered disposable, brands have improved their hand cream products, including the use of environmentally friendly packaging, creating more suitable formulations and more memorable and unique designs.

Tamburins launched its first hand cream, Nude H, in 2017. Described as “dressed like a clutch bag” and “South Korea the perfect combination of fashion and skincare”, the hand cream has a unique chain handle. The brand has since expanded its product range to a number of different products, including a new scented product, the Shell, which is now a top seller. Elsewhere, Amuse’s playful packaging and starkly contrasting colors make it a favorite among visitors to South Korea.

Image source: Tamburins

Instant visual appeal is also important for Glossier. “When we set out to create a hand cream, we wanted to create a product that would inspire an emotional connection-to display it on a desk and share it with colleagues, or distribute it in a bag to friends,” says Kleo Mack, chief marketing officer.”

Image source: Glossier

Natural and cruelty-free ingredients are another feature that some brands rely on. Chanel’s La Crème Main is made with May rose wax and irises taken from the Pégomas garden of the French luxury brand Grasse. Glossier’s hand cream is a nutritious formula that contains white mans seed oil, coconut fruit extract, echinacea and rosemary, which makes it “the best balance” between lotions and thick creams (suitable for different skin types) “.

Photo by: Vogue

Recent interest in the skin microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria on the surface of the skin) has led brands such as Gallinée and Amore Pacific’s Dream Makeup to avoid preservatives, alcohol and essential oils and develop products with mild ingredients and appropriate concentrations. Haan’s hand cream comes in a unique package inspired by cream popsicles, enriched with prebiotic superfood ingredients, and packed in refillable pouches. Euromonitor’s Spicer predicts that consumer demand for microbe-friendly hand care will grow due to frequent exposure of hands to potentially harmful ingredients.

Photo by: Haan

WGSN’s Fisher, on the other hand, observed niche trends such as “hand dip,” which follows the “slam” skin care craze, which specifically refers to the use of moisturizing essence to smear hands and nails, followed by oil-based ointment to seal and nourish; and “nail riding,” which, with recent increasing awareness of methacrylate allergies, salon-frequents are prioritizing nail health at home, use hand guards, nutrition creams and other products.

Photo by Real Simple

While celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and artists such as Zola Ganzorigt have made style manicures a trend among millennials and Gen Z’s in recent years, younger consumers have not prioritized nail health for a long time. The tide may be shifting as consumers who have used irritating products on their skin turn their attention to healing the skin barrier.

Photo by Hailey Bieber

Perhaps, Fisher mused, the multi-step procedure once popular in skin care will extend to other parts of the body. “On social platforms like Little Red Riding Book and TikTok in China, we see users sharing scraping and finger workout routines, as well as 10-step salon-level hand care and [makeup tips] applying blush on the knuckles to achieve the effect of lengthening the fingers,” she said. “We are more concerned than ever with our hands.”

(Source: Vogue Business)