*This article was repurposed with permission from Fresha.
The beauty and wellness industry is always evolving and is influenced by so many different things. If you want to cut through the noise, and get ahead of incoming trends in the industry, Fresha can help.
In its trend report, The Future of Beauty and Wellness 2024, Fresha uncovered the three consumer behaviours that are changing the beauty and wellness industry more than ever before.
Wellness, Liberated
Younger generations are rebelling against the physical wellness culture, and they’re actively no longer focused on showing off a hyper-healthy lifestyle on social media.
This trend focuses on prioritising self-expression, indulgence, wellness for ourselves (and our pets) as well as exploring the digital and the physical. It describes a more liberated approach to wellness: one that’s about mental health, self-care, and feeling good on the inside. This is fostering a more emotional approach to beauty and wellness with the emergence of trends like dopamine beauty, which creates emotional experiences that prioritise mental wellness.
In the short term, we’ll see this driver impact our wellness spaces through increased appointment times, and in the long term, through blended therapy services models the priorities mental as well as physical wellness.
No-boundaries Beauty
The beauty industry has always been seen as a safe, progressive space for lots of people. This vibrant industry has always been a leading force in social change - and through this consumer driver this is no exception. From creating more meaningful experiences to using less gendered language, and offering specialised training for staff, there are boundless opportunities for the industry to cater to all genders, ethnicities and cultures.
No boundaries beauty encompasses trends that include increased demand for cultural intellect, a shift towards modern representation of masculinity, and a future that is gender-fluid.
New-age Experiences
After a lack of physical experiences during the pandemic, consumers are more interested than ever in real-life, in-person connections. Fostering community is a shared value in this industry, and providing experiences that push the boundaries of what is expected.
According to Fresha’s trend report, this consumer driver outlines the consumer appetite for explorative, personalised, and real-life experiences. People are looking for connection and innovation in equal measure, and disruptive new services will win over younger consumers hungry for something new.
Salons can offer disruptive new services that celebrate clients’ individuality, take care of their mental wellness, and introduce them to brand-new experiences. Treatments should combine all three aspects of health: mental, emotional and physical.
"People appreciate services like drinks, snacks and wifi when they're spending a long amount of time in the salon. It makes their experience more comfortable.” says Katrina Kirtz, owner of Southern Hair, when considering the little things that can be done to provide add-ons to services.
Creating holistic experiences for clients, at the end of the day, will help drive growth. This isn’t just about a service, this is about community, experiences, and connection.
Read the report today - packed with valuable insights, examples, and testimonials from professionals, the report is your guide to unlocking the future consumer.
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