Soaking in a luxurious bubble bath after a long day. Lathering your skin in the nourishing goodness of a body butter. Giving some extra TLC to those hard-working heels with a deeply soothing treatment. In an industry where beauty, skincare and fragrance products all compete for a share of the basket, the spotlight turns to Bath and Body products as their benefits go beyond simply cleaning and preening but focus equally on facilitating and creating real moments of self-care for those that use them.

From scented soaps and scrubs to nourishing oils; bath bombs; and all-over body moisturisers, the Bath and Body market has seen a massive spike in growth over the past 2 years. This is largely owing to the effects of Covid-19, the global pandemic that saw us locked down in our houses, fearful of germs and acutely more aware of personal hygiene. More time spent at home offered us a chance to consider and then re-consider how we looked after our bodies and this created a definitive trend in prioritising personal well-being.

“As we move through 2022 onward, rising demand among younger consumers calls for products that are kind to the skin – with natural ingredients – and packaging that is kind to the planet – with eco-friendly materials” says Diane Gounden, Head of Buying for Edgars.

Consumers are showing a vested interest in brands that follow this trend, but at the same time are considering products with a premium and elegant aesthetic. With Bath and Body products primarily displayed on shelves and sinks, consumers are willing to spend that little bit extra for items that don’t only provide a luxury product offering but a luxury look and feel too, enhancing the overall product experience.

As one of the most intimate beauty categories, consumers no longer just pick up the most convenient Bath and Body product on the shelf. They are taking the time to select the products that they want to include in their regimes, researching and understanding ingredients, choosing specific products based on their targeted benefits - think sleep-enhancing scents or stretch-mark reducing actives – as well as selecting different products to use for different parts of the body, at different times of the day, month, season and life stage.

It’s becoming more of a self-care science than a quick shop, and consumers are here for it. It’s also why brands have started to accept this shift in purchasing behaviour and are providing solution-focused products that deliver a wonderfully sensorial experience at the same time. Let’s take soaps for example. While bath soaps and washing have always been a necessary part of our daily hygiene practices, high-end luxury soaps are on the rise and we understand why. Quality, luxury ingredients that soothe and nourish mean that these products will care for skin as much as they will clean it. Similarly, body lotions are expanding into a luxury market with a diverse range of impressive active ingredients that don’t just generically moisturise but which target specific consumer needs.

The Bath and Body segment for Men continues to shine as an emerging trend, as this once limited area of male grooming sees more men invested in the category; financially, emotionally, and with their time, and as a result, a wider variety of products are becoming more available to them.

As the world continues to move towards a more organic state of mind, beauty brands are keeping pace by constantly adding on-trend Bath and Body products to their repertoire; eco-friendly packaging, naturally beneficial ingredients, and innovative product advances will offer consumers a spoilt-for-choice selection that ticks all the body, beauty and well-being boxes.