Why TENS’UP™ meets the demand for instant beauty in a digital world

In our fast-paced digital world, consumers expect instant gratification. From Uber Eats to Google Translate, consumers expect their questions, desires, and demands to be met instantly – and beauty is no exception. Consumers are looking for multi-function products that deliver instant results, energizing the skin, enhancing glow, and creating a lifted effect. This is why Provital developed TENS’UP™: this active ingredient exerts a lifting action exert an immediate mechanical tension on the skin, making skin appear softer and smoother. Here, we discuss the instant beauty trend and the unique properties of TENS’UP™.

How selfie-mania sparked the instant beauty craze

The instant beauty trend originated in South Korea as a response to high levels of social media engagement, especially amongst younger consumers. As a result, the demand for instant result products that made the user selfie-ready in a flash exploded. Consumers looked for products with revitalizing and radiance-enhancing claims, so they could apply a real-life selfie-filter before setting up the perfect shot.

Ever the influential market, this demand for instant beauty has spread from Korea across the world. According to a recent survey conducted by Mintel, 36% of American consumers want products with instant results. Equally, they want to simplify their routines for on-the-go application: the same survey reported that 19% of consumers want to reduce the number of products they use. This explains the rising popularity of routine-enhancing formats like concentrated essences and ampoules, which super-charge beauty routines with an intensive dose of active ingredients.   

The expanding instant beauty market 

The instant beauty trend is an exciting opportunity for the BPA industry due to the size and scope of the market. For one, selfie-centric Gen Z consumers represent an estimated $143 billion in buying power in the United States alone. Equally, busy professional women want products that will take them from tired to glowing on-the-go. New research from Mintel suggests that the skin care products that American women are most likely to have used are convenient, multi-purpose formats like exfoliating wipes (81%) or waterless facial cleanser (69%).

However, the instant beauty opportunity doesn’t stop at female consumers. In the male grooming space, consumers are always looking for ways to streamline their routines. Whether they want to throw a brightening moisturizer in their gym bag or freshen up before a meeting, male consumers want hassle-free products. Considering the pace of growth in the male grooming market – research anticipates double-digit CAGR until 2029 – developing instant beauty products for men is a key opportunity.

That said, convenience shouldn’t compromise on luxury. Especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are looking for products that combine convenience and comfort. Although 72% of US consumers agree they are “always on the lookout for things that make my life easier”, 42% are currently putting a lot of emphasis on their emotional well-being (Mintel, 2020). This suggests that instant beauty products should have sensory properties that are comforting as well as instantly effective.

How TENS’UP™ meets these demands  

The vast majority of instant beauty actives contain proteins or semisynthetic protein derivatives. Although they deliver a tightening and lifting effect, they come with disadvantages: primarily, the animal-derived proteins exclude a powerful consumer base that seeks vegan products. Second, the use of such proteins can create unpleasant odors and colors. To address these challenges, Provital developed TENS’UP™. 

Replacing proteins with polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, TENS’UP™ maintains the all-important instant tightening effect with a more pleasant sensory application. The results are visibly lifted, more radiant skin, with long term anti-aging benefits. These were demonstrated via in vivo and ex vivo studies, where the instant lifting benefits were observed and collagen synthesis measured. Equally, 15 volunteers reported the softening and comforting qualities of the ingredient, reporting improved skin condition after just a single application. 

With sensory products and instant results, TENS’UP™ meets the multi-faceted demands of the instant beauty consumer from multiple angles. Whether the concern is on-the-go beauty, anti-aging lifting effects, or a selfie-ready refresh, TENS’UP™ provides consumers with the instant gratification they demand from beauty in the digital age.