How turmeric scrub turns a superfood to a super beauty treatment

Consumers are increasingly seeing eating healthy and healthy skin as synonymous. The phrase “we are what we eat” is gaining even greater resonance, particularly in the cosmetics and skin care space. This is proven by a flurry of product launches in the US and UK that contain food-like ingredients. Take turmeric scrub for instance; numerous premium brands have launched such products that have various nourishing and health-giving claims.

This is because of the tacit link between wholesome nourishment and superfood actives. Such products appeal to those looking for natural, often organic-certified products. Consumers generally have positive associations with natural ingredients, considering them to be more effective and higher quality (Mintel, 2018). Equally, concerns about sustainability are coming increasingly to the fore, with consumers actively seeking brands that uphold these principles.

Here, we look at the turmeric scrub trend and discuss why these products appeal to an increasingly powerful consumer segment: millennials.

Millennial demand for superfood beauty

Food-based beauty is all about ingredients that consumers recognize. These products bask in the ‘healthy halo’ of consumables like avocado, turmeric, and natural oils, which appeal to consumers who are just as concerned about what they put on their skin as in their mouths. This has led to an uptick in the use of food-like ingredients that are deemed to be gentler than their chemical counterparts. While many chemists know that ‘natural’ and ‘safe’ aren’t always analogous, it’s undeniable that the average consumer feels more secure with ingredients they recognize. 

After taking off in the trail-blazing Asia-Pacific market, young millennial consumers in Europe and America are now more inclined to connect healthy eating with a healthy complexion. Take the Korean brand Skinfood, which claims its range of food-based skin care products provides, “nutritive beauty for healthy, beautiful skin.” As predicted by Mintel Trend Gastronomia, there has been a surge of similar skin care launches in the West that mention food. This is because nutrient-dense ingredients resonate with young millennial women in Europe and the US, who perceive these products to be safe and sustainable.

Why turmeric scrub is trending

Turmeric scrub is a perfect example of this new tendency in millennial consumers. Grandview Research estimates a compound annual growth rate of 12.7% over the next seven years for the turmeric market, with its principal applications being both clinical and cosmetic skin care. As the millennial market’s buying power peaks from 2020, the potential of this food-based beauty ingredient can’t be ignored.

Turmeric is a type of herb from the ginger family that’s commonly used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine. It’s also known to have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries to treat dermatological and psychological conditions. This is because its key component, curcumin, has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Naturally, these intriguing qualities haven’t gong unnoticed by the beauty and personal care industry. According to Mintel’s ‘What’s new in food-based beauty ingredients?’ report, the use of turmeric is increasing fastest in hair products and we are also seeing the ingredient crossover into color cosmetics and skin care. When formulated into an exfoliating turmeric scrub, this herb is shown to hydrate and calm dry skin.

This is why Provital has used our expertise to formulate Turmeric Extract HSC-P, which is perfect for scrubs. Ideal for sensitive skin, this wound healing, antiseptic extract balances and protects the complexion, leaving the skin feeling calm and refreshed.

Good enough to eat

With millennial consumers coming into their own this year, they are expected to have an annual purchasing power of $1.4 trillion in the US alone – representing 30% of total retail sales (Accenture, 2020). To keep pace with the market, beauty and personal care need to cater to the preferences, a crucial one being the tendency towards natural, food-based beauty. Turmeric scrubs are but one key trend in ‘good-enough-to-eat’ skin care, and a trend that the industry can capitalize on to formulate clean beauty products that deliver amazing results.