Whole Foods Eyes the Billion-Dollar Beauty Biz

With the help of its global beauty buyers and experts, Whole Foods Market has unveiled its second annual list of the top five beauty and wellness trends for the year. The Austin, Texas-based natural grocer is breaking down what it says are the top buys in beauty for 2020, from bakuchiol to blue-light defense and watermelon infusion.

The beauty biz is booming. According to Chicago-based market research firm IRI, the market for eye and facial cosmetics alone is nearly $5 billion, while lips and nails account for an additional $2.25 billion.

During Whole Foods Market’s annual Beauty Week celebration, enthusiasts are encouraged to try the latest trends at tempting prices. From March 11 through March 17, the national retailer will offer its wide selection of facial skin care, hair care, makeup, nail polish, perfume and cosmetic accessories at 25% off, with an additional 10% off the discounted price for Prime members.

Starting Feb. 26, customers can pre-shop the sale to secure their beauty favorites in-store and return to make their purchases during the sale period. Also, Whole Foods has brought back its $20 Beauty Bags that are filled with a mix of mini and full-sized products valued at more than $120.

To introduce consumers to the wide range of clean beauty products available at Whole Foods Market, celebrity and editorial makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes will share simple ways to reset the beauty cabinet and makeup bag for spring.

“I always love finding and trying new, high-performing, clean beauty products to incorporate into my daily routine or use on my clients,” Hughes said in a statement. “That’s why I’m excited to be collaborating with Whole Foods Market this month during their Beauty Week celebration. It’s such a great time to stock up on some of my favorite clean beauty staples.”

Whole Foods Market’s top five beauty/wellness trend predictions for 2020:

Bakuchiol: “More and more beauty brands are backing bakuchiol, an extract derived from the seeds of the East Asian babchi plant, which is good news for those with sensitive or dry skin,” say Whole Foods Market beauty experts. “While traditionally retinol has reigned supreme in skin-care routines, consumers are discovering plant-based bakuchiol as a gentle and welcome alternative.”

Blue-Light Defense: While most consumers know to wear sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays outside, beauty brands are now taking up the fight against the effects of indoor light, with a range of new blue-light defense products.

“Whether sitting in front of a computer at work or simply reading a text on the sofa, daily screen time has become practically unavoidable,” the company said. “From serums to detox sprays, clean beauty brands are now using ingredients like carotenoid lutein (commonly found in the supplement aisle) that are thought to hydrate and protect the skin.”

Watermelon Infusion: “Roughly 90% water, watermelon also contains natural antioxidants like vitamins A, B, C and E,” Whole Foods’ beauty experts say. “It’s no wonder that brands are looking to include Citrullus lanatus (the ingredient name for watermelon you might see on packaging) in common beauty products like hair care, face masks and lip balms.”

Just Add Glycolic Acid: An ingredient in many skincare products, glycolic acid is the “unsung hero of the beauty and skin care world,” Whole Foods says. Clean beauty brands are using it as the main ingredient in innovative cleansers, face masks, makeup removing wipes and exfoliation solutions.

All-Over Body Masks: Whole Foods finds that beauty connoisseurs are reaching for masks to target specific areas of the body, including hair, eyes and face.