One Top Claim Consumers Embrace? Glowing Skin
A “healthy glow” is an increasingly sought-after goal for users of skincare products, both topical and ingestible. Its importance is clear from much consumer-facing beauty writing. According to Vogue in 2019, “A radiant, glowing complexion has surpassed the perfect cat-eye flick or flawlessly-applied red lip as the end goal of many of our beauty routines.” A recent article titled ‘Here’s Exactly What Meghan Markle Does for Glowing Skin’ included the word “glow” 24 times,” according to the study’s authors.
Luckily for glow-seeking consumers, luminous skin can be achieved with a regular usage of glycolic acid-based skincare products that will gently exfoliate the skin, efficiently increase skin cell turnover, and brighten up even the dullest of complexions.
What do consumers want for their skin?
In the study, 500 respondents in six different countries selected the top five goals for their skin, out of eight options: a healthy glow, natural appearance, radiance, smooth texture, youthful appearance, even complexion, reduced redness, and overall holistic wellness.
Out of the eight claims presented, the top five consumer skincare goals were:
- Natural appearance (ranked in the top five by 77% of respondents)
- Smooth texture (ranked in the top five by 76% of respondents)
- Healthy glow (ranked in the top five by 72% of respondents)
- Youthful appearance (ranked in the top five by 64% of respondents)
- Even complexion (ranked in the top five by 61% of respondents)
“The findings confirm that ‘glow’ is a key goal for skincare consumers, and also suggest that they are more likely to use the term than ‘radiance,’” states the report. “The results are also in line with previous research on the growing importance of naturality and the diminishing appeal of simply appearing younger,” the study concluded.
In short? Glowing skin is skin that is even in tone, free from blemishes, and exuding light. Even more specifically? Glowing skin the kind of skin consumers want.
Getting that glow with glycolic acid
For consumers seeking out glow, glycolic acid can help turn complexions radiant fast. Why? Glycolic acid is the best ingredient for gentle, effective chemical exfoliation – and exfoliation is the key to glow.
“One of the best ways to brighten skin and boost its glow both immediately and long term is by exfoliating,” chemist Sabina Wizemann told Good Housekeeping. “The process removes skin’s outer layer of dead cells so its surface is smoother and clearer and reflects light.”
As the smallest molecule in the hyper-effective Alpha Hydroxy Acids family, glycolic acid is best at penetrating the top layer of the skin skin. Once applied, glycolic acid acts like a cleanup crew for the complexion, quickly dissolving the bonds holding flaky, dry, or damaged skin cells together. By working to whisk away the unhealthy skin cells on the top of the face, glycolic acid helps to slough off damaged skin and reveal the healthier, more glowing skin underneath.
“Like dust on a polished surface, old, dead skin cells can make even the dewiest skin look dull and decidedly un-lustrous,” dermatologist Sejal Shah explained to Town and Country. “Dullness is often caused by dead skin cell buildup, so exfoliating can help brighten the skin by sloughing these dead cells away.”
Additionally, glycolic acid’s ability to speed skin cell turnover can also help consumers more quickly achieve a glowing complexion. New skin cells are healthy and will exfoliate on their own regular, routine schedule, which ensures moisturizing products will best work to their maximum potential. And the more moisturized skin is, the more glowing it will appear.
A glowing tomorrow
The future of skincare is clear: radiance, luminousness, and glow-promoting claims are what consumers want to see from their next purchase.
Glycolic acid is the perfect hero ingredient to help consumers achieve that glowing complexion, thanks to the tiny molecule’s ability to exfoliate gently and boost skin cell turnover. The future is bright with glycolic acid – for consumers and formulators alike.
