More than a trend, today solid cosmetics is a market reality. What are the products most commonly found in this form? What are the “new” care rituals imposed by these new galenic forms? History, definition, product categories and use routines: the insight of Estelle Dehier, from the Labosphere laboratory.
A Mintel study was conducted in the first quarter of 2020 on “solid cosmetics”. 425 products were identified, including 250 skin care products and 175 hair care products. These “solid” cosmetics are more particularly found in Northern Europe. The “solid” star in the hair products category is without a doubt shampoo, which represents almost half of this category. For skin care products, here again, it is the solid facial cleanser that takes 1st place with more than 86% of the products analysed!
A long history
Solid cosmetics are part of the history of mankind. It has always existed and has survived through the ages, even if we can see that consumer expectations and uses are different today.
A few examples:
• Berber lipstick, made from poppy powder pigments. It can also be used as blush
• Traces of the first soap date back more than 2500 years. It was presented in the form of tablets.
More recently, Marseille soap and Aleppo soap
The ointments, balms, perfumed oils and eye shadows first used to honour the gods were used by the Egyptian women for their cleansing
• For make-up, we can only cite Cleopatra and her famous …
