In the Aisle: 4 functional beauty products to support that inner glow

Today, we are in the midst of a mental wellness revolution, one that is arguably long overdue.

Once a taboo topic, mental health has been slowly shedding its stigma and becoming more talked-about in recent years. But the COVID-19 pandemic has opened the floodgates.

Now more than ever, people are sharing their experiences with mental illness—the highs, the lows and everything in between. They are also talking more freely about everyday stress, anxiety, sadness, mood fluctuations and sleep struggles, as well as the impact these states have on their physical health and overall quality of life. More consumers are investing the time and energy to learn about the myriad influencers of mental wellness, and they are making healthy choices to support it.

Yes, it may have taken a global pandemic to turbocharge this movement. But the fact that so many more people are now discussing mental health—openly, candidly, shamelessly—can only help to improve our collective well-being.

In a booming natural beauty industry, products connecting with the inner, as much as the outer, needs of consumers are shining bright. Boasting a clean ingredient list, free from caustic chemical ingredients such as oxybenzone, parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate, is now the baseline for natural and organic beauty companies, which are also infusing function, purpose and mindfulness into what they bring to market. 

Related:In the Aisle: Supplements supporting the mental wellness revolution

Core to many of these products are ethically sourced essential oils that offer various wellness benefits, from keeping calm to getting energized or staying focused, and they're appearing in a broad range of innovative products. Wholesome indulgences, such as FX Chocolate's Radiant Skin, Hair and Nails Formula functional beauty chocolates cater to the skin and psyche, too. 

Salon-inspired products promoting self-care are also taking center stage, as consumers seek out at-home treatments—a trend that developed throughout the pandemic and one that we expect to grow in the year ahead, especially if economic turbulence persists. From Ayurveda to traditional Chinese medicine, ancient beauty rituals continue to influence these modern home beauty treatments. At the same time, natural beauty brands are nourishing consumers' minds another way: Supporting people and planet through reducing water use, developing innovative plastic-free packaging and committing to responsible supply chains and regenerative agriculture systems. 

Click through the gallery to find beauty products that shoppers might appreciate finding on your shelves.

Related:In the Aisle: Beverages on the front line of mental wellness

Don't miss The State of Supplements session and panel discussion at 10 a.m. PT on Wednesday, March 8, in Grand Ballroom F at the Marriot. Start with coffee and networking before settling in for data-driven insights into the top trends and opportunities in the supplement industry.

Visit the Natural Products Expo West agenda for information about other supplements-related sessions that day. Conference Experience upgrade required.