CONSUMERS’ HEALTH & WELLNESS JOURNEY
Trendincite LLC has been tracking consumers’ health and wellness journey for the last 15 years as it continually evolves. According to McKinsey & Company, the consumer global wellness market is valued at $1.8 trillion. McKinsey’s Future of Wellness survey found that 82% of consumers in the U.S., 73% in the UK, and 87% in China have reported wellness as a top or very important priority. In 2009, Trendincite LLC stated, “Beauty from within is the underlying theme for many functional flavored and fragranced products and consumers are slowly beginning to embrace the trend. The convergence of healthcare and nutrition with personal care products and cosmetics is the future.” Currently, consumers seek mood-enhancing products that align with feeling good.
In 2010, new delivery systems for vitamins were on trend while 2011 focused on the emergence of nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. 2012 highlighted less is more with reduced unhealthful ingredients and 2013 spotlighted cold-pressed juices, healthful teas, water enhancers, and gluten-free products. 2014 saw the rise of functional ingestibles with targeted health benefits. 2016 began the plant-based and cleaner ingredients trend, adaptogens came on the scene in 2017, and in 2018 collagen-infused products surfaced. CBD and cannabis-infused products hit the market in 2019, probiotics and self-care took off in 2020, and 2021 explored mental health and well-being and functional food & beverages. 2022 was the continuation of clean formulas and sustainable packaging and 2023 was about holistic health. “Functional fragrances,” “neuroscents,” and “wellness fragrances” are the latest buzzwords bubbling up this year. 2024 is all about fragranced and flavored products that stimulate an emotional response and boost individuals’ moods. From fine fragrance to personal care to beverages, mood-enhancing products are the latest evolution in consumers’ health and wellness journey.
MOOD-ENHANCING FRAGRANCES
Data shows that smell triggers 75% of our daily emotions. It’s no wonder consumers are using fragrance as self-care and investing in their emotions. Mintel’s research revealed that 57% of U.S. fragrance wearers use fragrance to boost their moods, while 46% use fragrance to feel confident, and 45% to feel happy. Three out of four consumers feel that fragrance helps lift and enhance their moods or bring back memories of happy times, places, and experiences, according to NPD’s data. Circana’s data showed that Gen Z shoppers are most likely to buy a scent for themselves several times a year. 80% of fragrance users say that scent is critical for enhancing or lifting their moods.
Moodeaux’s newest mood-boosting fragrance is Brand New with notes of yuzu, cardamom, pink pepper, and coconut “to help make everyday smell and feel like a bright start.” Based on universal feelings, Charlotte Tilbury developed six wellness fragrances with neuroscience experts and International Flavours and Fragrance (IFF). The collection includes Calm Bliss (aquatic floral), Cosmic Power (amber spicy), Joyphoria (warm floral), Love Frequency (floral woody), Magic Energy (citrus woody), and More Sex (musk leather). The bottles are inspired by 18th-century alchemy bottles and are based on color theory to match the package color and feelings the scents are meant to evoke. Bella Khair Hadid introduced ‘Ôrəbella, a line of alcohol-free bi-phase hydrating parfums with essential oils, clean ingredients, and a proprietary ‘Ôrəlixir™ base made of hydrating snow mushroom and a moisturizing five-oil blend. The Blooming Fire has Tahitian monoi flower, patchouli, and bergamot while the Salted Muse is a woody marine scent with sea salt, pink pepper, olive tree accord, lavender, woods, and amber. Window2Soul is a sheer floral with rose, jasmine, lemon, and tonka bean. “These scents blend my past, present, and future–a universe that elevates mood, energy, and aura,” states Hadid.
MOOD-ENHANCING PERSONAL CARE
Like fine fragrance, personal care brands are exploring the relationship between fragrance and moods, and introducing new products. For example, Love Beauty and Planet launched Beloved Drops, a Mood-Boosting Vegan Body Wash Collection. According to the brand, each fragrance was biometrically tested through a brain-mapping technology that matches each fragrance with lifestyle activities in a similar mood space. The collection features six scents: Calm (water lily and eucalyptus), Dream (lavender, vanilla, and hazelnut milk), Indulge (whipped vanilla, coconut milk, and spun sugar), Shine (nectarine, citrus, and sweet cream), Vibe (mimosa flower, rose, jasmine, rhubarb, and blackcurrant) and Zen (eucalyptus, mint, jasmine water, and sage). Digital creator, professional boxer, and entrepreneur Jake Paul launched W, a men’s personal care line exclusively at Walmart. The range consists of a body wash, body spray, and antiperspirant deodorant “that is formulated with mood-boosting fragrances.” Soft & Dri released two mood-inspired fragrances for its aluminum-free deodorant collection. The Blissful Freesia is infused with notes of grapefruit, mango, a blend of exotic florals, sweet freesia, and cedarwood. The Zen Cucumber blends the crisp essence of a freshly sliced cucumber with orange, melon, musk, and amber. Caftari is a neuroscents-based candle brand that creates scents “to elicit emotional responses that are neurologically science-backed.” The brand offers three scents Dolce Far Niente, Elixir, and Scent of Nirvana. Elixir (bergamot, mandarin, and tea accord) releases endorphins and promotes energy. Dolce Far Niente (rose, sandalwood, and violet) releases serotonin and promotes happiness. The Scent of Nirvana (patchouli, agarwood, and cedarwood) balances cortisol levels and promotes stress relief. The candles are a soy-coconut blend free from phthalates, parabens, and sulfates.
MOOD-BOOSTING BEVERAGES
In 2021, Innova Market Insights identified Mood: The Next Occasion as one of the featured Top 10 Trends. Two years later, the International Food Information Council’s 2023 Food and Health survey found that nearly 75% of Americans believe the foods and beverages they choose have a significant impact or moderate impact on their mental and emotional wellness. Mondelez International found that 74% of consumers snack to improve their mood in its fifth annual State of Snacking report. According to Pi-Datametrics, searches for the term “mood-boosting foods” are up 50% year over year. Functional beverages are not new but brands continue to launch as consumers prioritize their emotional well-being.
Recess Mood has added the Tropical Bliss flavor to its portfolio. The beverage contains notes of pineapple, passion fruit, and mango with magnesium and adaptogens. Earlier in the year, Recess expanded into the Zero Proof space with a mocktail collection in four variants: Ginger Lime “Mule,” Grapefruit “Paloma,” Lime “Margarita,” and Watermelon “Mojito.” Four Sigmatic unveiled an organic instant tea line infused with functional mushrooms and adaptogens in five varieties. The mood-enhancing variant is Mood and features organic lemon balm and rose tea designed for a positive mood made with Reishi and Tulsi. Boochcraft added Mood by Boochcraft, a new line of non-alcohol functional tonics, to its portfolio. There are two vitality-inspired beverages: Energize and Rejuvenate. The Energizing Lemon Cherry Tea has 65 mg of caffeine from Cascara and Rejuvenating Raspberry Ginger has electrolytes, fresh-pressed ginger, and turmeric juice. Emotional Utility Beverages introduced two mood and mind-boosting beverages: Euphoric Mood-boosting sparkling beverages and Focused Brain-boosting sparkling beverages. The products are formulated with ingredients such as GABA, Lion’s Mane Mushroom, Alpha GPC, L-Tyrosine, Magnesium, L-Theanine, and B-Vitamin. Emotional Utility Euphoric is available in Berries Mint, Mango Passionfruit, and Sweet Lemon flavors, while Emotional Utility Focused is available in Blood Orange Tangerine, Pomegranate Black Cherry, and Strawberry Kiwi. Cape Town-based Monatea, a mindful beverage company debuted Füqboi, the world’s first “Sex Positive Beverage” formulated with certified organic Sceletium (“a rousing succulent from the Cape Floral region”). The beverage features a cold-brewed rooibos, ginger, and hibiscus base with guayusa and maca root. Not a beverage, but a notable launch is Magnum Pleasure Express’ new trio of mood-inspired ice cream flavors highlighting the brand’s signature cracking chocolate. Ice cream is a crowd pleaser and often is a go-to for enhancing individuals’ moods. Unilever leaned into this. Magnum Chill is a vegan flavor and contains a vanilla-biscuit flavored ice cream with a blueberry sorbet core and crunchy cookie pieces covered in a vegan chocolate couverture. Magnum Euphoria pairs lemon ice cream with a raspberry sorbet core with white chocolate studded with popping candy. Magnum Wonder combines toffee-flavored ice cream with a date ice cream core covered in golden chocolate and caramelized almonds.
Consumers’ health and wellness journey is ever-changing. Seeking products that are mood-enhancing and align with feeling good is an underlying driver. Watch as new mood-enhancing fragranced and flavored consumer packaged goods evolve to meet consumers’ growing demand for holistic health.
Get into the mood. Let Trendincite LLC custom-design a mood-boosting sensory trend excursion, a functional marketing presentation, a chill blog post, or hire Amy Marks-McGee as a guest speaker for a stress-free presentation.