to create their own beauty treatments inthe comfort of their own homes.”

MULTI-MASKINGOne skin care trend that has explodedthanks to social media is face masks. Butnot only will these colourful treatmentslook great in your customers’ selfies –they will also work wonders on their skin.

The key to the trend at the moment iscombining masks for a personalisedtreatment. Yee says: “Consumers areposting selfies of themselves with variousdifferent masks on their faces to treatdifferent areas of the face. They arebuying multiple mask products ratherthan just one for better results.”

Advise your customers to mix up theirroutine with multi-masking. For example,they could opt for a cleansing formulaacross the oily t-zone and a moisturisingone for dryer areas, such as across thecheeks and forehead.

Taking time out to relax has neverbeen more important. Yourcustomers are working longer

hours than ever before, and thanks tosocial media and smartphones, it’s almostimpossible to completely switch off. Howmany times have you sat down to read abook or do your nails, only to findyourself scrolling through Instagram? Theconstant drip-feed of information andupdates can be exhausting.

However, there is a new group of socialmedia beauty addicts who are using it toshare their best tips for taking care ofthemselves and recreating spa treatmentsat home. The trend has inspired a wave ofnew products that will help yourcustomers to sit back and relax.

Theresa Yee, Senior Beauty Editor atWGSN, explains: “There are now aplethora of devices on the market, fromcleansing tools to LED lamps and hairremoval gadgets, that enable consumers

K-BEAUTYSKIN CARE Korean beautyproducts havebeen trending onlinefor some time, but a growing numberof brands are bringing K-beauty inspiredproducts to stores in the UK. Yee says:“There are so many more Korean-inspired skin care products now in theUK market with many brands unveilingtheir own versions.”

One of the best things about Korean-inspired products is the cute packaging.Emma Adamson, Product DevelopmentManager at Oh K! Beauty, says: “Koreanbeauty products are fun as well asfunctional. They really lead in packaginginnovation which helps to make productsplayful as well as practical.”

These products will really stand outon-shelf and grab your customer’sattention, but don’t let the kitsch designsput your more serious customers off.

Korean skin care is one of the mostadvanced on the market. Consumers inthis region really know their stuff and areparticularly picky with their products.No matter how cute it looks, this skincare packs some serious punch.

Korean beauty product concepts willstill be new to many of your customers sothey might need some guidance. It mighteven be a little new to you. Adamsonsays: “The Korean skin care regime caninvolve up to 14 steps so we definitelyhave a lot to learn.”

If your customers are willing to trysomething new, Korean beauty productscan really transform their pamperingroutines. Adamson says: “There areproducts for almost every skin concern,”

EMMA ADAMSON, Product Development Manager at OH K! BEAUTY, shares hertop tips for getting the most out of a mask:1. Remove all make-up before using – The mask will work better on a clean and fresh face.2. Read the instructions – There’s lots of variation in face masks, so remind customers to double-check the instructions before using.3. Sit back and relax – Typically, Korean masks should be left on for up to 30 minutes. Your customers could relax with a magazine or even try out some colouring in.4. Don’t wash off the residue – The lotion contained in the pack contains all the key ingredients so should be massaged into the face when your customers are finished. If there’s any lotion left in the pack, they could scoop it out for an added hit of mask magic.

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so keep your eyes peeled for nicheproducts to help with your customer’sspecific problems.

SHEET MASKSYour customers could ease themselves ingently with a sheet mask. These mightlook a little intimidating to some of yourcustomers, particularly if they have specificconcerns such as sensitivity or acne.

With so many sheet masks on themarket, there really is something foreveryone. If any customer is worriedabout triggering an allergic reaction orbreakout, suggest they rip open a littlecorner of the packet and squeeze out someof the mask’s serum to do a quick patchtest before they take the plunge. Packscan be taped shut to keep the mask freshwhile they wait for their skin’s reaction.

The masking trend doesn’t end withyour customers’ faces. Yee says there arenow products hitting the UK designed foralmost any body part. She says: “Facesheet masks are moving into the bodycare category, with masks for the handsand feet currently the most popular.”

Foot and hand masks have already hitthe UK retail market. Yee says: “In Koreainfused sheet masks for the hands andfeet are huge and this is now filteringdown to the west with socks and glovesinfused with anti-ageing ingredients ormasks that give a sauna-like effect tohelp serums sink deeper into the skin.”

Temple Spa has taken this one stepfurther and has created a sauna suit to beworn over its Glorious Mud detox bodymask. Once your customers have appliedthe body mud, theycan slip on the suitto get all of thebenefits of areal spa

treatment in their own homes. The suittraps in heat for a better detox effect andthey can sit back and relax wherever theylike, without making a mess.

NATURAL EXFOLIANTSAs well as bringingKorean beauty tothe UK, socialmedia has alsohelped boostthe profile ofnaturalexfoliators, withcoffee taking thelimelight as thehero ingredient inbody scrubs.

These scrubs look great inpictures with a distinctive grainy, muddylook. Just have a search on Instagram for#CoffeeScrub and you’ll see for yourself.Yee explains: “Natural body exfoliatorsremain popular, with ingredients focusingon coffee beans, salt crystals and brownsugar. This is inspired by the clean eatingfood and wellness trend.”

Coffee scrubs also boast a range ofbenefits from exfoliating to moisturising,depending on the formula. Advise yourcustomers to search through all of the varieties on offer in your store to ensure they find the right one for their skin type.

INTERACTIVE RELAXATION Products that promote relaxation andmindfulness are a huge hit at themoment. For some of your customers,finding the time to switch off and relaxmight be the hardest part of indulgingwith at-home spa products. Althoughthe digital age has brought a newselection of trends-based products, ithas also brought stress.

Jenni Trent Hughes, a behaviouralexpert and life strategist, saysmodern life isn’t always ideal. Sheadds: “We’re not very kind toourselves any more.”Suggesting a customerenjoys a long bath orpampering session

could do more than help them to look better.

Trent Hughes suggests lighting a fewcandles because “lighting a candle canbe a signifier of ‘me time’ – it’s time to benice to me”.

To help promote the benefits ofrelaxing, Sanctuary Spa has created

the Colour Me In Candle – free forthose spending £11 or more on thebrand’s products in Boots. Thisdual product includes fourcolouring pencils and a blackand white box ready to be

filled in.Trent Hughes explains: “There

are some shortcuts you can take tobeing kind to yourself,” and colouring in

is a great way for your customers toswitch off and relax.

While colouring might seem unrelatedto enjoying a spa at home, Trent Hughessays it can take customers back to theirchildhoods and remind them of a simplerand happier time. She believes it’s muchmore effective than other ways of trying tomeditate. “I have not met one person whodoesn’t get into it,” she says.

Suggest your customers give it a go andif they get hooked, there’s plenty ofmagazines and books availableon the high street to helpfeed their new andrelaxing hobby.

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