The Medicalisation of Beauty: 5 Things You Need to Know

Our Thoughts

12/11/2020 by The Red Tree

The focus on the NHS and public safety the last few months as a result of the pandemic has led to medically driven consumerism. The cause and effect between excessive hand washing and need for hand cream, has spread to demand for medically themed beauty routines too. And just to reassure you, these products feel luxurious and are a pleasure to use too.

There’s comfort in sanitation

Just as applying hand sanitizer feels reassuring and gives a sense of doing the right thing, so we look for medically themed beauty regimens to garner that same comfort. Is what you are using made by medics? Used by medics? That mark of approval must be the accolade du jour.

‘Nursem’ is a brand created by NHS nurses for NHS nurses who, due to excessive hand washing in hospitals, need special products to protect their skin. Nursem’s Caring Hand Cream, Caring Hand Wash, and Caring Skin Fix are donated to NHS nurses, (some of the most caring people in the world). They rely on ‘Nursem’ to get them safely through a typical working day, and a product review from a nurse has real clout. Check this out, these hard working products also have trending ingredients; hyaluronic acid, allantoin, as well as all the pleasure seeking naturals you could possibly want; white willow, grapefruit, bergamot, avocado oil, grape seed oil. You’re not missing out on anything by going down the medical route.

Medically motivated brands are trusted

There is a hunger for the advancement of medicine to keep up with our changing health needs and lifestyles. At the same time, brands motivated by treating skin health aren’t purely commercial but medically skewed, so can be trusted. Of course quality skin that is in good condition will tick all your beauty wish list anyway, you’ll recover well from any professional treatments, and have a robust skin texture, and healthy skin metabolism too.

But what can we trust in the most? It’s what we tangibly feel and experience; the pleasure of applying products. Claims substantiation clinically prove the promises we see on skincare packaging, and explain why we enjoy certain textures, smells, and actions on the skin. Understanding these, certainly confirms our need for particular products, and why we enjoy our skincare routines.

In a recent study by Ayton Global Research 88% of the 209 people asked feel it’s important that the brands they buy are authentic, and 80% agreed that no evidence behind claims would make them lose trust in a brand. This research indicates that medical looking products can also play to the tune of trendy ‘authentic beauty’ by promoting trusty product promises.

“I highly recommend using claims to really elevate marketing. Brands are using the claims in social media, which is a great way to communicate them with consumers” Carys Smith, Ayton Global Research. Claim substantiation help sell products by building excitement and strengthening our understanding of what we can expect. We need efficacy testing and clinical evidence to bring to life why we enjoy the sensations of seriously good skincare.

Medical grade is considered the best

Medically themed products are becoming top priority, newsworthy even, and the preferred option. ‘Savlon’ “Your families first choice” offers a no brainer safe option in times of medical emergency, but also is a universal product that everyone in the family can learn to love. Medical beauty is inclusive to everyone. Non-gendered beauty is popular with Gen-Z not wishing to conform to typical girl/boy stereotypes, but rather focusing on ingenuity and chic minimalism.

The brand ‘iS Clinical’, with celebrity fans that swear by these superior quality products, are making chemistry cool! Once you’ve trained your skin to take professional formulas it’s hard to downgrade. Skin cannot perform the same on a junk food diet. So subscribe to skin saviors, and why not purchase backups of all your favorite meds for extra reassurance. Shhhh, Skinceuticals might have the answer to how to maintain customer loyalty, yes why not take a shortcut, and just do skincare properly. For Skinceuticals gets straight to the point, correcting the minutiae of what only a laser could see, so you’ll have nothing less than tight skin for decades. Smart choice. I maintain that sampling is key, after all once your skin gets used to medical grade formulas, a regular size must follow to bring results fully into fruition.

Making safety sexy.

Better to be safe than sorry let’s buy up medical grade ranges before they sell out. Yes safety themed products far from generic can actually be sexy, cute, cool, and fashionable. Just look at the glamour of ‘Nurse Jamie’; don’t be put off by their ‘Beauty Blade’ looking like a surgeon’s scalpel, mastering this massage tool will make skin glow like nothing else. There is a reason why ‘First Aid Beauty’ goes from strength to strength; it’s exacting image turned heads on its initial launch into stores, it got picked up by digital influencers fascinated by the brand; thus, claiming cult status it was famously acquired by P&G in 2018.

With some relief FAB focuses us customers on just the essential products that will then surprise us with skin that is not only surviving but thriving. Yes maximizing skin health is a FAB thing to do. Problem solved. Now, what could be cuter then ‘Beauty and the Bear’ chewable hair and skin supplements that will give you a sweet daily boost. Or have you seen ‘Sugar Bear’ the photogenic florescent blue pills that do Instagram a favor. Smarties do have the answer.

Last but not least; ‘Carbon Theory’ is one of the fastest growing new skincare brands; a no nonsense, transparent approach to acne prone skin, with natural ingredients as the hero. Their advertising is the hundreds of before and after photographs sent in by customers. Trust Boots; why not try the Carbon Theory Charcoal Cleansing bar, because clear skin is beautiful skin. Makes sense.

Upgrade to medically qualified skincare

Doctors are trained to question things, not to simply accept the status quo. Surgeons like a slick operation; on the ball, they respond fast, and are compelled to create streamlined formulas. Reduce waste by only including what the skin can actually use. Genuine interest and curiosity go into products that are made by a passionate medic. We need advanced formulas, that are safe, clean, and absorb well.

Digital means global; and if you’re a medically themed beauty brand you may be finding that new territories and countries are opening up for you, with customers confident to purchase. It’s a green light for ‘Go’, since medical beauty even does business properly. Indeed “Due to a higher online presence where brands need to be wary of global sales and therefore ensuring their claims are compliant in all markets, they are selling their products” Carys Smith, Ayton Global Research

Experiencing is believing, want a radiance you can actually feel? Helping skin to work well internally by boosting cellular batteries is a touch of brilliance. Take the Alumier MD 4 step regime to energize our cells and make you feel powerful in your skin. You can’t get more positive than that. Isn’t beauty a bi-product of health, and health a priority over aesthetics? Yes medical beauty is about to explode.

Conclusion

This movement towards the medicalization of beauty has become rather sought after. So what do you say? Shall we get in on this futuristic sci-fi fantasy; wear face visors, latex suits, and self-medicate or ‘Medik8’ with products that look medicine cabinet cool. ‘Honor MD’ provides hope to those who may feel lacklustre but can buy a Genetically Blessed Serum with Cat’s claw bark, Moringa, Coffee and Lactic Acid to achieve a brightened appearance.

To see for yourself what medicalised skincare can do, note down your skincare goals, take what the doctor ordered, and chart your skin’s progress from your iPhone, with a skin diagnosis app like Neutrogena 360. You might even be wowed by the dramatic aesthetic results. Nice to see that Medical Skincare icons like Neutrogena, Nivea, Bio Oil, E45, Cetaphil, the legendary StriVectin, etc. had it right all along. Be savvy now and cover all bases with new medical strength beauty.

The Red Tree is the UK’s leading international beauty brand consultancy and a powerhouse of ideas, insight and inspiration. For an informal discussion on how we might help you, please contact us.