Demand for ingestible skin care products is growing as consumer attitudes shift, according to a survey of people in the UK and France that was sponsored by Lycored.

The global wellness company surveyed 490 consumers in the UK and France, exploring their attitudes about beauty and skin health. The survey revisited questions that Lycored had previously asked five years ago, and found that much had changed.

Three in 10 (30%) had purchased an ingestible skin care product over the past year, up from 14% in 2017. The figure was particularly high among 25-34 year olds (57%, compared to 16% of 55-64 year olds).

The research suggests that growing demand for beauty-from-within is rooted in increasingly holistic, health-focused attitudes about skin care, Lycored suggested. Seven in 10 (70%) of the survey respondents said they used skin care products to keep their skin healthy; 69% said it was “to feel good about myself.” This feel-good factor was particularly evident among consumers in the 18-24 age bracket, 82% of whom said they used products to feel good about themselves, and women 78% compared to 59% of men.

By contrast, more cosmetic goals were not highly sought. Only 14% of consumers surveyed—and just 6% of the over-65s—said looking young was important to them, and only 17% said they used skin care products to look attractive to others.

“The new generation of skin care consumers is much more interested in holistic skin health than traditional cosmetic signs of beauty,” said Caroline Schroeder, marketing communications manager at Lycored. This focus on ‘from within’ factors has increased in recent years, especially during the pandemic, during which many consumers have valued overall health and self-care more than outward appearance. It’s a major reason for the boom in demand for ingestible skin care.”

* Survey of 245 consumers in the UK and 245 in France. All had purchased a skin care product (either topical or ingestible) over the past 12 months.