The human body consists of trillions of microbial cells. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract in particular contains a diverse community of bacteria that help to regulate digestion while playing an important role in the extraction, synthesis, and absorption of nutrients and metabolites.

Research continues to reveal various ways the human microbiome influences physiology, health and wellness states, emotion, and behavior.

Market growth is evident as well. The global human microbiome sector is currently valued at about $7 billion, and is expected to reach $9.1 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.6% between 2020 and 2026, according to Euromonitor International.

The gastrointestinal tract plays a significant role in immune health, with more than 70% of the body’s immune cells contained within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). So it’s no wonder that digestive health and the role of the microbiome are increasingly viewed as central to overall wellness. Most of our bacteria reside in the colon, while the skin is the second most-abundant site.

More than half (58%) of global consumers are aware of the benefits that bacteria in the digestive system can have on overall health, according to the Hartman Group (October 2021). However, only 14% are familiar with the term “microbiome.”

Alongside digestive health (72%), immune health (71%), and healthy aging (71%), top perceived benefits of bacteria in the digestive system include mental/cognitive health (34%), weight management (28%), metabolic health (23%), and skin health (16%).

With growing recognition about the connections between mind and body, consumers are paying more attention to the impact their food, beverage, and supplement choices may have on their wellbeing.

Research is also uncovering the role of the skin microbiome and how probiotics may support skin health in both oral and topical applications.

According to an article published in Frontiers in Microbiology (Salem et al., 2018): “The gut and skin, densely vascularized and richly innervated organs with crucial immune and neuroendocrine roles, are uniquely related in purpose and function. As our primary interface with the external environment, both organs are essential to the maintenance of physiologic homeostasis. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated an intimate, bidirectional connection between the gut and skin, and numerous studies link gastrointestinal (GI) health to skin homeostasis and allostasis. GI disorders are often accompanied by cutaneous manifestations and the GI system, particularly the gut microbiome, appears to participate in the pathophysiology of many inflammatory disorders.”

In their review of the gut microbiome as a major regulator of the gut-skin axis, Salem et al. noted that clinical studies have demonstrated the gut microbiome’s contribution to homeostasis, allostasis, and the pathogenesis of disease.

“Through complex immune mechanisms, the influence of the gut microbiome extends to involve distant organ systems including the skin. With intentional modulation of the microbiome, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have proven beneficial in the prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory skin diseases including acne vulgaris, AD (atopic dermatitis), and psoriasis.

“In this up-and-coming field,” they continued, “future research should improve our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying the gut-skin axis, investigate the therapeutic potential of long-term modulation of the gut microbiome, and potentially expand therapeutic manipulation to include commensal gut fungi and viruses in order to fully harness the gut microbiome’s influence in the treatment of skin disease.”

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“Advances in biology will lead to the next generation of products with proven efficacy.” —Mintel

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Personalized Performance

The microbiome has become the next frontier for personalized nutrition, offering brands a chance to support everyday performance thanks to evidence of ties to fitness, sleep hygiene, overall mental wellbeing, immune function, and more.

Personalized assessment solutions are helping consumers learn more about their bodies, including analyses of their individual gut microbiomes—and these services are fast becoming mainstream.

New technology in the field is equipping consumers with testing kits to benchmark the make-up of their microbiomes, and consumers are using this information to try new diet and lifestyle habits. More than half (59%) of global consumers find the idea of nutrition-focused genetic testing appealing, and of those, 64% would be willing to use this technology, according to data from FMCG Gurus.

Emerging developments in the field of biotic solutions supporting the microbiome, combined with growing mainstream consumer interest, have created a market with high growth potential.

According to Mintel’s 2023 Global Beauty and Personal Care Trends report, beauty brands will continue to invest in technology, whether it is for ingredient development, devices or new digitally-driven technology. “Advances in biology will lead to the next generation of products with proven efficacy,” Mintel reported. “Additional consumer education will appeal to those beauty shoppers already primed for new information and looking for the next greatest innovation.”

For example, Arcaea is a company launched on the Ginkgo Bioworks platform, with the mission to build a new foundation for the beauty industry through expressive biology. The company is growing new ingredients and product experiences for beauty through technology such as DNA sequencing, biological engineering, fermentation, and more. By culturing safe, and sustainable ingredients, Arcaea intends to create a new supply chain for the industry that does not rely on petrochemicals or on harvesting and depleting natural resources. By harnessing the power of biology, Arcaea is poised to produce highly sustainable products that can deliver new functionality and performance across skincare, body care, hair care, and aesthetics. Mintel noted companies like Chanel and OLAPLEX have invested in the Boston-based company.

Additionally, Mintel reported that 20% of U.S. consumers recognize lab-grown, nature-identical ingredients as effective (20%), safe (22%), and trendy (21%), indicating some runway for companies to leverage emerging technologies.

Meanwhile, Shiseido is researching the potential of skin diagnostics through skin bacteria, taking the concept of the “biome” to the next level. Indigenous skin bacteria is like a fingerprint and could allow for super-premium personalization, Mintel said.

Additionally, L’Oreal partnered with Verily to leverage big data and skin sensors to more accurately predict skin health conditions and develop diagnostic tools.

Neutrogena has partnered with Nourished to launch SkinStacks, 3D-printed bespoke gummies powered by digital skin assessment. Hum Nutrition, Nutrafol, Persona, and Care/of offer online questionnaires to personalize supplements for consumers often with input from nutritionists.

Claim Support: Seeing is Believing

As research on the gut-skin connection continues, consumers are looking for health and beauty solutions that can back up their claims, especially in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

More than half (53%) of U.S. beauty and personal care users research ingredients to better understand the effectiveness of products, according to Mintel data, and 75% of Spanish consumers agree that beauty brands should provide more scientific evidence to validate the claims they make (e.g., reducing wrinkles).

Consumer evaluations of products could be a positive opportunity for engagement. Mintel’s global surveys showed 73% of Chinese women who pay attention to beauty ingredients say it is fun to learn about different ingredients in beauty products.

Where do people go for proof and validation that they are spending their money on products that work? The influence of social media can’t be understated as trends emerge and spread quickly. In the U.S. 40% of consumers who follow beauty influencers use TikTok for beauty information because they say it’s educational, Mintel reported.

According to the Kline Group’s assessment of top trends in beauty supplements, influencer marketing plays a key role in driving consumer awareness toward ingestible beauty products. Many prominent brands, such as Sugarbear, Moon Juice, Ritual, Vital Proteins, and others, work with celebrity influencers to gain exposure.

While the democratization of science can help consumers make informed buying decisions, it can be challenging to navigate the sea of claims and hype on social media platforms—or contain false and misleading information.

Doctor-developed specialty brands often convey authority and trust for consumers.

Brands that focus specifically on hair or skin benefits are often developed by physicians, Kline noted. They are sold in stores, online, and via medical professionals such as dermatologists, plastic surgeons, aesthetic physicians, and hair stylists. A few brand examples include Bosley, Perricone MD, and Murad.

Comfort and Cost

The disruption of COVID-19, coupled with modern lifestyles and economic uncertainty, has led to ballooning stress levels—and downstream consequences for health and wellness.

Research by Starling Bank in the UK found that one in five people under 35 are “downsizing” their lifestyles because of the cost of living crisis, Mintel noted. Young adults are also about twice as likely as those over 55 to say they are using credit cards to help them cope and that they feel stressed about budgeting. Women in particular reported that money worries are impacting their sleep. 

At the same time, 87% of Chinese consumers are actively seeking ways to reduce stress, according to Mintel; 84% of Indian consumers agree that using beauty and personal care products makes them feel good about themselves; and 68% of French consumers say that looking good makes them feel more confident.

Facing a confluence of health challenges and economic concern, multi-functional products that can combine beauty benefits with enhanced mood, improved sleep, better gut health/digestion, or immune health, for example, can appeal to consumers.

Layering convenient product formats with a multi-benefit formula that aligns with a consumer’s lifestyle can be a winning recipe. Inspired by functional foods, beverage mixes, coffee creamers, powders, snack bars, and bites are all growing in popularity, according to Kline.

Community

The wellness and self-care movement is helping many people build and find new communities.

“No longer will a singular approach to wellness be acceptable,” Mintel cautioned. “The concept of community self-care will gain popularity as people recognize the importance of helping one another as a way to help everyone live better and feel better.”

This concept applies to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or life stage, Mintel added. “For example, as the topics of hormones, periods, and hot flashes become more socially acceptable, brands will be more open to having honest conversations with their consumers, providing them with products that address their needs, as well as useful information to make their lives better.”

Brands should embrace disruption to engage with and build communities that allow for openness and experimentation, Mintel said.

Retail can capitalize on this opportunity to evolve and bring consumers back to brick-and-mortar following the pandemic’s acceleration of online/e-commerce shopping.

“No matter the approach brands and retailers take, it’s critical to ensure that all consumers feel seen and spoken to. Identity, representation, and body positivity are changing the way consumers see themselves but also the way in which they want to be marketed.”

Today, “retailers are looking to bring value back to the real-life shopping experience beyond what consumers can get online. The storefront is no longer just about selecting a product; it needs to be engaging, fun, and exciting. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands thrived during the pandemic, but the cost of acquiring new customers is growing, leaving DTC brands forced to evolve in order to remain relevant.”

Experimentation drives engagement, Mintel noted. Science and technology are positioned to usher in next generation experiences, in store and at home. “As online and offline formats continue to merge, technology will allow for the replication of experiences across channels with simple approaches, from RFID (radio-frequency identification) to digital avatars and the metaverse.”

Already, vending machines powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are coming online in countries like Japan, Mintel said, “appealing to Gen Z consumers with large touchscreens and cashless payments. With the emergence of AI in vending machines, brands are able to offer customers a suite of machine learning features that increase efficiencies, including augmented reality (AR), product recognition, and usage analytics.”

Brands should expect significant changes in consumer expectations and behavior, with technology influencing the way people and brands engage with one another.