As spa-goers seek out a more holistic approach to wellness, they’re also increasingly open to the idea of skincare made with intention. “Levels of stress and toxicity are on the rise,” says Yael Alkalay, founder and CEO of Red Flower. “Seeking methods to counterbalance a non-stop world is a matter of survival. Intentional beauty is an immediate shift in attention that is the ideal antidote and access to another level of potential, joy, and feeling of wellbeing.” According to Sodashi’s Megan Larsen, it also gives skincare another dimension. “When people try skincare created with intention, they feel something, and they’re curious why they feel it,” she says.
Intentional beauty also goes hand in hand with sustainability. “It is aligned with the need and demand for sustainable living and caring for our environment,” says Alkalay. “Together with both our spa and specialty retail partners, we are dedicated to educating, shifting expectations, and making non-toxic, natural ingredients the rule rather than the exception.” Alcheme, a skincare brand grounded in science and relying on traceable ingredients, focuses more on the sustainability aspect of intentional skincare. “It is a growing trend, because I believe that we are all in search of a sense of purpose, of meaning,” says Tuyen Lamy, cofounder of Alcheme. “Contributing on an individual scale to making the world a more sustainable place is a way to take action and to participate is one of the key challenges of our generation.”
Ultimately, intention provides another way to personalize a product, which isn’t so much a trend anymore as a direction the industry is headed. “Most skincare ranges, whether they are body or face care are mass made, and do not really take the customer into consideration,” says Ila’s Sharon Codner. “What will they achieve, what emotional attachment will it create? How will it help with anxiety and stress and nurture an increasingly processed lifestyle? Living beings need to feel pampered, taken care of, and loved, so intentional skincare, products with a purpose, provides us with a greater sense of balance and support.” While there isn’t a lot of research on the topic, the anecdotal evidence certainly is promising.
Says Alkalay, “When you really engage in and enjoy something, you are bound to take better care of it and consider it more precious—this makes intentional beauty sustainable beauty by making the most of every product experience.”
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