Green tea has become popular in personal care in the past several years, but white tea is showing substantial growth across many beauty categories.
White tea can be found in many different personal care categories--spanning from body care to color cosmetics. It originates from the young buds and leaves of the Camellia sinensis, a plant that is also used to produce green, oolong and black tea. The buds and leaves have small, white hairs, which explains how white tea earned its name.
Each variety of tea is processed differently for varying degrees of oxidation. White tea is minimally processed, which results in a higher level of catechins, thus making it a strong antioxidant. Due to the minimization of processing, white tea can sometimes be more expensive than its counterparts.
The Mintel Cosmetic Research database, a subsidiary of the Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), points to several trends to further illustrate white tea’s immense popularity. As consumers continue to desire unique products with strong antioxidant properties, as well as expensive or rare ingredients, white tea will continue to have a chance to flourish.
White tea can be found in Bioelements Power Peptide, a product that speaks to this consumer need. The peptides are used in this product for their antiaging properties, as well as for increasing moisture. Credibility comes in the form of professional endorsement, as it claims to be “used by leading estheticians in professional facials.” This product is intended for use prior to day or night treatments.
One of the most unique skin care ranges is kaplanMD. The founder, dermatologist Stuart H. Kaplan, MD, created the products to treat skin aging due to hormonal imbalances. The products contain antiaging and environmental damage protection. The Day Cream SPF 15 for transitioning skin contains soy, grapeseed and black cohosh to counteract the negative effects of estrogen loss. White tea, as well as oolong and green tea, can be found in this product.
White tea is often found in antiaging products, including body care products. Suave Skin Therapy Exhale Calming Body Wash contains vitamin E, provitamin B5 and white tea extracts. The lavender vanilla scent is intended to “transform the shower experience into a cooling sanctuary.” Interestingly, the container lists green tea before white tea under ingredients, but emphasizes the use of white tea (not green tea) in the product description. The emphasis on white tea shows the increasing strong marketing potential of white tea. This could give the product an edge, as there are a vast amount of products on the market touting the use of green tea. The use of white tea has an unique draw that green tea may no longer have.
Fusion Beauty has come out with an innovative new product containing white tea that allows consumers to tan at home. The Fusion Beauty AirGlow Airbrush Gun with Micro-Nutrient Tinted Protein Tan Mist contains a mist formulated with cocoa, antiaging properties, and antioxidant protection. The mist is streak-free, stain-free and dye-free. It also enables the consumer to receive a spray tan with all the convenience and comfort of home.
Duwop Lip Venom 2nd Sin is a new lip plumping gloss that contains Coolact to reduce the sting factor that accompanies many lip plumpers. According to the product’s manufacturers, a special blend of cinnamon, wintergreen and ginger is said to “increase the circulation to the lips, flushing and plumping them to perfection.” Maxi Lip is a collagen-boosting ingredient that is used in the product. Pomegranate and white tea extracts were also included for their antioxidant properties.
Vitamin K, cucumber and white tea can be found in the new Jane Iredale Active-Light Under-Eye Concealer. Application is made more precise due to its pen and brush dispenser. The white tea extract was used in this formulation for its ability to boost the skin’s immune function. The product is especially appealing because it combines the coverage of a concealer with the antioxidants and firming properties that are expected from an eye cream.
The Floating World Modern Bath Ginger White Tea Bath Salts is a product that satisfies several current trends. The company uses natural products from their own baths, and claims to be free from parabens, petroleum and sulfate. Although many consumers do not understand the ingredients used in cosmetics and personal care products, they hear that certain ingredients could be bad for them, so they seek out products that are free from the said “bad” ingredient. The Ginger White Tea Bath Salts are formulated with Dead Sea and desert salts for detoxification.
The Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) tracks new product launches, trends and innovations internationally. The Mintel Cosmetic Research Database tracks mass market and luxury cosmetic innovations in France and the United States. For additional information regarding either Mintel GNPD or Mintel Cosmetic Research, visit www.gnpd.com or call Mintel International at 1-312-932-0600.
