As gender neutrality becomes a more mainstream concept and continues to evolve with language and policies helping to lead the way, there are still many opportunities in the aesthetics industry to develop universally accepted treatments and products for all clientele. 

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MODERN COSMETICS INDUSTRY  

The rise of modern skin care started with the formation of the FDA in 1906 to regulate the industry. During this time, L’Oreal, Elizabeth Arden, Max Factor, and Maybelline all launched a range of skin care products and the cosmetic world as we now know it began to take shape.1 The roaring 20s and glamorous movie stars of the 30s finally brought cosmetics into the mass merchandise market, where they were sold in department stores and other venues. It was about this time that some of the best-known brand names – many of which are still sold today – entered the picture, and the modern cosmetics industry was born. 

By the 90s and early 2000s, many skin care brands began to explore the untapped potential of men’s skin care, capitalizing on the metrosexual movement. Most often, men’s skin care products are pitched as practical, solutions-based offerings to address specific concerns. 

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments, including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, minimizing the appearance of scarring, or addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes.  

2023 saw the rise of many skin care ingredient trends. There was hybrid skin care, faux freckles, skin minimalism, also known as skin streaming, inclusive sun protection, and clean beauty, just to name a few. However, there was one skin care ingredient that consistently delivered thousands, if not millions, of views on social media platforms last year – rice water. On TikTok alone, #ricewaterforskin resulted in over 99 million views with claims that rice water relieves itchy skin from atopic dermatitis, improves barrier function, delivers glass skin, and more. 

GRAINS OF HISTORY

While rice water is trending, it certainly isn’t new to skin care. In fact, the use of rice in beauty has deep roots in Asian cultures. In Japan, rice water has been used by court ladies for their hair since the ancient Heian Period (794 to 1185 AD), and Geishas used to bathe in rice-bran water to exfoliate and soften their skin. In Korea, the practice of rice washing dates back to 1392 at the start of Joseon dynasty (1392 to 1910), when the Gungnyeo, otherwise known as the palace women, discovered that rice water made their skin feel noticeably softer. In China, as early as the Qing Dynasty (1644 to1911), women used the leftover water from washing rice to cleanse and brighten their skin.

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments, including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, minimizing the appearance of scarring, or addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes. 

Sometimes what’s old is new again. This can certainly be applied to gua sha. Gua sha (Chinese: 刮痧; pinyin: guā shā; pronounced gwahshah) began its rise to internet prominence in 2021 and has remained a topic of interest ever since. A search for #guasha results in over 2.9 billion views on TikTok, and over 728,000 posts on Instagram. Articles on gua sha can be found in magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Allure, and Harper’s Bazaar, and on news sites such as Newsweek, ABC News, Good Morning America, the Today Show, and more.

ANCIENT HISTORY 

It’s believed that the practice of gua sha can be traced back to the Paleolithic Age where hands or stones were rubbed on various parts of the body to alleviate pain or sickness, and it was documented as a form of treatment in medical journals during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) by the ancient Chinese.  

The name gua sha breaks down to mean: gua for scraping, and sha for redness. This longstanding Traditional Chinese Medicine healing method was adopted into other Asian cultures and goes by kashin in Japan, kerokan in Indonesia, gual sa in Korea, and cao gió in Vietnam, while practitioners in France know it as tribo-effleurage. Thanks to the virality of social media, as well as copious amounts of news coverage, gua sha is now universally known as a treatment modality. 

STUDIES SHOW 

 In gua sha, practitioners use a smooth-edged tool to stroke skin, gliding along the lymphatic system to improve blood circulation and aid in drainage function, resulting in the rapid rush of blood circulation to the treatment area. A 2021 study found that scraping marks (petechiae and ecchymoses) are formed when capillaries break open and blood leaks into the subcutis, and that cell debris is concurrently removed by microglia and macrophages. Hypothesizing that the nervous system and immune system interact with one another to generate a cascade of physiological responses to the scraping, through which scraping may result in therapeutic benefits. 

An earlier study conducted in 2007 aimed to study the microcirculatory effects of gua sha on skin and the subcutis in humans to elucidate physiological mechanisms responsible for the clinically observed pain-relieving effect of this treatment. Laser doppler imaging (LDI) was used to make sequential measurements of the microcirculation of surface tissue before and after gua sha treatment in 11 healthy subjects. The effect of gua sha treatment on the microcirculation of surface tissue was expressed as changes from baseline in arbitrary perfusion units (PU). It showed that gua sha caused a fourfold increase in microcirculation perfusion units at the treated area for the first 7.5 minutes following treatment and a significant increase in surface microcirculation during the entire 25 minutes of the study period following treatment (P .001). Interestingly, females showed significantly higher rates of response than males. 

ON A COSMETIC LEVEL 

As practitioners, we can appreciate that studies have shown that this daily ritual improves microcirculation up to 400%, however, most clients are looking for the reported aesthetic benefits often associated with a gua sha facial. The often-noted results include the reduction of puffiness, the sculpting of the jawline and cheekbones, the relaxation of facial muscles, the improvement of skin elasticity, and the minimization of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also reported that gua sha promotes the production of collagen, which can help even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of discoloration, such as hyperpigmentation. While there is some anecdotal evidence to support these claims, there is little empirical research to-date to offer concrete data for reference.  

This lack of research has not affected the interest and demand in gua sha facial treatments, so it may be something worth considering if you haven’t already adopted this modality. There are a number of certification programs available to ensure proper training and methodology, and all gua sha practitioners will want to familiarize themselves with the contraindications, such as injury to skin, like sunburn, rashes, abrasions, bruising, ulceration, and lesions. Also, any clients with bleeding disorders such as leukemia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, or those taking blood thinners should avoid this treatment. 

TOOLBOX 

Lastly, there are a number of gua sha tools including wing-type tools, s-shaped tools, rollers and more. The gua sha tools market in North America and Europe is expanding at a significant rate and is estimated to grow during the forecast period due to its popularity, the presence of a number of beauty salons, e-commerce websites offering discounts on gua sha tools, adherence to strict quality controls, and existing product development processes. The numbers show remarkable market growth, which points to future opportunities on the treatment provider end, as well as retail sales. 

When we think of the skin care industry, we may not immediately think of what has traditionally been known as men’s skin care; however, it is an important segment of the consumer group, and worth time and consideration. 

In a study by Straits Research, the global men’s skin care products market was valued at $12.981 billion in 2022.1 It is estimated to be valued at $15.23 billion in 2023 and is expected to total $37 billion by 2033. The adoption of men’s skin care products is likely to advance at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% during the forecast period.2  

A FEW GOOD MEN 

The growing demand for gender-specific products such as shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, face masks, and peels by men is expected to positively impact the market.3 Interestingly enough, it appears that men’s spending habits differ from women’s when it comes to impulse buying. Men are more than willing to splurge on skin care as a form of self-care due to their growing awareness of skin care products. In Deloitte’s latest update to its ongoing Global State of the Consumer Index, researchers found when men splurge, they spend 40% more than women globally and in the United States on various items.4  

However, the surging disregard of gender binaries among Generation Z consumers is a major growth opportunity the men’s skin care market offers.5 Nearly 40% of adults aged 18 to 22 have shown interest in gender-neutral beauty products, according to the NPD Group’s iGen Beauty Consumer report.6 

Digital Development  

 Men have been exposed to much more information about skin care, beauty products, and cosmetics as a result of the rise of social media beauty bloggers and influencers. While TikTok and Instagram have similar membership numbers, TikTok has a larger audience for male-centered beauty content. According to market and consumer data platform Statista, as of January 2023, approximately 54% of TikTok global users were women and 46% were men. The #mensskincare hashtag currently draws up approximately 350,000 results on Instagram; on TikTok, the same hashtag has over 295 million views. A representative from TikTok pulled up the viewership count for several of the most popular male-centered beauty hashtags: #mensgrooming has 1.5 billion views, #mensmakeup has 326.8 million, #mensskincare has 292.7 million and #mensskincareproducts has 31.7 million.7 

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, and minimizing the appearance of scarring or when addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes.  

Supporting existing clientele while attracting new devotees is the name of the game when it comes to maximum business engagement. In order to successfully run an aesthetics business, it is imperative to understand everything from what is ahead in the skin care world to making a business a safe place for all, while staying within the scope of the aesthetician practice. 

TIME FOR A TIME-OUT

Suggesting products and at home treatments to clients is a common part of the standard treatment plan for skin care professionals. It is normally recommended that clients use products for a period of one to three months to gauge their effectiveness. However, over time, skin care routines can become less effective as skin adapts to products and builds up a tolerance to certain ingredients, leading to diminishing results. 

If clients report that they are no longer seeing the desired outcome from their at homecare products, or that they have noticed negative or unwanted changes in their skin, such as issues with their tone, or texture, redness, dry patches, breakouts, or irritation, it is time to re-evaluate their products and make some changes. 

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, and minimizing the appearance of scarring or when addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes.