Daily mundane activities and routines are getting an upgrade as elevated essentials become a way of inserting little luxuries into everyday life.
Beauty’s influence is making menial tasks of brushing our teeth and washing clothes bougie, with basic products getting big upgrades through formulations, fragrances, and more – but what has led to this shift towards making these chores sexier?
“The rise of elevated essentials marks one of the most interesting shifts in beauty and wellness right now,” explains Katie Peake, co-founder and Creative Director of brand experience agency Backlash.
“Products that were once purely functional, for example, hand wash, deodorant, and household cleaning products, are being introduced as small, meaningful luxuries.
“From my perspective, this movement feels less like a trend and more like a reflection of how consumers want to live, feel and express themselves today.”
Post-pandemic appeal and the ‘little treat’ economy
While the shift towards wellness is apparent in every consumer category, other factors, such as the cost-of-living crisis and a post-pandemic world, are contributing to consumers’ obsessions with bougie basics.
A recent report from The Future Laboratory foresight analyst Seyi Oduwole revealed how “post-pandemic, consumers have placed greater importance on hygiene”.
The research referenced data from Grand View Research, which revealed global beauty and personal care products market, worth £406bn (US$557.24bn) in 2023, is set to nearly double to more than £708bn ($973bn) by 2030, growing at 7.7% annually, underscoring the significant growth potential of this segment.
“At a surface level, this looks like indulgence, but it runs much deeper,” explains Peake.
“As inflation keeps on rising and also still living in a post-pandemic world, consumers are pulling back on luxuries that would be classed as ‘big ticket luxuries’, and instead reallocating that spend into small, daily moments of affordable luxuries that offer the emotional payoff without breaking the bank.”
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