Need to Know
05 : 01 : 23

By Emily Rhodes, Marta Indeka and Fiona Harkin

Kohler’s shower infusion system brings the spa home, LG introduces upgradeable home appliances at CES and the Chinese make-up market will see strong growth to 2026.

In today's news:

CES 2023: Kohler’s shower infusion system brings the spa home

CES 2023: LG introduces upgradeable back-to-basics home appliances

Chinese make-up market will see strong growth to 2026

The Future Laboratory Events Calendar 2023

CES 2023: Kohler’s shower infusion system brings the spa home

Sprig by Kohler, US

US – In the run-up to CES 2023, fittings brand Kohler Studios has revealed a bathroom upgrade that promises to elevate showers through aromatherapy for an affordable, spa-like experience at home.

Consisting of a shower head attachment and shower pods, Kohler’s Sprig Shower Infusion System offers a multi-sensory upgrade to any bathroom. The pods come in different scents, such as eucalyptus, chamomile and lavender, and come with added skin-enhancing active ingredients, like hyaluronic acid or sodium. Sprig Shower Pods are designed to infuse and enrich the water stream for the duration of a single shower, giving users the possibility to mix up the scent and ingredient combinations depending on their mood and skin concerns.

Priced at £115 ($119, €131), Kohler’s at-home shower infusion solution will cater for wellness-driven consumers by providing a convenient and accessible sensory spa-like experience at an affordable cost. In addition, the launch of this wellness gadget stresses the growing importance of water quality, and the crucial role of the clean water market for the beauty and wellness rituals of tomorrow.

Strategic opportunity

Kohler’s addition of sensory and wellbeing-boosting features to the humble shower head shows how small upgrades can elevate daily routines and create moments of escapism inside the home haven

CES 2023: LG introduces upgradeable back-to-basics home appliances

US – Stripped down from countless and often unnecessary features, buttons and accessories, LG’s new line of minimalistic appliances embraces a back-to-basics approach to home electronics.

Boasting a clean and simple design, the home appliances range, to be unveiled by LG Electronics at CES 2023, aims to deliver essential value to customers with better energy efficiency and simple controls for a streamlined and effortless user experience.

To extend the lifecycle and personalise products, LG has created an innovative software upgrade system. The downloadable Laundry Saver Mode, for instance, can keep clothes tumbling for a set time after the washing cycle to prevent wrinkles and odours. ‘We want customers to experience the feeling of getting a new washer or refrigerator throughout the entire lifecycle,’ adds Lyu Jae-cheol, president of home appliances at LG.

In parallel, LG is also launching an ultra-premium appliance line, with cutting-edge technology and more sophisticated design, taking the same principles of convenience and efficiency adapted for the affluent consumer.

In our Home and Family series, we further explore the ideas, innovations and disruptors that are reshaping the future of home environments and structures.

ThinQ UP by LG, US

Strategic opportunity

Take inspiration from LG’s buildable approach to product design – a simplified but upgradeable product can deliver higher value and efficiency by better catering for each consumer’s unique needs

Chinese make-up market will see strong growth to 2026

Ms MIN, China

China – According to data and analytics business, GlobalData, the Chinese make-up market will grow strongly despite the country’s disrupted retail market due to extended Covid-19 lockdowns. It is predicted that the market will expand to £9bn (Rmb74.6bn, $10.8bn, €10.2bn) by 2026, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% from 2021 to 2026.

The eye make-up category will see the strongest growth, closely followed by the lip make-up category. The growth is being attributed to the relaxation of stringent Zero Covid policies in the country towards the end of 2022, combined with popularity for make-up that is visible above face masks.

The GlobalData report also reveals that online retailers were the leading distribution channel in the Chinese make-up market in 2021, followed by department stores, and hypermarkets and supermarkets. L’Oréal, Carslan and The Estée Lauder Companies were the top three companies in the market in value terms, with Maybelline and L’Oréal Paris the leading brands in 2021.

Consumer analyst Bobby Verghese adds: ‘With consumer footfall and impulse purchases accelerating at beauty retailers, China’s PCE (per capita expenditure) on make-up is projected to increase to £3.40 ($4.10, €3.86) by 2026. New product launches with natural and safe formulations, improved functionality and sustainable packaging will attract consumers. In addition, the adoption of virtual make-up apps and e-commerce portals will surge in the post-pandemic years.’

You can uncover more insights in our China Beauty Market report.

Strategic opportunity

GlobalData also predicts that the ‘guachao’ or China Chic trend will accelerate popularity of Chinese beauty brands; multinationals will have to appeal to this nationalism trend to ride the market’s growth

The Future Laboratory Events Calendar 2023

The Future Laboratory's Trend Briefing 2023 at the Royal Academy of Arts, UK

Join us in 2023 for a series of inspiring video presentations, guest speaker panels and live Q&A sessions as well as our industry-renowned Trend Briefing in London.

Members of LS:N Global get free access to our full programme of online events in 2023. You can RSVP to these events via The Future Laboratory Community. Not yet a member? Get in contact with your account manager to set up your free account.

Join us online or in person this year and get inspired to make a better future happen with trends from Beta Boardrooms, Deep Work Dens and Polywork Campuses to embracing longevity as a core pillar in selling and synthesising tomorrow’s category innovations.

We hope to see you there.