Launched at the beginning of August, the new body care line, suitable for all skin types and tones, featured a body serum containing 0.5% salicylic acid; a face and body emulsion with 5% niacinamide; and a body lotion made from a blend of natural moisturising factors (NMFs) and inulin – formulas the brand hoped would plug a gap in the market. The products, priced between EUR 14 and EUR 17.30, were now available online and in various retail stores across the EMEA region and globally.

Body care +

Nicola Kilner, CEO and co-founder of DECIEM, said body care was “definitely a competitive market” but it was “also growing quite fast”. Google searches and TikTok hashtags for ’body care’, Kilner said, were up significantly, indicating growing interest and engagement as beauty consumers dedicated more time to “full body” regimes.

And for beauty brands entering this space, like The Ordinary with its latest body care launch, the executive said there was plenty to achieve.

“The advantage for The Ordinary,” Kilner told Premium Beauty News, “is there can still be a perception that body products are less effective, because so many brands often have body products more focused on the fragrance element or the sustainable element as opposed to being focused on the function of the skin.”

The core principle of The Ordinary brand, she said, was science-backed, ingredient-led, efficacious formulas – the strategy it had applied to its latest line of body care products. “Because we’re known for those effective formulas, and there is an audience that are looking for more functional skin care, I believe The Ordinary will deliver in body care,” Kilner said.

Astrid de la Noue, EMEA regional director at DECIEM, said it was certainly a timely launch for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. “In Europe, body care sales have been rising since 2021 and there’s very strong growth projected up until at least 2025. We have hydration as the number-one body concern in the EMEA and, to echo what Nicola said, [consumers] are looking for fully rounded skin care regimes, including a full-body experience,” de la Noue said.

Kilner added The Ordinary was certainly hoping to “capture some new consumers” with its launch into body care, on a global level too.

Hero ingredients

The Ordinary had used existing scientific knowledge as well as consumer feedback to develop its body care formulas, opting to incorporate broad-spec active ingredients given consumers tended to layer less with body products versus facial products.

Kilner said The Ordinary had chosen two hero existing ingredients niacinamide and salicylic acid because they covered “a lot of wide skin concerns”, as well as a new ingredient, inulin – a well studied prebiotic with plenty to offer.

“...Niacinamide is our best-selling product within facial skin care, but it’s also an ingredient that has such a significant impact on the skin in so many ways,” she said. “Not only did the active help with overall skin appearance and pigmentation, it was also great for hydration and strengthening the skin barrier,” she said. “Salicylic acid had been chosen for its efficacious exfoliating power, to help consumers with blemish-prone skin, beyond the face. And inulin – a prebiotic ingredient the team was especially excited about – had been incorporated to help support and balance to the skin’s microbiome and improve overall skin health and hydration,” she added.

Asked why DECIEM had stuck to leave-on products for its new body care range, the CEO said: “Our philosophy has always been that actives should be left on the skin.”

“...For us, your brand values are what your customer and community know you for, it’s why they trust you. Body is an extension, but it should never differ from our beliefs as a brand. The Ordinary is around effective treatments and I think the three product products achieve this.”