Rising demand for blue-light defence skincare offers NPD opportunity

Demand for skincare products which offer protection from blue-light is set to soar in 2021 and beyond as a growing body of evidence links excessive screen-time to skin damage and health issues, a new study claims.

With more than 90% of young people currently using mobile phones to access the internet and 52% using portable computers to access the internet away from home, exposure to blue-light has never been higher, the study by Future Market Insights (FMI) says.

The study, which cites a wealth of new research on blue light and skin damage, expects sales of blue-light protection ingredients to grow at over 8% annually between now and 2030, with the UK set to be a key epicentre of global demand.

Growing awareness of the harm caused by blue-light and demand for products to defend against it, is set to create a key opportunity for innovative new product development, FMI said.

According to the study, a new report published by the National Institute of Aging in December, cited blue-light as a key area of concern, while a further report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information recently found that high energy short wave blue-light between 415 nm and 455 nm was the most harmful for human eyes and skin.

However, blue lights of any wavelength can cause skin damage if exposed to it for long, it added.

Facial skincare currently leads demand for blue-light protection ingredients, accounting for 40% of total demand, the FMI study said.

Earlier this week Acqua di Parma bolstered its Barbiere men’s grooming range with a Multi-Action Face Cream designed to combat exposure to digital screens.