Whole Foods Reveals Its Top Beauty Trends for 2022

As consumers adjust to a “new normal,” Whole Foods Market has noticed that shoppers are investing in beauty, with a “focus on conscious and at-home beauty treatments,” Jen Coccaro, VP of whole body merchandising for the Austin, Texas-based retailer, said in a release. And as Whole Foods prepares to celebrate its beauty week, during which it will offer discounts on a wide range of beauty products from March 16-22, its Trends Council has revealed its top five beauty trends for the year, which includes ceramides, prickly pear, translucent zinc sunscreen, overnight hairstyling and jelly-textured skincare. Click through to learn more.

Ceramides are naturally occurring fatty acids—aka lipids—in skin that hold outer-layer cells firmly together, Whole Foods explained, adding that ceramides distribute key fluids and nutrients that help support skin moisturization and elasticity. Ceramides are popping up in products from brands such as ACURE, which uses a vegetable-derived lipid concentrate.

After years of being found in food and drink, cacti—specifically the fruit of the prickly pear—are entering the beauty scene, Whole Foods said. Prickly pear fruit contains amino acids as well as vitamins E and K, which is known to help enhance the appearance of glowing skin. The fruit is appearing in oils, serums and masks.

Whole Foods noted that skincare brands are moving beyond traditional sun protection products that have thick, white pastes in favor of translucent non-nano zinc that leaves less visible residue. The retailer added that its Quality Standards prohibit common sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, “so you can feel better about your go-to sunscreen.”

New products from hair care brands include treatments and styling accessories designed to be applied before bed to help maintain style and texture, Whole Foods noted. Examples of such products are sleep caps, scrunchies, leave-in conditioners and masques.

Whole Foods said the trendiest texture of 2022 lies somewhere between a gel and a cream, adding that skin-loving jellies are in, with top brands enhancing ingredients and revamping formulas. These water-based products moisturize without the mess that comes with extra oil, it said, and have ingredients such as acids, active botanicals or vitamins.