KRISTAL GOODMAN: 
SKINCARE SCIENCE MOVES TO THE BODY

The influence of facial skincare is creating new possibilities for body care formulation, with growing interest in targeted ingredients, dermocosmetic approaches and products designed to address specific skin concerns.

Kristal Goodman, Head of Product Innovation at THG LABS, examines how established skincare science is being applied to body care product development, from peptides, ceramides and exfoliating acids to barrier support, skin texture and the visible signs of ageing. Drawing on THG LABS' expertise across skincare, dermocosmetics and body care, Kristal explores the formulation considerations involved in translating facial skincare innovation into effective body products, including ingredient selection, product performance and credible cosmetic claims.

Q1. How is facial skincare influencing body care formulation?

We are seeing greater interest in ingredients, benefit territories and formulation approaches that consumers already recognise from facial skincare.

That includes areas beyond hydration, towards barrier support, texture, uneven tone and the appearance of ageing skin, alongside familiarity with ingredient families such as peptides, ceramides, bioretinoids, exfoliating acids and antioxidants.

For formulators, the challenge is interpreting those expectations appropriately for the body. The science may be familiar, but the formulation requirements and consumer experience can be very different.

 Q2. Can you simply adapt a facial skincare formula for use on the body?

Not necessarily.

Body products may be applied over much larger surface areas, often more quickly and in greater quantities. That changes expectations around spreadability, absorption, residue, playtime and cost-in-use.

Application area matters too. The needs of the décolletage, arms, legs or areas prone to dryness or rough texture may not be identical.

Our experience across skincare, dermocosmetics and body care allows us to take relevant formulation principles and apply them in a way that makes sense for the intended use.

Q3. What does dermocosmetic thinking bring to body care?

It brings discipline to the development process.

You begin by understanding the skin need, ingredient strategy, intended claims and the type of performance evidence that may ultimately be required. Those considerations can then influence formulation from an early stage.

That approach becomes increasingly valuable as body care propositions become more targeted and consumers become more interested in credible performance.

It is important, though, to remember that these remain cosmetic products. The opportunity is to combine sophisticated formulation thinking with appropriate cosmetic positioning and claims.

 Q4. Are consumers beginning to expect the same level of evidence from body care as facial skincare?

In many areas, expectations are certainly increasing.

Consumers are more familiar with claims, active ingredients and visible performance through facial skincare, so it is natural that some of those expectations are carrying across to the body.

That does not mean every body product needs an extensive clinical programme. The level of substantiation should be proportionate to the claims being made and the product proposition.

What matters is that the claim strategy is considered early enough for formulation and testing to support one another.

 Q5. Which skincare concerns translate most naturally into body care?

Hydration and dryness remain fundamental, but we are also seeing stronger interest around barrier support, rough or uneven texture, tone, firmness and the visible signs associated with ageing skin.

The opportunity is not simply to copy facial skincare language.

Body skin has different characteristics, application patterns and consumer expectations. The most interesting developments are those that take a recognised need and build a product specifically around how consumers experience that concern on the body.

For a deeper dive on this and other factors impacting the future direction of body care, check out our latest report.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
 

Kristal Goodman  
Head of Product Innovation, THG LABS  

With over 25 years’ experience in the beauty industry and UK cosmetics manufacturing, Kristal Goodman has cultivated a unique blend of scientific expertise, creative vision, and strategic thinking to spearhead what are recognised as some of the beauty industry’s most much-loved, must-have products.   

In her role as the Head of Product Innovation, Kristal’s influence is best demonstrated in THG LABS dedication to pushing boundaries. She is the driving force behind the integration of upcycled ingredients, advanced biotechnology and other impactful emergent global beauty trends that ensure THG LABS remains at the cutting-edge of beauty innovation. Her knowledge of actives and their benefits is encyclopaedic which fuels her talent for translating ingredient ideas and science into concepts that give each product a formula and a story consumers fall in love with.

A member of THG LABS Eco Leadership Team and a devoted advocate for formulating sustainably, Kristal adopts a holistic approach to product development, believing that truly innovative beauty products are those that address the multifaceted needs of today’s consumers while better respecting the world around us.