By Fábio Yamamora, CEO of Yamá Cosméticos
The Brazilian population is aging. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) estimates that by 2060, 1 in 4 Brazilians will be elderly - in other words, 25.5% of the population. According to the survey, the proportion of people aged over 65 will reach 15% of the population by 2034, surpassing the 20% barrier by 2046.
This projection indicates a new consumer scenario for the coming decades in Brazil and around the world. According to the Cosmetics Products Market 2021 survey, the ageing population will be the main driver for the beauty industry globally. By 2050, the world population aged over 60 is expected to reach 2.09 billion.
Forget the image of nice old people knitting or sitting in front of the TV. The study predicts that women's life expectancy will be 86.3 years in 2050, while men's will be 83.6 years - and that's without giving up social activities, leisure and even professional life. That's why the role of the cosmetics industry will be to help women's bodies, hair and skin keep up with their vitality.
From a cosmetic point of view, there is a strong demand for antioxidant and anti-ageing products, as well as solutions to treat and prevent some of the natural changes of age that can be avoided or at least delayed - such as drier skin, hair loss or thinning hair, among other effects that are driving the industry's new discoveries.
For the Hair Care sector, the most explored segments will be coloring and treatment. On the one hand, it will be important to offer specific colorants to completely cover gray hair. On the other hand, there is a growing demand for the development of treatments and products to highlight the beauty of gray hair - with tints, shampoos, conditioners and finishers.
However, regardless of the segment of the beauty industry, the ratio between people over 60 and cosmetic products is increasing. We therefore need to reframe what we used to think of as the 3rd Age in order to meet the specific demands of this energetic consumer public, ready to invest in formulas that add well-being to what may be the best phase of life.
