The Next Frontier for the Mother & Baby Market
Image Credit: NY Daily News
As the beauty and wellness industry sheds its layers on taboo topics from women’s sexual wellness to menopause, we’re seeing emerging market growth on another frontier: prenatal and postpartum care. The global baby care products market was worth $67 billion USD in 2020 and whilst it is projected to see healthy Y-O-Y growth, there are emerging areas of the overall mother and baby market to consider.
The “Mother” of All Whitespace
The whitespace is in beauty and wellness services and products that focus on the mother. This additional facet of one’s identity when they become pregnant, which ultimately changes some of their lifestyle and beauty preferences, is not widely considered. Nor is “the mother” a target demographic pursued by many mainstream brands offering “mother & baby” products that are predominantly focused on their suitability for the baby.
Emerging Market Segment: Prenatal Care Products
Global consumer awareness on ingredients, safety and sustainability has led many mothers-to-be to reassess their beauty and wellness routines once they become pregnant. A lot of the time products that may actually be safe to use during pregnancy are not formulated specifically for this customer base and tend to leave it up to customer discretion or a doctor’s advice on what to use. This often leads to confusion and ultimately a shrinking selection of choice.
The increasing demand for herbal remedies and plant-based ingredients has also been an area of confusion from bath oils to wellness teas as women have to seek out which herbs and botanicals are safe to use during pregnancy and at which stages (as some herbs can have labour inducing effects).
All of these factors have led to the demand for more pregnancy aligned community-driven brands offering products, education and a platform to share stories designed with the mother-to-be in mind. Whilst there may be a plethora of stretch mark oils and nipple balms out there, what’s missing is the variety of offerings across beauty and wellness categories that cater for a pregnant woman’s personal desires and style whilst also being suitable for this transitional period - marketed to her so she feels confident and seen.
Emerging Market Segment: Postpartum Care Products
This market segment is predicted to see a CAGR of 6.4% between 2021-2028. The areas which we see driving the postpartum sector further is the increasing demand for more tailored beauty and wellness products in this space. From skin, hair and body care to the tools and services that mothers need to help them navigate this “4th trimester” phase both physically and mentally. It aligns well with the growing shift towards methods of self-care and again touches on the missing element of brands not focusing enough on the mother themselves having product and content tailored with babies as the centre of attention.
Brands to Watch: