Beauty and health routines are no longer limited to topical products like serums and moisturizers.
But unlike complete beauty tools like the SolaWave skin wand or Foreo electric exfoliator, a new class of devices is meant to lay the foundation of a beauty regimen. From filtering showerheads to scent-diffusing humidifiers, startups are capitalizing on the trend of turning home appliances and fixtures into beauty and wellness tools. For these companies, including Canopy, Jolie, Hai, and FilterBaby, their products fall into the category of personal beauty products and household products.
Many of these tools often require refilling, so companies in this space offer these products on a regular basis (often through subscriptions) to ensure the foundation of your beauty regimen remains intact. By convincing customers to renew, you are seizing the opportunity to build a loyal customer base.
Rachel Hirsch, founder and managing partner of Wellness Growth Ventures, said this growing trend reflects “a growing recognition that wellness includes not just physical health, but also personal care and self-expression. ” Wellness Growth Ventures’ portfolio includes healthier consumer products companies such as IBS-friendly snack brand BelliWelli and electric floss startup Flaus. Hirsch, who is an investor in wellness companies, said the inclusion of household products under beauty is a natural progression for the category.
In February, DTC brand Canopy launched a portable humidifier that represents the brand’s latest beauty and wellness-focused release. On its about page, Canopy says it wants to help people “unlock the full potential of their at-home beauty and health routines.” The company aims to do this through its product lineup of humidifiers and shower heads, which it launched last August. According to Canopy, the filtered shower attachment reduces dissolved minerals, chlorine, heavy metals, and other water contaminants.
The foray into baths has already proven lucrative. Canopy says more than 70% of its filter showerhead customers are using the brand for the first time.
Meanwhile, there is a growing collection of humidifiers for different people and rooms in the home. Canopy co-founder Justin Seidenfeld told Modern Retail that the company, which he founded in 2020, is currently in the phase of building beauty-focused products. Underscoring its beauty proposition are his Canopy retail partners including Sephora, Bluemercury, and Violet Grey. “We live right on that edge,” Seidenfeld said. “We don’t quite fit into traditional beauty brands.”
Since its launch, Canopy has focused on educating its target consumer base on why humidifiers play an important role in health and beauty. The company’s social media posts frequently delve into topics such as how sleeping with a humidifier can improve symptoms like dry skin and itching.
Seidenfeld said the new portable humidifier is an extension of that, aimed at personal outdoor use such as travel or the office. It’s also much easier to move from one room to another than Canopy’s standard-sized humidifier. Seidenfeld said his other differentiating feature of portable humidifiers is the device’s ability to pump moisture directly into the face instead of all over the face, which could damage nearby devices such as laptops or cell phones. I said that there is a sex.
“Portable humidifiers are a key part of why we launched Canopy in the first place, providing the foundation for skin health through our devices,” said Seidenfeld. The new version is cheaper than Canopy’s bedside humidifier. Prices for his portable humidifier start at $90, while prices for his other Canopy humidifiers range from $140 for the nursery model to $245 for the large room model.
“That’s something people have been asking since we launched Bedside,” Seidenfeld said.
Seidenfeld said that as the company expands its line of home appliances, it will focus on developing products that can be integrated into people’s daily lives. Aromatherapy is a rapidly growing part of the business, with Canopy partnering with brands like Curie and By Rosie Jane for fragrance add-ons.
Meanwhile, showerheads with filters have become another hot trend in the beauty industry, thanks in part to startups in the space looking to increase brand awareness through user-generated content. When filtering showerhead startup Jolie launched in December 2021, its customers ultimately generated more than 4,000 UGC for her in its first year. This UGC features a customer who creates her Instagram Reel showing how she installed a new, beautiful shower head, and a TikTok about how installing a filtered shower head benefits her hair and skin. It consisted of people talking. All this has helped to further solidify the showerhead’s new position in the beauty industry.
Now, even major companies are starting to get on board with this trend. Last May, Kohler announced Sprig by Kohler, a derivative product that makes plant-based shower kits. Filtration of water commonly used for face and body washing has expanded to every part of the bathroom. FilterBaby, a faucet device launched in 2022, claims to provide the healthiest tap water for laundry. The company claims that the sink attachment is dermatologically tested and helps prevent skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
According to the company, the main goal of Hai’s smart showerhead is to create a spa-like shower experience while saving 30% of water. Leonard Brody, co-founder and executive chairman of Hi’s parent company Caravan, said it’s no surprise that showers are the next frontier in beauty and wellness. When launching this concept, Hai aimed to move beyond particle filtration and build brand recognition in an often commoditized category.
In preparation for its 2021 launch, Hi’s research found that 86% of millennials say the shower is their number one self-care tool at home. “It’s more expensive than their Peloton or mattress, but the vast majority of people can’t say what brand they’re standing under every day,” Brody said. At the same time, Hai wanted to create an economically friendly product that infuses hair and skin with minerals and essential oils.
Now, Hai is starting to increase its presence in retail stores to reach these people. Hai will be available online exclusively at Best Buy in November 2023, and he will also be available on Home Depot’s site in 2023. In addition to their website, the brand is also available for purchase on Amazon.
These startups see the addressable market for this category growing as more people adopt extensive self-care habits. “Despite economic fluctuations, the continued growth of wellness highlights its importance in the consumer landscape,” said Hirsch. The sector’s resilience also shows that more people are investing in resources to improve their health, even as they reduce spending on other consumer products.
“We believe the consumer electronics and beauty and wellness categories will become increasingly intertwined as more consumers seek holistic solutions that address both their physical health and aesthetic preferences,” Hirsch said. Ta.