5 Clean Beauty Trends That Everyone's Buzzing About In 2021

If you meander to the Whole Foods personal care product aisles (ya know, after stocking up on your groceries), you'll find that the retailer has a treasure trove of beauty goodies. As a hotspot for skin and hair care essentials, the megastore picks up on what's buzzy in the industry, like these five clean beauty trends for 2021 that the brand predicts you'll see everywhere.

To celebrate Whole Foods' Beauty Week, which begins March 10 and offers 25% off every personal care product on its IRL and virtual shelves, the store's Trends Council looked at consumer data — based on a survey conducted for the retailer by The Harris Poll — to pick the must-know product innovations and ingredients. The main gist of their forecast is an overall shift toward minimalism and sustainability in beauty regimens in the clean beauty world, which consists of safer-for-your-skin product formulations that are free of problematic ingredients (think parabens, sulfates, and synthetic colors).

“Customers are looking to streamline their beauty routines, while also seeking out brands that align with their values like those that limit their environmental impact with waterless and upcycled products," Amy Jargo, global beauty buyer at Whole Foods Market, said in a statement.

Making up the five biggest clean beauty trends are: waterless products, upcycled ingredients, stressed skin remedies, juice-based beauty, and multitasking formulas that do it all. Keep reading for intel on each of the 2021 clean beauty trends, as predicted by Whole Foods, and prepare to add to cart.

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1. Waterless Beauty

It's not a coincidence you've been seeing more beauty bars: shampoo bars, conditioner bars, facial cleansing bars. Their common denominator? Zero water within the formula. Waterless beauty products have been on the rise because a) they're sustainable and b) they bring you more of a potent, undiluted product. Having water in a formula means you need to add a preservative to prevent bacteria formation, and it also prevents manufacturers from using more sustainable packaging, like recycled boxes, metal tins, and other non-plastic options.

Whole Foods is seeing this eco-friendly beauty movement continue to dominate shelves, which means shoppers get the double win of more shelf space and a reduced impact on the environment.

Shop the trend with products like Moon Valley's Herbal Shampoo Bars, Nude & Crude Shower Powder, and Pacha's Hydrate 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner Bar.

2. Multitasking Balms

Skin experts have predicted multitasking beauty products as a big 2021 trend, and that extends to the Whole Foods skin and makeup shelves. "Balms are being reimagined to do it all: lips, cheeks, cuticles — anywhere that needs a little extra TLC," the retailer said in a statement. It's another win for sustainability, too, since do-it-all products mean less ingredients, less packaging, and less of a carbon footprint overall. (It's also great news for minimalists.)

Look to Pacifica Vegan Care Balms, Evanhealy Balms, and Earth Tu Face's Geranium + Vetiver Skin Stick to stock your beauty cabinet.

3. Juiced-Up Skin Care

Whole Foods predicts superfoods will be showing up in more of your beauty products. Think ingredients like celery, kale, mushrooms, and berries (aka what you'd find in your go-to salad), all of which bring (er, feed) your skin essential vitamins and nutrients. "Product aisle favorites are now playing starring roles in new beauty products," Whole Foods said in a statement.

Shop Cocokind's Pore Refining Concentrate (with celery, an antioxidant) Acure's Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Jelly Mask (which has blueberry extract, another antioxidant), and Four Sigmatic Adaptogen Beauty line (infused with tremella mushroom, which hydrates).

4. Upcycled Beauty

Whole Foods predicts the clean beauty world will also see a rise in upcycled products. That means your beauty essentials, like moisturizers and body scrubs, are being formulated with repurposed ingredients, like coffee grounds, leftover argan shells, and discarded apricot stones, according to the retailer. "All ingredients that support your skin while giving what would have been food waste new life," said Whole Foods in a statement. Sustainable beauty is getting more creative.

UpCircle has a slew of upcycled products within its line: the Herbal Blend Face Scrub, made with coffee grounds; its Cleansing Face Balm, made with repurposed apricot stone powder; and a Moisturizing Day Cream, also made with argan powder from discarded shells.

5. Stressed Skin Meets Ramped-Up Remedies

The pandemic hasn't been great for the skin (ahem, maskne). Stress doesn't make for the healthiest complexion, which is why Whole Foods is seeing more beauty products specifically formulated to combat it. "Clean beauty remedies have come to the rescue in new formats like masks and serums with soothing ingredients like tea tree oil and witch hazel extract," the retailer said in a statement. So, instead of turning to chemical-based remedies — like benzoyl peroxide-based acne spot treatments, which can be irritating — those who want more natural ingredients in their routine can look to plant-based solutions for skin concerns, such as the aforementioned tea tree oil, witch hazel extract, and other actives like peppermint oil (an antibacterial that can quell breakouts).

Stock up on Alba Botanica's Acnedote Pimple Patches, Weleda's Clarifying Gel Cleanser, and Facetory's Soothe Me Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mask to calm your stressed-out skin.