6 Skincare Trends We’re Adding to Our Beauty Regimen in 2022

If you tried the recent TikTok trend that involved rubbing a frozen cucumber over your face to reduce morning puffiness, congratulations, you’ve (sort of) participated in cryotherapy. In short, cryotherapy involves exposing your skin to cold temperatures, which causes blood vessels to contract; this has a tightening effect on your pores and gives your skin a firmer, more sculpted appearance. Cryo also gives your skin a helping hand in absorbing any topical products (i.e., serums), boosting their overall effectiveness. While professional spa-grade cryotherapy treatments can cost a pretty penny, there’s also more affordable tools that can be used from the comfort of your own home to make the rest of your regimen even more effective.

Shop the trend: Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Depuffing Eye Serum ($68); Georgia Louise Cryo Freeze Tools ($130); 111SKIN Cryo Pre-Activated Toning Cleanser ($70)

While the concept of eco-friendly beauty is nothing new, the discussion around what qualifies a product as being sustainable has become more nuanced. As it turns out, recycling product packaging can be tougher than you think. Enter: Aluminum packaging and reusable, refillable skincare products. As of late, there’s been a serious uptick in products that are packaged in aluminum, thanks to it being one of the easier materials to recycle. We’re also witnessing a boom in products that can either be refilled or reused. From refillable deodorants and body washes to machine-washable makeup remover pads, 2022 will see even more options for our beauty bags that allow us to lower our product consumption and waste.

Shop the trend: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask ($48); Paula's Choice Reusable Cotton Rounds ($15); Beautycounter Clean Duo ($28)

Another eco-friendly trend we can expect to see more of in 2022? Waterless beauty. Recently, we’ve seen a growing demand for products that are more environmentally conscious, giving way to the rise in waterless skincare products. What you get is a concentrated product that you mix with water from your own sink, which ultimately reduces the amount of materials used and carbon emissions required to make and ship each product to your home. From face masks and cleansers (like Everist’s Waterless Body Body Wash Concentrate) to shampoos and conditioners, you can expect more waterless skincare products to line store shelves soon.

Shop the trend: Bawdy the Bawdy Wash ($30); Everist Waterless Body Body Wash Concentrate ($24); Versed Found the Light Vitamin C Powder ($20)

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it turns out that staring at your computer screen all day is not so great for your skin. Our laptops, phones and TVs all emit blue light, which affects our sleep patterns and speeds up signs of aging, like hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. And with so many of us working from home over the last two years, it’s no surprise that beauty buffs have taken an interest in finding new ways to protect themselves against blue light damage. By now, we hope you’re already using sunscreen daily (if not, check out some of our faves here). In 2022, we’ll level things up a notch and see the rise of sun care with blue light protection. Newer formulas will include a healthy dose of your standard broad-spectrum SPF with added blue light defense, plus antioxidants and vitamins to give your skin an extra boost of radiance and protection, while you answer all those work emails.

Shop the trend: Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense SPF 30 ($45); Dr. Loretta Tightening Eye Gel ($60); Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($68)

In the past, scalpcare definitely took a backseat to the rest of our haircare regimens. Think: An occasional leave-in treatment or maybe a hydrating mask when the mood struck, but that’s all about to change. A major focus is being placed on the fact that your scalp is an extension of your skin. As such, it needs just as much TLC as the rest of your bod. In 2022, we’ll see more scalp products with formulations that include ingredients that we commonly see in our beloved bottles of facial serums and toners, like hyaluronic acid and squalane for hydration and reducing frizz, glycerin to nourish the scalp and chemical exfoliants like alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) to reduce irritation and flakiness. Spa treatments we’re more accustomed to implementing for our faces will also be offered, such as micro-needling to stimulate hair growth and help other ingredients better penetrate the scalp.

Shop the trend: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Happi Scalp Scrub ($36); Bread Beauty Supply Scalp-Serum: Cooling Greens Exfoliating Scalp Treatment ($28); Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo ($42)

It’s safe to say that most of us have experienced some form of irritation from consistent mask-wearing over the last two years. (Maskne, anyone?) In response, we’ll be seeing more products that help heal our skin barrier. This means more skincare that’s formulated with hydrating ingredients like ceramides, as well as products that act as a protective layer for our skin, like ointments that will aid our skin in better retaining moisture, thereby minimizing irritation. Over-exfoliation, and the damaging effects that come with it, are also a thing of the past. Instead, we’ll be lining our medicine cabinets with gentler formulations that reverse and repair skin damage, including peptides, hyaluronic acid and probiotics, so that we can step into the year ahead with happier, healthier skin.

Shop the trend: Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum ($25); EltaMD Skincare Skin Recovery Serum ($56); SkinFix Barrier+ Foaming Oil Cleanser ($28)