Millennials are conscious of hygiene and staying clean, so it might be something of a surprise to hear that bars of soap aren't flying off the shelves anymore. The general trend in the whole 'baths and showers' industry is an upward one, with the market rising year on year. Within that industry, though, two percent fewer soap bars have been purchased every year since 2014. Mintel was once again sent out to conduct surveys to find why, and once again millennials proved to be the problem.
People responding to the survey were asked whether they believed bars of soap became dirty or contaminated with germs after a single-use. 70% of people over 65 said no, but 60% of those aged 18-24 said yes. They prefer liquid soap that comes from bottles, which is simply rinsed away after a shower. Now you think about it, bars of soap do seem kind of disgusting when you've had them for a while.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.