Niceflation: Playfulness and Kindness as New Wellness Rituals

Trends Agency

1. Happiness as Currency in a Shifting World

Following the primal and longevity-driven vision of Eternity (an emerging trend deciphered in our previous article : read here (please add the link)) where survival and continuity dominated cultural imagination, a complementary need has emerged: the pursuit of happiness, lightness, and human connection.

After the overindulgence of “funflation”, where entertainment and consumption were pushed to extremes despite economic pressures, Niceflation proposes a gentler economy: one of joy, playfulness, and kindness. In a world still navigating uncertainty, consumers are seeking rituals that soothe, connect, and delight, replacing compulsive lifestyles with reflective, emotionally nourishing routines. This trend taps into the same global context as Eternity: a collective search for grounding and resilience but expressed through levity rather than survivalist rigor.

At Peclers Paris, this vision is captured in our Beauty & Wellness Trend Book FW26-27, where we decipher cultural shifts like Niceflation and Eternity to help brands navigate a fast-evolving market.

2. Challenges for Brands: Making Joy Tangible and Inclusive

Niceflation asks brands to rethink how playfulness and care can coexist with luxury, functionality, and cultural resonance:

How do you design products that are fun, surprising, and personal, without undermining perceived value?
How can beauty and wellness brands translate kindness and inclusivity into concrete product experiences?
How do you incorporate pop culture references while remaining authentically aligned with your brand identity?

The challenge is balancing exuberance with credibility, creating joy that is sincere, not superficial, and crafting experiences that delight while fostering emotional connection.

Design & Material Codes

Extra Ordinary: Everyday landscapes become playful. Packaging is redesigned, recolored, and functional tools offer comfort and softness.
- Examples: Fwee pop-up store, Seoul 2024; Stackable eyeshadow cases, Stonebrick, Julia Comita; “Piece by Piece” x Humanrace, Mimosa skin.

Offbeat Preppy: Timeless high-society codes reinterpreted with wit and nostalgia. Functional jewelry, 70s-inspired makeup, golden bottles — a luxurious yet playful aesthetic.
- Examples: Longevity Health Clinic, Modern Age NY; Perfume inspired by New York bistro scents, D.S. & Durga.

Cosplay Beauty: Pop culture and anime aesthetics inspire exaggerated forms and saturated colors, creating playful, artificial, and over-the-top experiences.
- Examples: Manga doll eyes, Anh Nguyen; Press and Peal eyeshadows, Astrobabe.

1. Looking Ahead: Why Niceflation Matters

Niceflation illustrates a cultural appetite for well-being through levity, connection, and joy. It complements Eternity, which is more about grounding, resilience, and survival: together, they map a holistic emotional landscape for today’s consumer: one foot in comfort, one foot in play.

At Peclers Paris, our Beauty & Wellness Trend Book FW26-27 deciphers these complementary currents, helping brands understand the emotional and aesthetic drivers shaping the market. Niceflation offers a blueprint to create joyful, inclusive, and culturally resonant experiences that foster consumer loyalty and emotional engagement.

✨ Meet us at MakeUp in NYC on September 17 and 18 to dive deeper into our Beauty & Wellness Trend Book FW26-27 — and get an exclusive preview of SS27 if you’re already looking ahead. Don’t miss our conference on the first day of the show, and come visit us at booth T6. You can also reach us anytime through our website contact page. Let’s shape the future of beauty and wellness together.

A new market to conquer? A target customers to consider? Products to design? A desirable aesthetic to create?

With a deep understanding of cross-sector issues, Peclers Paris partners with brands from the fashion, beauty, hospitality, food & beverage, and consumer goods industries to help them maintain their leadership position or achieve it.

From prospective trends to consumer knowledge, brand and creative strategy, and marketing of product offerings and experiences, the agency takes a 360° approach to business challenges by developing tailor-made methodologies based on specific needs and markets.

Peclers Paris also offers an extensive trend book portfolio designed to inspire and guide you throughout your product innovation processes and new developments.