Consumers feel that certain foods can enhance beauty

Beauty is more than skin deep. These days, it goes right down to your stomach. Instead of slathering on layers of anti-ageing creams, how about savouring a cookie to slow the ageing clock? For that blemish, try a cup of tea instead of concealer. Want to smell great? There's candy for that.

"Beauty from within" is a concept that's gaining momentum and credibility, according to Katrina Diamonon, a senior analyst with research company Datamonitor Consumer.

"It reflects the notion that outer beauty can be enhanced not just with topical applications like moisturisers and cleansers, but also by the nutrients that we consume," says Diamonon, who spoke at the recent Vitafoods Asia held at the AsiaWorld-Expo.

"From this idea, the market for nutricosmetics has emerged, which represents the convergence of nutrition and personal care. Nutricosmetics reflect consumers' more holistic approach to health, and acknowledgement that diet can not only support a healthy lifestyle but also a healthy physical appearance," she says.

The increased demand for anti-ageing products and services is a result of the global phenomenon of population ageing.

According to the World Health Organisation, over the next 40 years the proportion of people aged 60 and over in the world is expected to rise from 10 per cent to 22 per cent - a jump from 800 million to two billion people. In China, the proportion of this elderly age group is set to rise to 34 per cent of the population in 2050 from 12 per cent in 2010.