Extreme heat doesn't just alter our perception of temperature. It affects sleep, fatigue, skin sensations, and many everyday activities. But to what extent does it truly transform beauty routines? And what products or services would consumers like to find when trying to better cope with these periods?
To explore these questions, SYRES surveyed nearly 1,500 panelists between July 29 and August 20, 2026. The survey focused on their experience of heat, their behaviors, their concerns, their care routines, and their interest in different product concepts.
The results do not describe the entire French population. However, they provide solid orders of magnitude for the panelist population surveyed and reveal several consistent signals between closed questions and open-ended responses.
Discomfort begins at 30°C
Three out of four respondents reported suffering from the heat, representing 75,6% of the surveyed population. The median threshold at which the temperature becomes uncomfortable is 30°C.
This result broadens the way we consider the subject. The experience of extreme heat doesn't only begin with record temperatures. For a significant proportion of the panelists, discomfort appears as early as the first few days around 30°C.
This discomfort is primarily experienced in everyday spaces:
72,9% report being exposed at home;
57,7% working indoors;
11,4% working outdoors.
Furthermore, 47,3% reported not having any specific equipment to cope with the heat. Among those who did have equipment, fans were mentioned much more frequently than air conditioning.
These results suggest that we should consider how spaces are used in an apartment, a house, or an office, and not just in situations involving outdoor exposure. The search for coolness, comfort, and practicality is first and foremost part of everyday life.
Sweat and shine dominate the experience
Two demonstrations reach almost the same level:
excessive sweating , cited by 66,4% of respondents;
facial radiance , cited by 65,0%.
They are ahead of headaches at 44,7%, dehydration at 41,9%, heatstroke at 32,1% and the need to change skincare or makeup habits at 24,0%.
Skin perception also changes. 61,6% report having oilier skin during periods of high heat, compared to 20,5% who feel it is drier and 12,3% who do not perceive any change.
These responses do not allow us to conclude on a precise physiological state of the skin. However, they do show that respondents are seeking a difficult balance: eliminating sweat and excess sebum without increasing the feeling of discomfort or dryness.
This expectation is directly reflected in the concept testing. Among the cleansers offered, the concept that eliminates pollution, sebum, and sweat without drying garnered 74,0% interest . For moisturizers, "moisturizing without an oily residue" came out on top at 65,6% , followed by the ultra-light gel texture at 61,1%.
Lightness is therefore not just a sensory advantage. During periods of intense heat, it becomes an important condition for product acceptance.
Gestures are evolving faster than skincare routines
The panelists are already adapting many behaviors:
88,7% report drinking more water;
81,2% change their clothes more often;
79,1% prefer lightweight clothing;
76,2% use more deodorant;
59,3% take two showers a day.
Hair care habits are also affected. 57,3% wash their hair more frequently. Among these respondents, the average reported frequency increases from approximately 2,5 to 4,4 washes per week.
The skincare routine is evolving more moderately. 43,1% are not changing anything, 43,5% are modifying it "a little" and only 13,4% are modifying it "a lot".
Among those who adapt their skincare routine, the main steps involve reducing makeup, applying sunscreen, cleansing more frequently, and using lighter creams. The use of thermal water is also mentioned, but to a lesser extent.
This contrast suggests that consumers know how to modify their immediate actions, such as showering, clothing, or deodorant, but have fewer guidelines for reorganizing a complete routine. This interpretation is reinforced by another finding: 73,7% would like to receive more advice.
The challenge, therefore, lies not only in the creation of new products. It also concerns education, the order of use, the frequency of application, the compatibility between formulas, and the simplicity of the routine.
Sleep and fatigue provide the context
The intense heat is causing significant concern. 74,7% of respondents say they are quite or very worried, and 94,2% believe these episodes will intensify or recur.
When they specify their concerns, sleep and fatigue are by far the most frequently mentioned:
difficulty sleeping: 79,5% ;
fatigue: 70,7% ;
environmental consequences: 58,5%;
heat strokes: 56,2%;
dehydration: 52,5%;
skin problems: 22,1%.
This hierarchy does not mean that the skin becomes secondary in beauty practices. Rather, it serves as a reminder that products are evaluated within a broader experience of heat, marked by physical discomfort, restless nights, and decreased energy.
For brands, the opportunity is not to claim a cosmetic effect on sleep. It lies in better integrating the dimensions of freshness, comfort, sensory experience, and simplicity associated with evening routines or moments of recovery.
The concepts that generate the most interest
The survey proposed several product families and innovations. The results reveal a strong consistency around three expectations: removing without irritation, refreshing, and lightening textures.
Clean without drying
The cleanser designed to remove pollution, sebum, and sweat without drying out the skin achieved a 74,0% interest rate . It came out well ahead of the antiperspirant gel at 49,8% and the gentle exfoliator at 17,3%.
To refresh in an immediately noticeable way
For the mists, the "ice cube effect" comes out on top with 65,3% , closely followed by pollution and UV protection at 62,7%. The version enriched with electrolytes garners 48,4% and the anti-shine mist 39,9%.
Furthermore, mist exhibits a low level of rejection within this category of concepts. Its appeal can be explained by its familiar, quick, portable use, and immediate association with cooling.
Protect without leaving traces or a heavy film
For sunscreens, the concept of invisible SPF 50 garnered 70,1% interest . Sweat resistance reached 58,3% and the reapplyable stick 47,1%.
These responses confirm the importance of sensory appeal, but they are not sufficient on their own to identify the barriers for non-users. In the analysis, interest in invisible SPF 50 is lower among people who rarely or never use sunscreen. Therefore, invisibility likely does not resolve all the obstacles to use.
Simplify with a mobile solution
Among the more cross-cutting innovations, the travel-sized heatwave kit came out on top with 72,6% interest . It also received the highest primary preference in the open-ended question asked immediately after exposure to the concepts.
This result should be interpreted with caution. The kit is a meta-concept capable of combining several products and benefits. Its success may therefore reflect a preference for simplicity and practicality as much as an expectation of a specific formulation.
What open-ended responses add to the analysis
After evaluating the concepts, participants were able to propose their own ideas. These responses were not entirely spontaneous, as some themes had already been presented. Nevertheless, they remained useful for clarifying the benefits, formats, and constraints of use.
The freshness must last
Cold is the primary theme in the coding of usable suggestions. It appears in 39,1% of these contributions, ahead of mist or spray formats at 20,4%.
The vocabulary used often goes beyond the classic cosmetic promise of freshness. Respondents mention an "ice cube effect," cold patches, cryo masks, or products kept in the refrigerator.
Most importantly, several responses require that this sensation be long-lasting. This point opens up a significant area for research and formulation. The goal is not to promise a lasting change in body temperature, which would require a different level of evidence, but rather to explore the perceived duration of the cooling effect and how to measure it among consumers.
Certain areas of the body emerge without having been proposed
Body areas poorly covered by existing concepts account for 14,4% of usable suggestions. This finding is particularly interesting because these areas were not tested in the innovation concepts.
Heavy legs, feet, and swelling are the most frequently mentioned symptoms in this group. Next come the nape of the neck, the neck, the skull, the scalp, areas of friction, and certain areas particularly prone to perspiration.
These responses do not yet measure the commercial potential of a product. They identify irritants concrete enough to justify a new phase of testing.
Facial perspiration meets makeup
Another concept is recurring in several formulations: a product designed to limit facial perspiration while remaining compatible with makeup.
The comments link perspiration to makeup wear, irritation, a greasy feeling, and the difficulty of reapplying sunscreen. Some respondents envision a mist, others a light cream, or a long-lasting moisturizer.
The concept is precise and directly linked to a real-life problem. However, it still needs to be evaluated across several dimensions: interest on a broader basis, tolerance, perceived effectiveness, compatibility with other products, and acceptability of the claims.
The absence of fat becomes an elimination criterion
In open-ended responses, the request for a light texture rarely appears alone. It almost always accompanies another expectation: sun protection, hydration, refreshment, or makeup hold.
The terms "non-greasy," "non-sticky," "lightweight," and "quick-absorbing" describe less an added benefit than a prerequisite. A formula can meet the right functional need and still be rejected if its texture seems to increase heat or perspiration.
Four areas to explore further
The study does not allow us to conclude that a concept is ready to be launched. However, it does identify four coherent areas for further investigation:
A compact, portable heatwave kit , designed around ease of use rather than a multitude of items.
A platform for lasting freshness , focused on the perceived duration of the effect and on evidence understandable to the consumer.
A solution to facial perspiration , compatible with makeup and sun protection.
Treatments targeting specific areas of the body , including the legs, feet, neck and scalp.
These avenues now need to be tested with indicators that were not present in this survey: purchase intention, acceptable price, distribution channel, priority benefit and trade-off between several concepts.
What you must remember
This survey highlights a daily and multifaceted experience of extreme heat. Discomfort begins early, is felt primarily indoors, and is initially manifested as perspiration and shine. Respondents adapt their clothing, showering habits, and deodorant use more readily than their skincare routine.
At the same time, the most popular concepts share common qualities: they are simple to understand, lightweight, portable, and associated with an immediate feeling of freshness or cleanliness.
The open-ended questions complement this reading. They encourage us to look beyond the face, to consider the duration of the feeling of freshness, and to better take into account the compatibility between perspiration, makeup, and sun protection.
These findings do not constitute market validation. They form a working basis for designing more precise concepts, then evaluating them with consumers before any development decisions are made.
Methodology
Online survey administered to the SYRES panel from July 29 to August 20, 2026, based on nearly 1,500 completed questionnaires. The results should be interpreted as approximate figures for an unweighted panelist population. They do not constitute representative estimates of the French population.
The concept questions measured stated interest, not purchase intent. Open-ended responses were collected after exposure to the tested concepts. Therefore, themes already presented in the questionnaire may have been mentioned more frequently.
Are you interested in exploring a concept related to extreme heat?
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