HIGHER FUTURES: Decoding the science & tech Beauty revolution

Source: DeathtotheStock: Photography by Nick Fancher

The pandemic propelled the dynamic digitalisation of our lives; we invited new technologies and scientific solutions into our homes (and bodies) as we sought new approaches and answers to rapidly emerging challenges. In the interim years we have seen the propulsion of Artificial Intelligence further expand our expectations and experience of the world, its capabilities presenting enticing opportunities for brands to develop truly amazing new products and services.

As consumers recognise that science and technology hold the keys to the quest for heightened efficacy, performance, and pleasure, investment in science-led beauty brands is exceeding that in nature-led brands by 2.5x.(1) Within this context, Cosmetics IC developed the strategic perspective of Higher Futures—a call for brands to lead with technology, leverage consumer trust in science, and address the demand for STEM-based beauty solutions while solving humanity’s major challenges.

At a special conference for MakeUp in Paris 2024, Cosmetics IC invited attendees to discover the transformative impact of a science-centric approach to beauty. Read on for an extract of our presentation, where we highlighted three strategic territories for investigation: Augmented Science, Amplified Reality and Post-natural Future, representing the opportunities that await those brands open to leading with science.

Augmented Science: Next-level efficiency

Traditional categories are being redefined by heightened expectations for performance and perfection, influenced by the ubiquity of derma procedures and the growing emphasis on well-being. This compels brands to investigate hyper-personalised solutions and at-home experiences, leaning into the latest technologies to biohack the body, boost longevity, and elevate the daily beauty ritual. AI-powered devices, smart materials and precision-personalized formulas will blur the lines between clinical and convenience.  

• STEM-symbiotic solutions are infiltrating all categories as society awakens to the transformative potential of new technologies. At New York Fashion Week, designer Christian Cowan collaborated with Adobe to produce an electronically activated dress meticulously crafted from hundreds of laser-cut polymer liquid crystals. The dress becomes a “dynamic canvas,” intuitively shifting in color and tone several times a second.

• At VivaTech 2024, L'Oréal unveiled Cutaneous Technology, a revolutionary bioprinting process that recreates human skin in its full complexity. This breakthrough allows for inclusive and realistic testing across all skin types, paving the way for personalized beauty products and potentially accelerating advancements in dermatological research and burn treatment.

Amplified Reality: Interversal senses

Defying physical boundaries, human-tech symbiosis is creating "intraversal" realities - universal experiences that bridge the digital and physical worlds. This union opens up new possibilities, evoking joy through immersive encounters and the integration of phygital realms. These advancements not only enhance our capacity for interconnectedness but also introduce novel sensations. A new dimension of sensory experience, characterised by tactile hedonism, is emerging, enriching our perception and engagement with the world. This level of intense immersion is being adapted into the retail experience as brands re-imagine physical stores as sensory playgrounds primed for consumer engagement.

• Across all categories and industries, technology is being used as a conduit to amplify sensation. At Milan Design Week 2024, Samsung Design's "Newfound Equilibrium" exhibition took visitors on a multi-sensory journey through five spaces, each exploring a different aspect of a harmonious future where technology seamlessly blends with humanity. The exhibit showcased the promise and potential of technology in enriching our lives. 

• At VivaTech 2024, Guerlain pushed the boundaries of fragrance with an olfactory VR experience. Visitors donned a custom headset and entered a world where iconic Guerlain scents were paired with AI-generated landscapes and the perfumer's creative whispers, showcasing the growing interplay of technology and emotion in art and design. 

Post-natural Future: Deep engagement

In the future, a new intelligence will emerge to respond to the need to create sustainable models that prioritize both survival and empathy for our planet and nature. In this context, technology must be used with intention and functionality, focusing on delivering outcomes that benefit people and the environment. This vision of the future will require combining efficiency, aesthetics, and pleasure while keeping sustainability a central mission. Brands should be encouraged by growing consumer support for synthetics - 20% of  U.S. consumers recognize lab-grown, natural-identical ingredients as effective and safe (22%). (2)

• Forward-thinking solutions are redefining how we source, create, and utilise resources across different sectors. As one of the major polluters of drinking water across the globe, the textile industry is leading the way in eco-friendly innovation. UK brand Normal Phenomena of Life is pioneering “grown-to-order” lifestyle products, combining the expertise of a design research laboratory and a biotechnology company. The first launch includes clothing dyed with bacteria, prints made with algae ink and objects made with bio-concrete designed by microbes.

•  Equally in the world of beauty, science and technology are allowing for the development of sustainable, vegan solutions that offer an alternative to chemicals. Always leading with innovation, The Unseen Beauty has developed The ABSORPTION collection featuring Algae Black™, the world's first non-toxic and sustainable black pigment for beauty products.  

The COSMETICS IC Take

• Brands must embrace radical innovation that delivers effectiveness,  sensorial pleasure and sustainability. 

• Imagine modular textures and fragrances adapting to climate or thermal conditions alongside multi-level experiences that engage touch, smell, and sight. 

• The fusion of technology with the body is taken to extremes by billionaire biohackers, but despite the sci-fi ramifications, “longevity” has quickly become a mainstream pursuit. This should inspire brands to develop new products, treatments, and rituals that promote hyper-health. 

• Inspiration from the advancements in sustainable sourcing and production within the fashion and textile industries can provide valuable insights for the beauty sector's journey towards a more responsible future.

Dive Deeper

Further insight and inspiration on the rise of science and technology in beauty is available in the agency’s latest trend reports: Beauty Protopia: Skincare Inspiration from the US . Contact the team today for more information!

Contact us

For more information, email the team at contact@inspiration-creation.com or visit the website at www.inspiration-creation.com.

Follow us on LinkedIn (Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation) and on X, Instagram and TikTok (@cosmeticseeds)

Sources:

(1). Accenture - The reinvention of beauty - 2023

(2). Mintel- Beauty and Personal Care Trends - 2023

HOT SKINCARE TRENDS ON TIKTOK: BUZZING BRANDS AND LATEST TRENDS - MARCH 2024

Sources: @paularmzz: Bubble - Solar Matte / @dermarkologist: COSRX - The 6 Peptide Skin Booster / @theshealyfam: Sknbody - Hair Identifier Spray

Derma-influences continue to dominate the SkinTok conversation, with trending products linked to routines that promise to optimize skin health, from #skinflooding to #skinstreaming. Working with data analysis supplied by our partners Tribe Dynamics and Spate, the Cosmetics IC team has analyzed the latest skincare trends and products going viral on TikTok. Read on for our cut of the most interesting innovations and inspirations to emerge during early spring, 2024.

TOP TRENDS

1 - Skin Streaming

Fewer products, serving multiple purposes: this is the pillar of the #skinstreaming trend which involves adopting a routine that gives your skin exactly what it needs, at the right time, without overwhelming it with products. This considered approach ticks the boxes on functionality, cost-saving, skin sensitivity and sustainability, meeting the prevalent needs of young consumers. 

#Skinstreaming - 51.3M views/ +34460% MoM/ +16660% YoY

2 - Skin Microbiome

Ongoing conversations around skin health propels interest in the microbiome. Both customers and brands acknowledge the importance of maintaining a healthy biome as part of a holistic beauty routine, which drives interest in new products and routines adapted to reinforce the skin barrier. This conversation is fuelled by TikTok derma-influencers who are effectively communicating the importance of healthy bacteria in enhancing skin appearance.

#Skinmicrobiome - 36.3M views/ +9077% MoM/ +454% YoY

3 - Matte Sunscreen

As the warmer months approach in the West, the conversation turns to suncare. Sophisticated new formulations address the demand for a non-greasy, shine-free finish, as consumers embrace sun protection as part of their daily routine. K-beauty favorite, Beauty of Joseon’s Matte Sun Stick is gaining traction thanks to its smooth, non-sticky finish, developed with cosmetic chemist and influencer, @glowbyramon. 

#Softmattesunscreen - 13.1M views/ +2533% MoM / +507% YoY 

BUZZING BRANDS

1 - COSRX 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum 

This multi-peptide skin booster was originally launched in August 2023 but is gaining traction due to its alignment with the #skinflooding (265.9M views) trend. Formulated with 6 different Peptides, it targets fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, all while smoothing and firming the skin. The product has become a favorite among fans of the skinflooding technique - where products with diverse ingredients and delivery methods are layered to create a moisture sandwich. 

Skin Flooding - +2292% YoY

2 - I’m From - Rice Toner

The Rice Toner from I’m From has been instrumental in shaping the rice toner trend, which is seen as a key step to achieving #GlassSkin. Infused with skin-soothing rice extracts, the toner exfoliates, hydrates, brightens and refines the complexion, while forming a protective barrier to prevent water loss and improve radiance. 

#ricetoner - 93M views/ +2955% YoY

3 - Sknbody - Hair Identifier Spray

This novel product demonstrates the growing appetite for new innovations linked to cosmetic treatments. The spray simplifies dermaplaning by coloring the hairs on the face white, making them more visible for shaving. The product’s high visual appeal and strong before/after potential helped it create a buzz on the platform when influencers began testing the product in March. 

#sknbodysprayfcialhairshavekit - 159M views

The Cosmetics IC Take

We will be publishing a deep dive into the latest viral TikTok trends and weak signals in our upcoming Social Book 2024, dedicated to skincare and wellness. Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear when our new report drops. 

(Sources: Cosmetics IC - March 2024 / Spate NYC - US TikTok searches - MoM (March 2024 vs February 2024) & YoY (April 2023 to March 2024 vs from April 2022 to March 2023)

TREND WATCH: NEW YORK FASHION WEEK FW24/25

Source: Bevza NYFW FW 24/25

New York Fashion Week saw designers embracing a return to classic elements, with nods to traditional craftsmanship, twisted by unconventional accents and innovation. From Protection Mode to Soft Envelop, discover Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation’s edit of 5 key trends to watch:

#1 Soft Envelop

Source: Jason Wu NYFW FW 24/25

Source: Proenza Schouler NYFW FW 24/25

This season, luxurious warmth and comfort were a key part of the narrative, where a trend for soft, enveloping fabrics and silhouettes emerged, blurring the line between clothing and blankets. Models were draped in voluminous, billowing fabrics exuding an effortless sense of comfort and style on the runway. Garments cocooned the wearer in luxurious warmth and softness, as seen in Jason Wu's blanket coats and enveloping silhouettes, Tibi's minimal approach featuring free-flowing luxurious wool, and Proenza Schouler's safety-pinned scarf-sweaters.

#2 Mob Boss

Source: Puppets and Puppets NYFW FW 24/25

Source: LaQuan Smith NYFW FW 24/25

Why settle for Mob Wife when you can be Mob Boss? Featuring statement coats, faux fur, and dramatic collars, this trend tells the story of a powerful woman exuding confidence and sophistication, redefining power dressing for the modern femme fatale. Linked to the #mobwife trend on social media (amassing 16.9M views on TikTok), the bold narrative was embraced by designers like Prabal Gurung with big coats and intense eye makeup, LaQuan Smith with latex-like silk skirts and oversized faux fur, and Puppets and Puppets with fuzzy shawls hiding sheer dresses.

#3 Maximalist Chaos

Source: Dauphinette NYFW FW 24/25

Source: Libertine NYFW FW 24/25

Celebrating abundance and inviting fearless experimentation, Maximalist Chaos is a playful call to break free from conventions and express creativity with abandon, standing at the antipode of quiet luxury. There was an overload of print and pattern at Libertine and Dauphinette while at Wiederhoeft, models donned furry and shiny headpieces, extravagant sunglasses and overstacked belts. The rise of eclectic and exaggerated styling redefined the runway with a daring spirit of excess.

#4 Protection Mode

Source: Tory Burch NYFW FW 24/25

Source: Thom Browne NYFW FW 24/25

With the rise of a "preventive" mindset led by more educated consumers, we are seeing the emergence of a new utilitarian beauty that prioritizes functional protection in our everyday lives. Designers at the forefront of fashion experimentation have embraced a laboratory-inspired aesthetic, working with materials reminiscent of vinyl or plastic to convey hygiene, safety and security. This trend for utilitarianism pushes the boundaries of fashion and gives rise to confronting aesthetics - from Helmut Lang's secure wrapping techniques to Tory Burch's vinyl-like trench coats and Thom Browne's protective overshoe-style footwear.

#5 Grey Pride

Source: Batsheva NYFW FW 24/25

Source: Christian Cowan NYFW FW 24/25

Recent trend reports from Cosmetics IC have highlighted the rising impact of the "Aging Well" movement, a narrative that has cascaded onto the catwalks, where older models exude timeless elegance and sophistication. This season represented a significant shift, defying ageist standards and embracing beauty diversity, with models from brands like Batsheva, Bevza, and Christian Cowan showcasing that style is ageless, encouraging a celebration of beauty across all stages of life. 

The Cosmetics IC Take

This season, designers embraced boldness and inclusivity, celebrating individuality while merging fashion and function. From empowering styles to embracing age diversity, each trend reflects a dynamic shift toward self-expression and innovation. This also opens up new territories in the beauty landscape, paving the way for innovation and new narratives.

Learn more

Our latest reports: Inspiration Book: NYFW Fall/Winter 24/25, and What’s Up #20 - Inspiration from the U.S., explore the latest trends in beauty, contextualized with emerging consumer behaviors, cutting-edge innovations and cultural influences.

Discover the trends worth leaning into and the new territories to explore, by ordering your copy today.

White Book 2024: The Age of Thrill

Death to Stock - Photo by Fanette Guilloud

As technology and science become integral facets of our always-evolving lifestyles, a growing demand emerges for elevated and indulgent experiences.  Our latest White Book explores The Age of Thrill, an era energized by radical innovations that will deliver extraordinary sensations and take performance levels to extreme new heights.

In an era marked by uncertainties and polycrisis, there is a growing demand for emotionally compelling and exhilarating physical experiences, especially with our ever-evolving lifestyles. Consumers are now invigorated by groundbreaking innovations that offer extra-ordinary sensations while elevating performance to unprecedented levels.” Leila Rochet, Chief Inspiration Officer of Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation.

The agency has identified the following five trends for 2024 and beyond, which represent the need for brands to meet heightened expectations around performance, creativity, and sustainability. 

1/ HIGHER FUTURE: The transformative impact of science-centric approaches 

In the future, all experiences will be hybrid, and product innovation will be committed to maximizing performance. New technologies and scientific discoveries, forefronted by Artificial Intelligence, will transform consumers' expectations, taking results-focused beauty to even higher levels. 

• AI will revolutionize retail experiences and services. In the summer of 2023, Ulta Beauty partnered with Haut AI to bring personalized skincare diagnostics to the in-store experience. Haut AI has also developed SkinGPT - a skincare platform that uses generative AI to visually simulate the effects of products over time, based on a combination of a personalized quiz, uploaded images, and clinical data.

• AI-powered bots will become a familiar feature outside of the professional salon space, meeting the demand for faster and budget-friendly options. Offering quick and affordable nail polish applications ($10) the mani-bot Clockwork is growing its presence across the US with a strategic focus on residential complexes and airports.

• In beauty, a mindset rooted in science and focused on solutions is making waves and is being embraced by consumers driven by tangible outcomes. Amorepacific’s latest innovation, the Lipcure Beam (CES Innovation Award 2024 – Korea) employs precision sensor and diagnostic technology to deliver next-level care.  The device’s cap diagnoses the moisture levels and condition of the lips, while a brush-like applicator emits customized visible light to aid in lip care.

2/ TRANSIENT UTOPIA: Revisiting the codes of lifestyle

Beauty adapts to always-on-the-move lifestyles, as the thirst for leisure and the rising nomad economy drive innovation. The travel surge calls for refreshed routines and simpler, smarter formats that reimagine the practical nature of makeup. 

• At PFW SS24, (September 2023 - France) Miu Miu presented a collection inspired by the future omni-traveler. Workwear was mixed with beachwear, sportswear was paired with eveningwear, as the brand played with the concept of “prototypical fashion”, reflecting the growing eclecticism of people’s daily lives. 

• Climatic changes will continue to impact choices and behaviors, calling for new cooling sensations and soothing textures. Like those offered by the After Sun Gel from cult suncare brand Vacation (April 2023), which is primed to cool and soothe the skin after sun exposure.

• Demand for intelligent SPF hybrids will rise as daily defense becomes central to the preparation for a better future. Combining a cooling sensation with SPF 50+, the TIRTIR Off The Sun Air Mousse SPF 50+ (April 2023 - Korea) features 2% Zero-Cooling Complex which is proven to reduce skin temperature by -4.8 degrees Celsius.

3/EXTRA-VAGANCE: Bringing the extraordinary into the everyday

Consumers are turning to lavish indulgences and grandiose gestures as a riposte to the daily grind of the recession. A new cohort of thrill-seekers are maxing out on experiences and eschewing convention to party through the permacrisis, exemplified by the monumental economic success of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

• Every aspect of Beyonce’s wardrobe and makeup for her Renaissance tour was analyzed and dissected on social media (#renaissancetour has garnered 3.9B views on TikTok), triggering a flurry of copycat looks and giving wings to the concept of #concertmakeup.

• Celebratory looks are rising, and consumers are looking to their favorite idols for inspiration on how to introduce lavish gestures into their every day. In Korea, crystal nose-bridge embellishments have become a new way to wear face gems, thanks to fans spotting them on K-pop idols Jennie and Rosé from Blackpink during their Coachella performance. The look went viral on social media, with fans rushing to recreate the distinctive look.

• Unseen Beauty (UK) is one brand that is driven to deliver extraordinary experiences, bringing unexpectedly luxe finishes to makeup. The  SPECTRA Eye Colour contains glass microspheres, half-coated with aluminum to transform the product into a bright, reflective silver under a phone camera's flash. Making it the ideal accompaniment to a night out.

4/ SYMBIOTIC EDEN: Adapting for a better future

Value is being rapidly redefined by consumers who are demanding greater environmental responsibility, driving brands to consider the future implications of products. As the climate crisis continues to unfold, innovation will come to the foreground of beauty as consumers look for solutions to increasingly prominent issues caused by environmental deterioration. 

• Waste solutions will continue to rise, and will be encircled into new retail concepts. Greez (February 2023 - France) is a resale platform for unsold cosmetics, while This is Beauty (June 2023 – US) is an online retailer that works with global brands to keep products with damaged packaging away from landfill.

• The acceleration of vertical farming (employed to great success by Ulé and Caudalie), opens up new territories of tech-driven sustainable sourcing. German brand Gezeiten worked with marine biologists and biotechnologists to study over a hundred compounds to develop Earth Marine CellTech Complex® - a combination of patented marine extracts and a mineral-rich submarine water concentrate. The complex is at the core of its new Face Cream (April 2023), which is packed with active biotech ingredients.

• Plastic-free solutions will continue to rise with packaging companies like Verity (US) proposing metal as a solution for beauty, or Notpla (UK) which is exploring the potential of regenerative packaging(UK).

5/ EXPANDED CARE: Emotional-bonding beauty

As stress levels continue to rise in this period of permacrisis (61% of Americans say their stress is at an all-time high, while 89% of Chinese adults are actively seeking ways to reduce stress), emotional-bonding becomes essential in daily behavior.

• In beauty, this manifests in the rise of comfort-boosting textures and new psychodermatalogical narratives, which are propelled by TikTok. The issue of skin sensitivity and barrier protection presents a new opportunity for brands to innovate from the perspective of emotional care.  The success of Rare Beauty (expected to exceed $300 million in sales in 2023 according to Fast Company), opens the path to more emotion-infused beauty products. 

• Circadian beauty will continue to flourish as consumers look to align their well-being goals with their skincare ambitions. Complimentary skincare and supplement brand You’re Looking Well (UK)  has developed the Night Pill & Night Cream (August 2023) to help users optimize their sleep. Infused with ingredients to prepare the body for rest and help the skin recover, the two products work in tandem with the skin’s circadian rhythm to deliver a well-rested glow and a clear mind.

• Clariant has been exploring the potential of neurocosmetics primed to tackle the effects of lack of sunlight exposure on the mood, and the skin.  In a presentation titled, "An Innovative Light-biomimetic Solution Stimulating Feel-good Hormones and Cognitive Relaxation to Tackle Lack of Sunlight Exposure and Dull Skin" Mathilde Frechet of Clariant outlined how the butterfly plants rich tormentic acid content enhances cognitive relaxation and skin complexion by amplifying the vitamin D pathway and hormonal production. 

The Cosmetics IC Take

This culture of thrill-seeking will impact our vision of beauty, awakening a more pluriversal mindset and establishing next-level expectations, propelling beauty in a Protopian trajectory.

For the full version of our White Book, or for more information on any of our innovation and forecasting services, drop us a line today.

Trend Inspiration: Maison&Objets 2024

Wint Design Lab - Photo by Cosmetics IC

With the theme of Tech Eden, the 30th-anniversary edition of Maison&Objet (18-22 January, Paris) invited exhibitors to consider how the symbiosis of technology and nature will inform future design scenarios. 

Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation’s Coralie Arme, Forecasting & Insights Consultant, explored the show at Paris’ Parc Expo Villepinte, to uncover the top 3 fields of innovation to inspire future-focused solutions for the beauty industry. 

“This year's theme explored the vital links between technology and nature, showcasing future-facing design that improves overall well-being and prioritizes environmental sustainability.” Coralie Arme, Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation Consultant in Forecasting and Insights. 

1.Symbio-tech: Augmenting nature

WINT Design Lab perfectly embodied the show’s symbiotic emphasis, as the Berlin-based design and research lab explored the relationship between ecological and technological responsibilities.

The studio overcomes disciplinary silos to tackle today's challenges through various projects including bio-textile innovation. Collaborating with biotech startup Mimotype, WINT has developed a high-performance outdoor textile created from 100% collagen. Through this future-proof innovation, the design lab is tapping into the potential of quick iteration cycles.

In beauty,  there is a growing normalization of human augmentation through technology (AI-supported healthcare, adaptive and personalized systems, circadian rhythm lighting, etc).  Harnessing technology to stimulate natural processes, Solaris Laboratories’ LED Intensive Hair Growth Stimulating Brush is an advanced hair and scalp treatment technology that helps prevent hair loss and reverse thinning hair. 

Wint Design Lab - Photo by Cosmetics IC

Solaris Laboratories NY - Photo by Cosmetics IC

2. Upscaling waste: Imagining new-gen materials

Mâche&Maché is a culinary design studio committed to exploring the hyper-future of food. For the show, at the “Inspire me!” by Peclers corner, the studio showcased “Papier Alimentaire” - an edible (and decorative) packaging material made from waste fruit and vegetables designed for large-scale use in the food industry. According to the studio, for sustainable food to be widely accepted, it must offer a more desirable experience than today's standard fare.

In the wellness corner, Japanese brand Incense Kitchen showcased a new incense created from repurposed matcha. The brand advocates recycling matcha into tea incense (instead of perfume) to prevent the wasteful disposal of fine matcha particles in factory machines and air purifiers, providing an alternative and more sustainable outcome.

Mâche&Maché x Peclers - Photo by Cosmetics IC

Incense Kitchen - Photo by Cosmetics IC

3. Healing homes: Anti-anxiety interiors

When one crisis follows another, the actions needed to respond sometimes seem out of reach. Modern society is gripped by an anxiety epidemic, and designers are charged with providing solutions that holistically ease discomfort. The notions of sensoriality and fluidity are thus at the heart of tomorrow's design challenges. 

Furniture and objects exhibited sinuous, undulating curves to give everyday settings the air of primitive landscapes with spiritual dimensions. Roundness is as de rigueur as ever, transforming living spaces into cocoons of comfort. Sofas, armchairs, and chairs play a common score, that of an enveloping, reassuring hug.

Mathieu Lehanneur's "Outonomy" offers an alternative vision of survivalist habitats. By questioning the kind of life we want to lead, Outonomy proposes a return to an original cave, with the comforts we no longer wish to give up.

In beauty, Austrian skincare brand Be […] my friend uses only the purest organic, plant-based ingredients to provide maximum care for the skin, while at the same time minimizing stress. The two pillars of the brand are to elevate the way the skin is treated, while simultaneously elevating the way the environment is treated. 

“Outonomy” by Mathieu Lehanneur - Photo by Cosmetics IC

Be [..] my friend - Photo by Cosmetics IC

The Cosmetics IC Take

Tech Eden suggests a Protopian vision of the future - a natural awakening, enriched by technological innovations - from biotextiles and 3D printing to AI-powered design. Nature remains omnipresent through radical interpretations of color, form, and material.

In our latest Makeup Inspiration from the US report - Protopian Beauty - we investigate the latest product innovations in the US and explore how technological acceleration is paving the way for a  more progressive future. For more information on this report, and for details on our upcoming animations at MakeUp in Los Angeles (Feb 14/15 2024) - drop us a line today. 

TikTok: 2023 End of Year Inspiration

To wrap up a year of inspiration, the CIC team has analysed the TikTok trends that dominated in the last months of 2023 - from superhero-inspired effects and sugar-glazed wintery hues to intentionally unsettling makeup. 

1. RAINBOW MASK

With its links to the LGBTQIA+ pride flag, Rainbow Mask makeup involves creating a spectrum of colours across the eye area, in the shape of a superhero mask. To begin, two strips of tape are placed on the face, above and below the eyes, to create a defined area for applying makeup.

White eyeshadow powder is then applied as a base, with different colours layered on top to create a rainbow effect. The tape is removed to reveal the mask effect. For finishing touches, the look is enhanced with hand-drawn artistry, gems and 3D embellishments.

There are alternative approaches, such as James Charles' preference for a mask in shades of pink with clouds, but the fundamental concept remains the same.

Key hashtags: #rainbowmask: 3.5M views / #rainbowmakeup: 349.5M views

Key influencers: @lucasrodgerss/ @mimiermakeup/ @beatsbydeb/ @nikkietutorials/ @jamescharles  

2. Sugar Plum Fairy

Once again, Hailey Bieber triggered another viral makeup trend, this time fusing food-inspired narratives with her signature, Clean Girl coquettishness to declare winter 23/24, Sugar Plum Fairy season. Inspired by her childhood role in The Nutcracker, Bieber posted a festive look that riffs on the ballet’s iconic Land of Sweets segment, using sugary, shimmery pink hues with plum undertones.

To create the look, bright pink blush is extended from the cheeks to the temple and draped across the bridge of the nose and the eyes to create a frost-bitten glow.  Plum, berry, warm pink, and mauve colours are also used by TikTokkers, reflecting the look on different skin tones. Defining her brows and adding a subtle glow with highlighter, Bieber then adds faux freckles. The look is completed by the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment in the limited-edition shade Jelly Bean (a shimmery sheer pink).

Sugar Plum Fairy makeup builds on several key trends that surfaced last year (most of which were perpetuated by Bieber herself), blending the glow of #CleanGirl with the pink hues of #Balletcore.

Rising hashtags: #sugarplumfairy: 129M views/ #ballet: 19.8B views/ #balletcore: 1.4B views

Key influencers: @haileybieber/ @alissajanay1/ @victorialyn

3. Uncanny Valley Makeup

The Uncanny Valley trend, popularised by creator Emilia Barth, gained widespread attention at the end of 2023, thanks to her unsettling transformation into a humanoid robot. Using pale foundation and concealer, liquid eyeliner, and contour powder, Barth mimics the plasticky appearance of a robot’s skin, creating an eerily captivating effect.

The look is inspired by the slightly awkward imagery often generated by AI, which has flooded the public consciousness in recent months. TikTokkers have been quick to capture this uneasy aesthetic by recreating the almost otherworldly looks. Part robotic and part doll-like, the finished result is purposefully unnerving, with TikTokkers adding exaggerated facial expressions and haunting choral music to double-down on the uncanny effect. The trend now extends beyond mere makeup application, to include an Uncanny Valley-inspired filter. With its esoteric and unconventional themes, #UncannyValley occupies the same universe as #weirdcore and #dreamcore, as Gen Z continues to explore increasingly extreme and subversive narratives as a form of self-expression.

Rising hashtags: #uncannyvalleymakeup: 233.5M views

Key influencers: @blonde.girlyy/ @mimiermakeup/ @yodelinghaley 

The Cosmetics IC Take

TikTok continues to prove to be a vital indicator of the motivations of Gen Z, and our latest Trend Book, Beauty Protopia: Makeup Inspiration from the US is enriched with the latest TikTok data (provided by our partner, Spate), which feeds our prospective research and trend analysis. In it, we explore the latest consumer shifts and how these are impacting makeup - including the evolution of subversive messaging, as consumers embrace increasingly unconventional - and unhinged - aesthetics.

Contact us today for more information on Beauty Protopia: Makeup Inspiration from the US.

FLEXCARE: Skincare adapts to a transient world

We are living in a world in a constant state of flux and our latest trend report, Transformative Beauty: Skincare & Wellness Inspiration from the US, encourages brands to lean into the desire for change.

Photo Credit: Utu

The growing influence of nomadic lifestyles and surge in travel feed into the transformative narrative, as major lifestyle shifts present new opportunities for brands. FLEXCARE is one of six universes presented in our report as defining the next phase of skincare and wellness. In this perspective territory, we explore how the impulse to travel and the influx of untethered lifestyles must be met with multitasking products that fit with, and adapt to, transient needs. Below is a snapshot from the FLEXCARE universe, offering an insight into two major new drivers: the desire for cooling sensations in the context of rising temperatures and the need to redefine practicality for the new era of on-the-go lifestyles.

1- COOLBOMING: Resort sensoriality

As society adapts to rising temperatures, keeping cool is a new imperative, leading to innovation in fabrics and formulations that offer relief from the heat. Clothing brand LifeLabs has developed CoolLife technology - a polyethylene fabric that regulates body heat to cool the wearer’s temperature 3°F more effectively than comparable fabrics. While in beauty, new textures and tools that deliver refreshing effects are replicating the same cooling sensations. 

• The Chasin’ Rabbits Ice-Cold Soothing Serum Roller (May 2023) provides pore-tightening and cooling in one gesture. The surgical steel roller applicator glides over the skin to deliver an instant cooling sensation.

• The After Sun Gel (April 2023) from cult US suncare brand Vacation is a modern take on nostalgic aloe vera aftersun products but with a refreshing non-sticky, alcohol-free formula infused with cucumber, and Bisabolol. The gel is cool-to-touch, bringing soothing relief to sun-exposed skin.

2- TRANSIENT ADAPTIVE: Reinventing practicality

Since the pandemic, increasing numbers of young people have been drawn to a nomadic lifestyle, while at the same time people are spending more time outdoors (linked to the mental health benefits of nature and the travel boom). These lifestyle shifts, combined with rising sustainability concerns and the global financial crisis, are driving the market for #summerskincare (230M TikTok views) miniatures and multiuse products adapted to on-the-go and outdoor lifestyles. 

• New brand Utu developed the Tinted Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF50 (May 2023) specifically for people with a love for the outdoors - the stick is marketed as "the perfect companion for every adventure under the sun".

• New products are designed to combat the effects of humidity on the skin. Florence by Mills’ Mind Over Matte-R Oil Blotting Stick (July 2023) is an oil blotting stick, which blurs and minimizes shine for a visibly smooth, matte appearance. While the First Aid Beauty Anti-Chafe Stick (April 2023) addresses the issue of skin chafing by creating a sweat-resistant shield that lasts for 10,000 steps. 

THE CIC TAKE

With half of US consumers intending to travel more in 2023 than they did last year (Source: Forbes Advisor Survey, August 2023), the nomadic lifestyle shift will continue to grow demand for  skincare products that are easy-to-use and portable, while also driving the need for intelligent suncare and quick fixes that reinvent practicality for the nomadic age.

The full report, Transformative Beauty: Skincare & Wellness Inspiration from the US, is available right now - please contact the team today for more information. 

(Image: courtesy Utu)

TIKTOK: September Trend Inspiration

Every month the agency listens in to the beauty conversation on social media to uncover the emerging trends to inspire your next innovation. Read on to discover the next food-inspired beauty trend and the controversial music video that is inspiring TikTokkers to experiment with provocative beauty looks. 

1. STRAWBERRY MAKEUP by Hailey Bieber 🍓💋

Naming skin trends after food has become a trend in itself, and despite some backlash, TikTokkers continue to latch on to these buzzy terms. From latte makeup to potato makeup, food-related shades are capturing the imagination. 

In August, strawberry makeup went viral, thanks to Hailey Bieber uploading a photo of herself with a dewy, fresh look, signed off with the emojis: 🍓💋. In doing so, she inadvertently created this summer’s signature beauty trend, #strawberrymakeup. Perhaps not coincidentally, Bieber timed her strawberry post with the launch of a new lip treatment flavour by her brand Rhode; Strawberry Glaze. 

The strawberry makeup look is defined by a quick, fresh summer makeup that continues Bieber’s signature style of a glowy, rosy, light complexion created using creamy products. The T-zone is illuminated, while the contour is accentuated by a darker bronzer. The key element is "false freckles", which have been a constant feature over the summer. Finally, the lip contour is worked with a lip pencil and then a gloss to finish.

Key Influencers: @andrea_subotic/ @jamescharles / @glowwithnorhane

Rising Hashtags: #strawberrymakeup – 308.6M views / #strawberrygirl – 60.4M views (September 14, 2023)

Spate Data: TikTok searches for Strawberry Makeup +4386,5% YoY (September 11, 2023)

2. CONTROVERSY by Doja Cat🩸🥀

Doja Cat has never been shy of courting controversy and her latest song, “Paint the Town Red”, is her most provocative creation yet. The TikTok-famous dance anthem flirts with themes of satanic worship, feeding the cultural appetite for transgressive content. In the music video, she is seen embracing the grim reaper, throwing raw meat, wearing pentagrams and devil horns. 

Doja Cat’s creative subversions have a loyal following on social media, triggering copycat makeup looks inspired by the themes explored in her controversial content. Adjacent looks play with the aesthetic codes of Paint the Town Red: new romantic, vampiric and gothic gestures,  blood red lips outlined with a darker pencil, black and red graphic eyes, fake blood artistry and mis-applied mascara. 

Key Influencers: @tyra.mua/@makeup.lois/ @k.figaszewska/ @jeamyblessed/ @anemariemua/ @sophiasinot

Rising Hashtags:  #dojacat – 28.3B views/  #demonsdojacat – 3.4M views/ #painttownred – 6.9M views/ I paint the town red makeup – 18M views (September 14, 2023)

3. WRINKLE ART - taking it back to 2018 -🌪️

The latest creative beauty hack doing the rounds on TikTok was spurred by @nettart (27.7K followers on Tiktok), who created the look that she calls, "metallic chic". To achieve a wrinkle-effect, the model is asked to squeeze their eyes shut tightly, and then metallic pigment is worked over the folds of the inner and outer corners of the eyes. Once the eyes are open a stencil-like effect is created from the negative space of the folds.

Key Influencers: @catquinn / @josiezhou1028/ @meicrosoft/ @f.bermann/ @arsonblue/ @julias_makeup_palette

Rising Hashtag: #wrinklemakeup – 97.8K views (September 14, 2023

The CIC Take

The popularity of Doja Cat’s often shocking social media content confirms the shift towards transgressive beauty influences. Brands should take confidence in the consumer appetite for edgy, alternative looks and develop products that fuel the desire for subversive experiences: such as sticky, visceral textures, gore embellishments, and prosthetics that dramatically alter the features.

South Korea Trend Update: Deeper Sustainability

Innisfree / Instagram

The South Korean market has always showed its ability to meet global needs, seizing the opportunity to innovate in Retail and Beauty. New priorities have emerged from 2021, as the market - and consumers - adapt to the new normal.

One of the key trend we address in our latest WhatsUp Report, is the next-gen circularity, a new focus of K-Beauty as rising consumer consciousness around sustainability fuels brand innovation. South Korea’s shift towards value-driven consumerism is rising with - two-thirds (59.5%) of women aged between 25 and 39 interested in eco-friendly and natural cosmetics*.

Brands and retailers are meeting the moment for responsible purchasing with waste-free or refill store concepts and inspiring consumers with new eco-rituals.

#1 CIRCULAR RETAIL

InnisfreeJeju Color Picker Makeup

Leading brands are applying the principles of circularity to the retail environment, creating a joined-up, upcycled experience. Innisfree’s ground-breaking Recycle Store first opened in 2017, and became a green landmark thanks to the use of 230,00 upcycled bottles in its construction. The store underwent a refresh in May 2021, enhancing its commitment to waste-free retailing with an interactive bottle recycling point, and a space for workshops where customers can create their own upcycled beauty accessories or create artwork from expired makeup. There is also a corner of the store dedicated to spotlighting other eco-friendly brands.

#2 ECO ACADEMY

Aromatica Zero Station

Putting education at the centre of the consumer experience, the Aromatica Zero Station at Starfield Hanam in Gyeonggi-do (opened Oct 2021) is dedicated to helping consumers understand the brand’s rigorous approach to sustainability. Shoppers can learn about the carefully selected raw materials and five extraction techniques that go into making Aromatica products, whilst also learning how to properly separate, recycle and dispose of their empty containers.

#3 ECO-CONSCIOUS RITUALS 

Aromatica Wooden Dolphin Face & Body Massage Tool

Brands are also developing new eco-rituals around materiality and self-care. Aromatica’s Wooden Dolphin Face & Body Massage Tool is made from sustainably-sourced Belgian Beachwood and is designed to stimulate the nerves and blood vessels passing between the muscles. By stimulating the lymph nodes the tool helps to discharge toxins from the body. The tool's outer packaging is made from 100% upcycled paper derived from sugar cane by-products.

This is an extract of the agency’s latest report - What’s Up in Seoul, made in partnership with Latitude 37.

Font Picture: Hince

Contact us for more information.

Source : * Cosmorning / Opensurvey

THE AGE OF FLUIDITY - FIVE BEAUTY PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 AND BEYOND

Photo: Pexels - Valera Evane

“Beauty brands must adapt to the new normal, in order to benefit from the announced resilience of the beauty market,” explains Leila Rochet, Chief Inspiration Officer of Cosmetics Inspiration and Creation. 

Despite the rolling uncertainty of living in a With Covid world, McKinsey predicts that Beauty sales in 2022 will overtake the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Consumer sentiment is optimistic, and the urge to create moments of escapism and entertainment in the midst of all the unpredictability - is very real. 

“TikTok fuels creativity and the shift towards self-education that happened over lockdown has enhanced consumers’ knowledge and skill-set. This creative autonomy, along with the rising digitalization of culture and the Gen Z influx are culminating to redefine Beauty. And in this new phase of aesthetic experimentation, makeup rebounds as a symbol of joy.” Leila Rochet, Chief Inspiration Officer of Cosmetics Inspiration and Creation.

In the future, consumers will learn the value of approaching life with a fluid mindset. If 2020-21 forced consumers to become rapidly adaptable, then 2022 and beyond will see them apply this flexible approach to deal with the dynamic motion of living in an uncertain world.

Taking this newfound adaptability into consideration, below, is a snapshot of the five key trends that will impact the industry in 2022 and beyond.

For the full white paper, please drop us a line.  

#1 From Sustainability to Beauty Uncompromised

Innisfree Seoul - Collaboration for good 

Innisfree reopened its recycling store with an enhanced commitment to waste reduction, which includes interactive spaces for workshops and lectures where customers can create their own upcycled beauty accessories. There is also a corner of the store dedicated to spotlighting other eco-friendly brands; the first to be highlighted was The Picker - a zero-waste platform that sells everyday household products.(Source: Innisfree Instagram) 

In 2022, purposeful beauty merges with sustainability to create a new beauty eco-system - one that is built upon uncompromising standards and principles. Consumers are pushing beyond ‘clean’ to a place of uncompromised wellbeing - where pleasure and personal beauty are achieved without detriment to people or the planet. The expectation is for nothing less than net-zero. 

The rising climate anxiety is propelling consumers into taking affirmative action - over half (51%) now factor in whether a product was produced with a traceable and transparent origin. And, attuned to the tropes of greenwashing rhetoric and marketing messages, consumers will drive brands to adopt proactive climate-positive strategies. 

When it comes to production, radical transparency is key. 61% of consumers say they struggle to tell whether a beauty product is ethically produced by looking at its packaging, while half of would like brands to make it easier for them to spot how a product was produced (Source: Poll of 2,000 adults by study by Wella's weDo/ Professional). Going forward, consumers will t to be told to The Who, The Where and The How behind each product. 

This signals a clear shift from sustainability to beauty uncompromised, where brands will need to reinforce their their transparency credentials.

Beauty brands can deliver assurances by putting transparency at the center of the product experience, freeing the consumer to enjoy and experiment without guilt or compromise. 

#2. From Color to Joyspotting

“Everyone should be able to have the freedom to enjoy makeup” - Danessa Myrick

Photo: Danessa Myrick Facebook

Joyspotting reveals a new facet of beauty, one where makeup is cumulatively self-care, a tool of transformation and a manifestation of self-fluidity.  

This is a trend borne from the Tiktokization of the Beauty industry - where creators and influencers encourage followers to escape from the rules and embrace the fluidity of experimentation. On TikTok, there’s no room for perfection or judgement, just joy - a third of users (31%) report turning to the app in order to lift their spirits.

Fuelled by these influences, Beauty in 2022 will be rich with aesthetic rebellion and fluid creativity. The face and body will become canvases for celebratory makeup looks. And consumer sentiment is firmly behind experimentation - Pinterest reports a spike in searches for mullet hairstyles (+190%); tooth gems (+85%); bejewelled eye looks (+110%) and rhinestone pedicures (+150%).

In the US, rising brand Danessa Myrick is connecting with next-gen Joyspotters through a strategy built on inclusion and artistry. The brand’s ethos that, ”everyone should be able to have the freedom to enjoy makeup,” speaks to the new fluidity.  The color-changing pigments of the brand’s signature Chrome Flakes are representative of the new wave of ephemeral and transformative products that are only just beginning to emerge. 

Creative ephemerality also comes to the fore, with new products and devices allowing users to easily switch up their beauty looks. In South Korea, nails become a vehicle for self-expression as the pandemic continues to stifle opportunities to showcase creative flair beyond the home. In response,  nails are getting bigger and bolder, popping with 3D accents of glitter, crystals and jewellery. In the future, Brands will approach the art of beauty as an act of pleasure, and those that can deliver an instant shot of happiness will connect with consumers, who are looking for products to lift them out of the pandemic slump. 

#3. From Inclusivity to Radical Adaptive Beauty

Noto Botanics, a gender-neutral beauty line, focuses on sustainable, organic and vegan products that are gender fluid and multiuse.

Photo: Noto Botanics Facebook

As we move towards a post-inclusive society the beauty industry will seek to further individualise its approach. The industry will need to push beyond skin-tone matching to encircle all aspects of inclusivity, including the Gen Z vs Mature skin silos. As we move forward,  fluidity will be treated with the same value and respect as accessibility and adaptability.

And as we evolve our understanding of what true inclusivity means, today’s diverse and multifaceted consumers will expect to be met with products that fit their exacting needs. Beauty products that radically adapt to individuality, moving from social specificities seen at the surface (skin tone, hair type, etc) to a profound understanding of the "underskin" mechanism, will continue to emerge.  And we are only just beginning to see what is possible, as brands start to come through with tailored products that more insightfully address biological or physical nuances. 

In the Future, the Beauty industry will take action to ensure that no consumer is left out of the conversation - regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, size or ability. Currently, 15% of the world’s population are living with some form of disability, and as the population ages, this number will only increase. Designing products, tools and packaging with this demographic in mind should be imperative for the industry. 

As the fashion industry makes strides towards full social inclusivity, the Beauty industry will keep pace to ensure no consumer is left out of the beauty conversation - regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, size or ability.  

#4- From Skinification to Augmented Underskin

Be Radiance infuse their makeup powders with probiotics, for a healthy approach to skin complexion.

Photo: Be Radiance

The pandemic has stirred the ultra-fetishization of wellness and the healthification of the beauty industry. With a preventive mindset becoming the new normality, consumers are focused on care and safety, and they crave potent, power-dosing ingredients across all of their beauty products. In response, brands are engineering products using the latest technological advances, while at the same time introducing new, biological semantics into the beauty narrative. 

Stories around skin barrier empowerment, microbiome and psychobiological enhancers, hormonal regulators and circadian champions will continue to break through, as brands add another level of science-proofing to the consumer experience. And in the years ahead, consumers will be alerted to a new discourse around the underskin. More and more brands come with sophisticated formula with “skin health” related ingredients. Be Radiance now infuse their makeup powders with probiotics, which activate with water to positively “colonize the microbiota” explains the brand. A global beauty approach of the skin, where makeup goes beyond color as it rebalances the skin while protecting it against external aggressions.

In the future, products that adapt to the rise of skin sensitivity will become critical for consumers who want to preserve their skin health, without sacrificing performance. In this context, the boundaries between makeup and skincare, food and beauty will blur. A new generation of hybrid products will explode the frontiers between traditional segments to levitate beauty to new horizons.

#5- From Home Spa to Temporal beauty Tech

L’Oreal’s AI-integrated hair coloring device presented at CES 2022

Tech is tapping the mood for fluidity, as innovation keeps pace with consumer demand for products that allow them to seamlessly switch-up their beauty looks, from home.  And science-backed products, temporary treatments and formulations engineered to cheat surgical procedures, appeal to those looking for sophisticated out-of-the-jar beauty solutions. 

Since the pandemic ushered in new ways of working and living, consumers quickly learned how to adapt and realised that joy can be found in impermanence. Now, the desire to eschew long-term commitments for temporary thrills is taking hold in beauty. Innovations at CES 2022 captured this creative ephemerality - from L’Oreal’s AI-integrated hair coloring device, the Colorsonic, to the handheld temporary tattoo-printing machine from start-up, Prinker.

Last year, we also began to track the rise of beauty ‘tweakments’ - where consumers opted for small, professional beauty hacks to elevate their everyday look. In the eye brow category, we have seen an upsurge of interest in procedures that will impact the brow segment in beauty. According to Spate data, eye brow lamination Google searches in 2022 reached 266.2K monthly search volume, rising +55.6 % year-over-year and searches for botox brow lift were +29,2%.

In the future, scientific legitimacy coupled with technological precision will allow consumers to achieve - and measure - next-level results, without the commitment of permanent procedures. 

Every year, Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation reveals the Top Five Predictions and a white paper reserved for clients. Meet us at the Makeup in Los Angeles on February 23-24, 2022 to discover the Inspiration Bar around the four first topics and the Beauty Talks where creators of brands and experts of the industry will share their vision of the evolution of Beauty.

MAKEUP BECOMES FAKEUP

PHOTO: @Paintlabco

Real-life and virtual life is blurring and impacting the beauty-representation and practices. Consumers are faking-it to achieve their beauty aspirations, using makeup shortcuts to achieve temporary transformations that lift their looks to new, hyper-realistic levels.  

Read about four directions deciphered by the agency that captures the emerging #FakeUp beauty trend, highlighted with key facts from Google searches from the SPATE NYC tool.

#1- Hyperrealism replaces surrealism

Hyper-real transformation is becoming the new beauty game, creating an inspiring space in which the real and the virtual now overlap and creating a fertile ground for creativity. Fake, oversized, synthetic, and hyper-volumized makeup looks dominate this space, reshaping conventional beauty standards and practices. Consumers are now looking to apply aesthetic tricks to their every day, using morphing tools and products to create exaggerated versions of themselves, albeit fleetingly.

Tapping the trend for creative transcience, Ephemeral is the LA tattoo studio that developed ink that is, ‘made to fade’ over the period of a year. Extreme exaggeration is also one of the key themes where new beauty falsies appear as “must-haves”. According to Spate NYC tools, Google searches for “eyebrow stamp” are at +359%, and “press-on nails” are at +10.7% in 2021.  

#2 - OUTERSIZE LASHES

False eyelashes are getting an upgrade this season. Lashes are becoming an area for bold, creative expression. A trend well-suited to the Insta generation, make this directional look more commercial by creating easy-to-follow guides and kits. The Mega Lash look springs directly from the digital landscape, and brands are meeting consumer demand for niche falsie products that deliver on outsize volume.  From the wet-look Lash Drip Icy Lashes by Kiss, to new ranges that tap the growing male falsie market, boom lashes are key to the hyper-real aesthetic.

#3 - HYBRID RUSH

Aesthetic practices are reinventing the rules as consumers opt for longer-lasting alternatives. The growing interest in hybrid lash extensions reveals consumers’ aim for an amplified lash look that combines heightened length with extra volume. Spate reports that there are on average 13.8K searches for “hybrid lash extensions” every month in the US, which is up +71.1% on last year (2021 vs 2020). Hybrid lashes can last up to 8 weeks but require special treatment, which brands need to consider when creating content and promoting products. With no current market leader in this space, there is a huge opportunity for brands to innovate with products and tools that cater to hybrid lash specificities.

#4 - NAIL INTRICACIES  

Nails also come under the magnifying class - literally - with consumers chasing products that can satiate the appetite for impulsive transformations. The popularity of artificial nails is at an all-time high - the latest forecasts predict the market will grow by $265.25M during 2022-2026, progressing at a CAGR of 5.59%. Google searches for “nail design” are up  +43.4%; “nail art” +56.1% and “French tips nails” +100.1% (in 2021 according to Spate Tool). Just like the trend for hyper-realistic makeup, the mood for nail art is overblown and exaggerated. Sophisticated falsies step in, allowing professionals and at-home consumers to customize elongated and elaborately shaped nails with surrealist art, unexpected textures, patterns and color combinations, and subversions of the classic French manicure. Pinterest has also recorded a spike in interest in creative nail art,  with searches for  “galaxy nail art” up +115% year on year, while searches for “ocean nails acrylics” have increased fives times over. 

This article is an extract of some go the key findings of our latest makeup report “The New State Of Being”. Contact us for more information.

BEAUTY IS BACK - 3 MAKEUP TRENDS TO FOLLOW

As the post-pandemic reality takes shape and consumer confidence slowly returns in line with the vaccine roll-out, we move forward with energy and optimism. Our latest What’s Up report outlines the bold creativity, energy and positivity with which consumers are facing everything from the return to socialization to the climate crisis. 

According to data from NPD, a third of US consumers plan to spend more this Holiday season, with almost two-thirds of consumers saying they are more comfortable shopping in-store than they were last year.  All signs point towards a rebound for the Beauty industry -  in the first half of 2021, makeup sales were +23% on 2019, and +22% on 2020. This over-arching positivity is evident in all of the core trends we highlighted this season; Beauty is being rebooted to meet the appetite for renewal and rebirth. 

 Our latest What’s Up report features 10 of the most exiting trends to follow to be ahead of the beauty game. Here is a little extract of 3 trends of our book.

#1 BEAUTY RESET

Source : Simihaze

 It’s time to hit the reset button. As we start to put some distance between the present and the pandemic, this is the moment for a Beauty recalibration. Exciting new brands, helmed by next-generation tastemakers, are breaking through with energy while established brands are taking the opportunity to realign their values with the new reality. We look ahead to the launch of Ariana Grande’s hotly tipped beauty line, r.e.m beauty, and check out the new brand Treslúce from creative powerhouse Becky G - a champion of contemporary LatinX culture. Similarly injecting bold expressionism into makeup, DJs, models and twin sisters Simi and Haze Khadra have launched their eponymous beauty line, Simihaze. Meanwhile, Sephora backs the rebirth of Fashion Fair - a 56-year old veteran of the Black beauty scene.

#2 FULL FLUSH

Source : Anna Sui NYFW 2021

What does a post-mask world look like? The transition from masks-on to masks-off is driving the trend for experimental product placement and colour-play, with flushed cheeks and temples signalling health and vitally to the world.  At NYFW, makeup artists at Anna Sui, Collina Strada, and Carolina Herrera applied blush high on the temples and across the eyes, as a contouring product to bring a new focus to alternative features. The message was clear; blushing-up is the new going-out makeup.  And in this experimental new beauty era, cheeks are not the only area on which to place blush. Eyes have taken on an even greater resonance over the past 18 months and now blush is being applied to underscore the power of the gaze. 

#3 JOYDRESSING GLAM

Source : Tom Ford NYFW 2021 & Saint Sintra NYFW 2021

The stage is set for beauty that is all about expressing unadulterated joy; from glitter drizzles to rhinestone-encrusted cat-eyes. Embodied by Tom Ford’s SS22 collection of glamorous sensuality, where jewelled brights and sequined fabrics were layered for a loose, louche silhouette, this next trend is all about The Glam. Capturing the Gen Z market for Y2K-inflected references, noughties club makeup popped on the NYFW catwalk at Saint Sintra and influenced the MUA for Private Policy. And plenty of brands are now tapping into this post-pandemic party spirit, with the likes of About Face, Iconic London and Danessa Myricks Beauty all dropping products that feature liquid glow, high-pigment glitter and infinite chrome. The party era is upon us.

Emotional Artistry - unleashing the color of FREEDOM

Photo by Alejandro Peralta from Pexels

A new tide of optimism is being announced, unleashing freedom of expression through the uprise of artistic looks. The Beauty landscape broadens to new creative levels, propelled by GenZ brands that theatricalize self-expression and prioritize disruptive color looks. To fight boredom in lockdowns or celebrate restrictions lifting, emotional art remains the best way to reconnect with one's creativity. Artistic makeup makes a comeback with bold styles and colorful products. Moreover, with digital technology fully integrated into everyday life, new dimensions are explored in self-expression territories. 

Here is an extract of our latest trend reports revealing the new staging of color and the implication for innovation.

LIMITLESS HUMANOID

Infinity is now the limit of human creativity, as colored liners and ultra-pigmentation redefine makeup art. Fantasy with unique looks and dreamlike experiences prevail on social media – going above and beyond the body territory. During the Byredo makeup collection launch, the brand shared photos where the models have randomly applied different makeup textures all over their faces. Some creative Instagram accounts theatricalize colorful designs on the ears and lips, such as @marthamakeupartist, or showcase tricolor nail cascades at @nailshawty.

Source: Instagram @nailshawty nails art.

For makeup innovations, it creates a multitude of possibilities as consumers focus on self-expression. According to Spate NYC (May 2021), the searches and interest for inner eyeliner have grown +77.4% since last year. It resonates with the growing demand for colored liners: at Haus Laboratories with the Eye-Dentify Gel Pencil Eyeliner; at Freck Beauty with The Alien Eyes Lid Lick, which plays on offbeat semantics; and at Melolops with ultra-pigmented ink. Recently, About Face complemented its Matte Fluide Eye Paint collection with four limited-edition “Daytripper” pastel shades: a gentle lavender, soft aqua, tender green, and a mellow yellow. Inspired by the freedom and artistic expression of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the super-saturated chromatic pastels in the matte powder formula give a significant color impact for limitless looks. 

Source: About Face - Daytripper Matte Fluide Eye Paint

MOMA COUTURE

As lockdowns restrictions ease, consumers desire color cosmetics such as lipstick and blush more than ever. According to Spate NYC (May 2021), searches and interest for pink lipsticks have grown +18.9% since last year. Colors remain a vital element to create a self-universe. Suva Beauty Palette with ultra-saturated pigments cultivates this MOMA atmosphere and serves well the colorful ambitions. Suva Beauty re-edits and renames its eyeliner palette Hydra FX Collection of water eyeliner into “We make rainbows jealous” to celebrate Pride Month 2021. Byredo’s Prismic Palette includes a rainbow of 18-eyeshadow shade with high-impact glitter, neon matte, and metallic finish. Ciaté London released the Mascara Smiley in pink, yellow, and green and Lime Crime 51 Volumizing Mascara in green, purple, and blue.

Sources: Model.com and Byredo Prismic Palette // Hilda wearing Suva Beauty Hydra FX Collection

GAMIFIED VICTORY

In the age of tech explosion, some gamers regularly bring out their old consoles and immerse themselves in their childhood adventures. The retro gaming aesthetic has been increasingly present outside gaming platforms with gamified products in the past months. For example, Kaja Beauty released Joystick Brightening Setting Powder, a powder applied with a joystick-shaped brush. Other brands developed experiential products like XX Revolution with Light Up Lip Gloss and Light Up Eyeshadow Palette Light's On that both include light and mirror to be reapplied in the dark. 

Other beauty consumers utilize the new gaming world as an area of futuristic and modern makeup. The lavender color emerges from this trend and recalls the transition to the metaverse. In Beauty, GenZ brand Dragun Beauty used Lavender as a core shade for its product and collaborated with Morphe for a collection inspired by the gaming universe. Digital Lavender will be the focal shift to tap into digital escapism with sensoriality and immersive designs, as seen previously with Sinful Color Essenchills Scented Lavender. Brands also explore this new territory with avatars-like looks thanks to products like Nomad - Iceland Fire and Ice Palette or Facelace’s eye stickers that bring in glitter and holographic eye shapes. 

Source: Facelace

Color cosmetics are making a comeback and so are bold looks. As an expression of freedom and optimism, consumers unveil colorful and artistic looks pushing further the creativity boundaries. “Limitless Humanoid” conveys this expression of infinite human possibilities, while “MOMA Couture” emphasizes the central place of colors. “Gamified Victory” brings the omnipresent gaming dimension into makeup. Old gaming nostalgias or futuristic metaverse are sources of creative art inspirations.

This blog post presents some extracts of our previous Beauty reports: What’s Up USA and Revivalism Makeup USA. Contact the agency for more information on full reports.
Follow Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation on Twitter and on Instagram: @cosmeticseeds

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3 MUST-FOLLOW ON THE GRAM THAT EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF 2021

Unsplash / Georgia de Lotz

The Gram is not dead! After an unprecedented year, this social media was strengthened, deepened, and widened by users. The platform turned ten years old in 2020, with more than 1 billion people worldwide using Instagram everyday, 30 minutes a day, in 2021(Source).

For our dear trends hunters, we have selected three must-follow accounts that embody the spirit of 2021.

1) The “Skintellectual”

@seangarrette / 75,4k followers

On social media, a new wave of “Skintellectuals” shapes the way we use skincare. Cosmetics experts and skin enthusiasts are extremely well-read and know each must-have ingredients by heart.

First global ambassador of Fenty Skin, Sean Garrette, is a beauty aesthetician based in NYC. As a young black beautician, Sean is inclusivity-driven. He aims to make skincare as approachable and accessible as possible.

 Everyday, the "skinfluencer" deciphers products and ingredients for his community on his Instagram.

2) The Edgy Guru

@rowisingh

207k followers

With just over 200k influencers, Rowi is the must-follow new Edgy guru.

The Sydney-based make-up artist embodies the edgy approach of Gen Z to color and make-up looks. Inclusive, impactful, and saturated, she goes beyond the lines and the traditional pairings of shades.

She’s not afraid to mix all textures and effects, as long as it feels and looks never-seen. Breaking all codes, she aims to open new undiscovered paths to makeup. 

She is also an inclusive feminist.

“I love being able to communicate the strength and power of my South Asian womanhood,” she muses. “I’m empowered to visualize the natural fluidity between my culture and art.”

3/ The “Mood” Curator

@the.pinklemonade - 2,2M followers

Created by @fra_vullo, The Pink Lemonade is a shining example of "mood & Beauty curators" Instagram accounts. 

Made to inspire and to give indie artists visibility, these accounts are flowing all over social media. A perfect daily dose of everything Beauty (makeup looks, design, retail, photographers, pottery, etc.)

Each day, an image, to create a whimsical Cabinet de Curiosité.

One post a day = escapism, good vibes & indie inspiration.

Did you like this article? The Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation Agency publishes an Instagram trend-book every season, to help you keep up with the best trends from social media. Contact the agency for more information.

Follow the agency on Twitter ou Instagram: @cosmeticseeds

Top 5 Beauty PREDICTIONS for 2021 ( and Beyond)

Photo Credit - Isco

2020 has been the year of acceleration of significant trends and a year that has reshaped the market forever, as consumers have disrupted their behavior in the way they shop, their needs, and their beauty aspirations. As 2021 has started, hopes are emerging, and brands need to prepare for the new normal. 

Consumers have lived through a year of new experimentations, more in-depth knowledge through digitalization, and have had the time to think about what they truly value in their lives (and their Beauty). 

 2021 will be essential to reinvent, find new dimensions of excellence and luxury, redefine values, meet new requirements, and participate in resilience.

This article highlights 5 of our predictions in 2021 and beyond, based on key highlights from 2020 and the evolutions we expect for the future.

An extract of a white paper available at the agency. 

1.      From Transparency to Radical Traceability

As trust is the new currency, safety and wellness become key; brands will need to explore radical traceability solutions. 

Transparency is a prerequisite of conscious consumption, and 2020 has reinforced the need to make a safe choice for anything applied on skin. Moreover, reaching global wellbeing implies ethical decisions, especially in luxury.  IPSOS Luxury survey shows that 90% of the affluent Chinese expect brands to have an ethical/ecological commitment, and 88% expect them to respect animal wellbeing. More than words, consumers call for facts. 

According to the UEBT 2020 survey, consumers expect more information on packaging: 82% want to know the origin of ingredients, and 78% wish to know the social impact of sourcing local ingredients. In 2020, the discussion on ethical sourcing accelerated.  In the USA, Beautycounter has made a massive communication on responsible sourcing, pointing out the “clean” origing of their Mica and the urgence to fight against hidden forced labor. 

British E-Retailer, Cult, has cooperated with the blockchain technology platform Provenance to collect information about the source, ingredients, craftsmanship, and requirements of its products, and then use evidence to prove the authenticity of this information

2.      From "Skinification" to augmented "Healthification."

"Skinification" was the major trend in 2020, as consumers shifted from makeup to the "pandemic-proof" skincare market. But what 2020 has taught us is the importance of prevention for our health. According to Innova's Consumer Survey 2020, "six out of ten global consumers are increasingly looking for F&B products that support their immune health. One in three says that concerns about immune health increased in 2020 over 2019". 

A healthy complexion has always been the quintessence of Beauty, but consumers are actively looking at ingredients that bring more than a quick fix or beautiful makeup. According to WWD, Vitamins, supplements, and even homeopathic remedies experienced unprecedented levels of demand during the April coronavirus pandemic in the US. We have seen skincare transitioning to self-care, as consumers were spending more time at home, dealing with anxiety and their mental health. Interest in wellness has increased, and new brands are taking the stand to answer this new need. Psychotherapy brand Disciple offers a holistic approach to stress-relief and answers to anxiety-related skin issues such as acne.

The Nue Co. - Forest Lung

The British wellness DTC brand Nue Co. launched Forest Lungs, a fragrance "supplement" intended to "deliver the healing effects of nature to the body [and] support the reduction of everyday stress."   

3.      From Skintellectualization to "Science Inside"

The "skintellectualization" of Beauty has emerged as a significant trend in 2020, propelled by Gen Z. 

Empowered by digital tools, these consumers are armed with in-depth Beauty knowledge and are now "ingredient wizards", even more attentive to INCI. Online, they are building a digital Beauty library, thanks to all the knowledge passed on forums, Reddit, Youtube, and social media.

@Skincare By Hyram

Simultaneously, a new generation of influencers such as skincare guru @Hyram in the US or @Secret de Peau in France, deciphers every product. Ready to make the next leap, ingredient-focused brand Inkey List drives the trend with a pedagogical approach to imperfections, specific protocols, and a radical education of consumers.

While recent years' fascination for mystical wellness was key, led by gurus such as Gwyneth Paltrow, we now see a renewed quest for scientific legitimacy. 2020 was the year of the emergence of scientific expert brands such as Dr. Barbara Sturm. Her website relaunch in September 2020 focused on more educational features, propelling the views to  + 400%, according to Glossy.Co, Dr. Barbara Sturm's success embodies this new quest for science reinforcement – calling for experts, doctors, PHD with solid backgrounds and claims backed with scientific facts. 

4.      From Sustainability to Eco Celebration

 The recent sanitary crisis led to an acceleration of the expectation of consumers for purpose-driven and sustainable solutions. Mc Kinsey mentions "sustainability first”, while 57% of consumers in Germany and the UK declared, "they had made significant changes to their lifestyles to lessen their environmental impact."

2020 was a significant year in sustainability stand up from brands in all markets. From zero-waste dining restaurants, zero-waste design, second-hand fashion or trashion (fashion with trash), innovation with eco-friendly solutions have accelerated, pushing brands to rethink packaging, product-delivery system, and delivery. New refills solutions (ex Unilever, Clarins Eco-Bar, Shiseido) have propelled the concept of zero waste beyond Indie. In the USA, Clean retailer Credo has sped up their Clean 2.O philosophy prioritizing sustainability by announcing that in 2023 they will banish single-use packaging, from single-use masks to testing wands in store.  Same for Selfridges in the UK, progressing in reducing its "plastic footprint" banning wipes to plastic-based glitter. All-over bold moves in the context of a sanitary crisis.

5.      From Lockdown Beauty to Unleashing Freedom 

 2020 lockdown transformed homes into safe life-spaces and wellness sanctuaries. 

This "home-hubbing" behavior created new needs, like self-care, intimate skincare, or the quest for minimalism. Lockdown was also an opportunity to self-experiment. Makeup became a powerful tool to fight boredom and fuel personal creativity. From maximalist nudes to extreme color payoffs, "lockdown looks", we witnessed the rise of highly creative looks shared on social media. Some 46% of women and 41% of men said they've spent more time on social media during the pandemic (source: Business.com). Instagram story, Tik Tok, and Twitch thus became the perfect platforms to boost self-expression, fight boredom, and seek inspiration. These platforms privilege movement, fun, freedom, far away from the lavish looks of Instagram and the hybridization of the virtual and real world.

Travis Scott x Byredo : Space Rage Perfume

Shining example: the collaboration Travis Scott x Byredo gave birth to the Space Rage perfume, which encapsulates the essence of space to fly from home. The virtual gathering also increased to connect meaningfully, express creativity, and feel alive. Beauty brands surfed the trend: Morphe collaborated with the d'Amelio sisters on TikTok, and ELF created ASMR-like videos for their new Mint Collection. New into cosmetics market, we also explore the impact of Twitch in Makeup.

The Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation, Consulting and Forecasting Agency, specialist of the Beauty world, just launched its latest Inspiration Makeup USA trend book. Interested? Feel free to contact us !

4 INSIGHTS ON HOW THE CRISIS FUELED BEAUTY INNOVATIONS IN KOREA

Source: Cho Gi Seok 조기석 / @chogiseok

Hit by the pandemic at an early stage, it did not take long for South Korea to react with creative resilience. With its legendary spirit of innovation, the Beauty champion emerged stronger, led by savvy new generations and dedicated brands…

The latest What’s Up South Korea report launched by the Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation agency dives into the transformations of the K-market and its amazing source of inspiration for Beauty. Here is an extract of the 4 insights changing the game. (Contact us to get the full report!)

INSIGHT #1: “BEYOND K-BEAUTY: I WANT K-DEFENSE”

Although being one of the first countries hit by COVID-19, South Korea effectively contained the virus in just one month. Past health crises (SARS in 2002, H1N1 in 2009, and MERS in 2015, etc.) have prepared the country, and the world now considers South Korea to be a shining example of how to handle an outbreak. In Korean, media now proudly use the word “K-defense” to refer to their containment strategy.

In Beauty, this has also led to the rise of a new generation of skincare dedicated to a more modern twist of skin defense, including the rise of claims on building a natural skin barrier for a maximal protection.

INSIGHT #2: “HYGIENE BURST AND PURE SKIN IS MY NEW QUEST”

Product-wise, several brands offered tools to keep on with daily life while staying protected. Too Cool For School and Chicor boosted their hand sanitizer production to meet the growing demand. The brand BoHo offers new alternatives to purifying air with the Puristic Sterilizing Disinfectant - two ampoules broken at the last minute to clean the air. Caolion even created the V-Shield Sterilization Phone Patch, a phone protection that reduces floating bacteria in the air.

In skincare, the cleansing category also saw an upsurge, as well a peeling products, as the quest for pure skin became at the center of preoccupations.

INSIGHT #3: “HOW DO I DEAL WITH MASKING AND UNDERMASKING?”

Even though Koreans are used to protecting themselves with masks, the everyday usage is changing the rules of beauty and creating new needs. Fashion brand, Greedilous even launched a mask with unique designs and prints, inspired by their Spring Summer collection, priced at 59,000 won ($48), with all proceeds from the sales donated to charity. In April, the Korea Herald titled “masks have become Fashion statements“.

Moreover, skin now presents “undermask” issues (redness, breakouts, dryness, etc.) In South Korea, anti-pollution and acne product sales increased by 42% from February 1st to March 4th, compared to the same period last year (source: Naver).

Primera Repair Bean Cica Essence is infused with soybean and the famous tiger grass to improve damaged skin and enhance the skin’s ability to adapt. In makeup, along with the long lasting or waterproff claims, come the “ask-proof” claims and demonstrations. In makeup, Laneige created a video on Instagram showing how their new Neo Cushion Matte “doesn’t leave any marks on your masks!”

INSIGHT #4: “MY ROUTINE IS DIGITALIZED, HENCE MY SHOPPING BEHAVIOR”

With the COVID outbreak, South Koreans have spent more time on social media and apps, trying to connect with others. As their practices have changed, they seek to more meaningful content and a way to connect with those who share their values.

KPop group BTS performed live on YouTube, and various idols Livestreamed daily on Vlive. Beauty influencers joined, sharing their new tips. To fight social distancing blues, online challenges took platforms like Instagram and TikTok, like the most popular #Dalgonacoffe.

South Korea continues to flourish in retail opening with a focus on entertaining yet touchless experiences. The Lotte Duty Free Shop opened its first “Smart Store”, allowing consumers to scan QR codes for information, reviews or check-out using a mobile shopping cart.

More then ever, South Korea brands are champions of innovation and creativity. They actively disrupt the beauty market and are true sources of inspiration.

Hungry for more K-trend? These insights are excerpt from our latest What’s Up Seoul report, a deep dive into 8 prospective trends. Contact us for a quotation.

FEMALE EMPOWERMENT & INCLUSIVITY RISE IN SOUTH KOREA

Credits: Harper’s Bazaar Korea, April 2019

2020 will mark a continued disruption for Korea. Korean women are pushing back against beauty standards and disrupting the traditional model of femininity. An unprecedented movement of feminism and body positivity in the country with the highest number of cosmetic procedures per capita worldwide…

If Korea is one of the most innovative hub of the beauty market, it’s no secret that the K-society is still highly conservative. But this paradox is less and less accurate in 2020. For the past few month, liberating movements are rising, fueled by a quest for freedom that has shaken up the representation of beauty and liberated the routines.

“ESCAPE THE CORSET”, “SKIP CARE” : A CALL FOR FREEDOM

As seen in our previous What’s Up Korea 2019, the "Escape the Corset" movement blown up on social and traditional media. Former beauty blogger, Cha Ji-won, decided to throw away her makeup and start a feminist YouTube channel (375k followers). On TV, the famous female news presenter Lim Hyeon-ju, sparked sensation by wearing glasses on air, and the cosmetic brand Missha featured a model with a glamour short hair. Korean women want to break free from the high Korean beauty standard, which used to be one of the a guarantee of success in the Korean society.

Needless to say that in the new social context, a 10-step beauty regimen is perceived as a form of labor. One that only women are expected to perform, and for which they are in no way compensated - apart from finding a "good husband". According to The Guardian, a third of young women in Korea have undergone plastic surgery. To that purpose, the "skipcare" movement aims to reduce the number of steps of K-Beauty routines. The movement is mainly led by Jullai, with hybrid products like the Bounce Essence Oil Toner which both cleanses and hydrates. "The focus was on reducing the number of steps, liberating women and their skin from timely skincare routines" says CK, Jullai’s founder.

LOV YOU BOD! BODY POSITIVITY IS KOREAN

Moreover, body-positivity coming from the US went strong for the very first time in Korea. Beauty activist, Jiwon Park (@3xl_joy), started an Instagram account dedicated to her plus-size body. With over 7.3M views, the "I am not pretty" YouTube video by Beauty blogger, Lina Bae, was one of the hottest trends. In the video, she shows herself putting on makeup then removing it, while sharing some hateful comments she received like "You are a pig" or "You should get eye surgery". She concludes: "I am not pretty but that’s okay. Don’t compare yourself to social media. You are special the way you are." "Your body is full of wonderful things" , "love your body" claims the very first Korean body positive makeup brand, LovBod, with products like the Bum Bum Mask for buttock definition.

Credits: Lovbod

KOREAN INCLUSIVITY : IS THIS THE END OF THE FAIR WHITE SKIN?

More and more voices are finding expression through the Korean beauty industry. In our previous article, we deciphered the boom of a more fluid male Beauty. Inclusivity-wise, a few black Korean models make an entrance, like influencer Han Hyun-min, or Joel Roberts, the first African American model to join top Korean modeling agency YG KPlus. As darker skin tones are part of neo-archetypes we observes on the media, beauty brands now dive into the trend with new products targeted for inclusive tones. 

Credits: influencer & model Han Hyun-min

This year, two campaigns played the inclusivity game: Espoir, for their new silk-fit foundation Colorful Nude (the campaign includes dark-toned models, as well as male and bi-racial models), and Pony Effect with the new Effect Stay Matte Lip Color.

Espoir / Courtesy of the brand

And today? After this first disruption, Korean beauty market is merging to more innovative fem-powered action, and inclusive trends are blooming. Want to find out more about thoses codes? The Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation agency just created a new What’s Up report book dedicated to the Seoul Hub. Contact us for more information.

Sourcing With Respect for People and Biodiversity - Consumer Insights & Company practices

Photo Credit - Unsplash - Nordwood Themes

On May 20, 2019 the UEBT held a conference in Paris that gathered more than 300 people from the industry, Ngo’s and brands. The “Beauty of Sourcing with Respect” is an amazing event held every year to learn more about the advances made in terms of consumer knowledge, industry practices and regulations concerning the ethical sourcing of natural ingredients (and the impact on biodiversity and people).

Since its creation in 2009 this organization has been growing in importance and has become a reference in the field of Biodiversity sourcing and Access and Benefit sharing. During the conference, small and major companies were together to share experience and discuss the new axis around the topic of sourcing.

Why is Biodiversity an important topic in the Beauty Industry?

Today, the beauty industry is increasingly using natural ingredients, from organic companies to traditional companies, the sourcing of natural ingredients means collecting ingredients from biodiversity. These ingredients are usually collected in countries where biodiversity is rich but communities living from this biodiversity are not, but the knowledge of these collectivities, transmitted from generation to generation, is huge.

We see more and more Cosmetic Companies participating in the event, and this is encouraging for the future of our industry.

What are consumers thinking? What did we learn this year

Since 2009, the UEBT has been running a Biodiversity Barometer every year, measuring the consumers’ awareness and insights on the subject. One part of the barometer is a quantitative survey among thousands of consumers around the world. In 2019, the survey was run in Japan, China, Vietnam and South Korea. The other part of the research involves street interviews, allowing to collect valuable insights.

This year’s results show that the awareness of Biodiversity is quite high, as a growing 83% of Asian consumers interviewed know what is Biodiversity (compared to the 72% in Western Countries average of France, USA, UK, Germany, and Brazil). This year survey confirmed the consumer preference for products coming from companies respecting people and biodiversity. Why? Because this has a positive impact of society (81% in Asia) and it makes the feel good (78%).

UEBT- Biodiversity Barometer - Results among total base (1000 people per country), Asia results in 2019, 78% refers to the Asian results. France, Germany, UK and USA - results from 2018 survey.

This research confirms that consumers are more and more demanding and are increasingly looking for more transparency. Trust among companies is low and they want to be better informed on the list of ingredients, the sourcing and the ethical practices that companies and brands conduct when sourcing an ingredient.

Download the results of the UEBT 2019 Barometer here.

Sourcing Natural Ingredients - Ethics and Respecting Local Communities

Sourcing ethically means respecting the planet, making sure we stop the exhaustion of plant species, but also making sure the social aspect is respected.

Biodiversity is a major source of ingredients for cosmetics. For L’Oreal, one of the sponsor of the event and speaker, more than 59% of the raw materials used for cosmetics are renewable, representing 1,600 ingredients from 340 plant species sourced in over 100 countries.

According to Nisrine Zaaraoui, Responsible Sourcing Manager at l’Oréal: “biodiversity is decreasing, this is an environmental issue but also social issue”. Traceability is key, including the origin, method of cultivation, etc. but this is only the first step of a 4 step program from the the L’Oréal Solidarity Sourcing. This project initiated in 2010 has initiated more than 40 projects, helping more than 47 000 people from communities in 13 countries.

ABS - Access and Benefit sharing - What it is and why is this key?

When sourcing an ingredient from biodiversity, there are certain rules to follow concerning the access to the ingredients and the sharing of the benefits with local communities that hold most of the knowledge and live from this natural richness.

‘Cosmetics companies are very involved as these companies are exposed, with strong story telling, and need to comply with the rules of Access and Benefit Sharing’ says Maria Julia Oliva, Deputy Director of the UEBT.

This year, one of the key subject discussed and sharing of practices were around ABS. Following the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol and related EU rules, ABS is an issue receiving increasing attention in corporate reporting, especially in the beauty sector. In 2019, 17% of beauty companies made reference to ABS (up from 2% in 2009).

If you want to learn more, this video is a great summary of what ABS is all about and why this is an important subject for the Beauty Industry.

Our agency is proud to be a long time partner of the UEBT for more than 10 years and has worked on tracing the amazing evolution of the respect of people and biodiversity in consumers and company minds.

The UEBT offers amazing material for the public and companies who wish to learn more about this important topic. Don’t hesitate to visit their website: www.uebt.org

IS STRIPPED PACKAGING THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY?

Source: @packagefreeshop / Instagram

Plastics have become our Planet’s n°1 enemy. Yet, when it comes to pack, inspiring initiatives coming from brands are shaking things up…And giving us hope.

Inside-out zero waste was one of our top trends for 2019: “zero pack” or “smart packaging” initiatives are rolling out at a rapid rate. Accounting for over 40% of total plastic usage, but with only 14% of it being recycled, packaging has become a burning issue, especially for the Beauty market. According to the Zero Waste association, more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry, much of which un-recyclable (a regular plastic container takes about 1,000 years to decompose.)

THE PACK CHALLENGE: A NEW SENSE OF PURPOSE

Facing these catastrophic numbers, will packaging soon become extinct?

Probably not, according to Beauty experts. On last January, “How to keep packaging relevant with consumers of all generations” was one of the key conference during the French PCD event dedicated to packs.

“Packaging is not dead! It is just a question of meaning” explained Maud Cariddi, Chief Marketing Officer at Merci Handy. Packaging needs to make sense again. Whether it’s by being smarter in its form with stripped down material, thanks to eco-redesigning, or in its purpose by displaying only essential informations and taking less space.

For Merci Handy, this resulted in the creation of eco-friendly packs (100% recyclable, with 30% recycled material for hand gels), as well as smarter packaging, like the collab Merci Handy x Duralex that created scented candles in re-usable Duralex glasses.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Merci Handy

“This new packaging paradigm started in the food segment, and is now naturally cascading on Beauty, as most trends are. We are currently observing two new ways of addressing packs” says Leïla Rochet, founder of the Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation agency. “One that we call beautiful waste, which is essentially eco-friendly packs, where packaging are made from sustainable forests for example, or when the pack already comes from recycled material. And a second one, harder to achieve in cosmetics, that we call naked, which is a 100% plastic-free or even pack-free product.”

ECO-CONCEPTION: “BEAUTIFUL WASTE”

Fortunately in 2019, a various range of products are now offering eco-friendly options. Legacy brand Guerlain entirely re-designed the Orchidée Impériale Moisturizer, now 60% lighter, and is currently working on La Petite Robe Noire’s bottle for 2020. Eminence Organics’ skincare uses boxes made from post-consumer recycled material, which can be later recycled. The organic skincare brand Meow Meow Tweet aims for Zero Waste with recyclable and biodegradable packaging (each product is either hand wrapped in PCW paper or housed in glass containers). The men skincare brand Bulldog Skincare has replaced its usual plastics with packaging derived from sugarcane, significantly reducing its environmental impact and carbon dioxide emissions. Even the giant Garnier launched a new version of the Garnier Fructis Pure Clean shampoo and conditioner in a bottle containing 50% recycled plastic.

ZERO WASTE: THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE?

Source: @packagefreeshop / Instagram

The 100% pack-free initiative is a different kettle of fish. If solid cosmetics have been around for decades, making them high-end, sensorial and hygienic is a new challenge. It also implies new rituals and gestures, among which installing refillable habits, and therefore, whole new processes for brands. “ Our planet deserves clean, too,” decorates the refillable stations at Follain in New York, a nice demonstration on how zero waste can also be super hype.

Source: Cosmeticseeds - Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation blog at Follain NYC

Of course, Lush is (and has been) the uncontested leader in this area. After its pack-free foundations and highlighters last summer, the brand released the Naked line, a collection of 10 new vegan, self-preserving, zero waste skincare products, with solid face oils, under-eye masks and face cleansers. The brand also just announced the opening of a third “naked store” in Manchester, following the packaging-free shops in Berlin and Milan.

Will the future be naked? One thing is sure: Beauty brands are trying to reconcile luxury and sustainability, and they aren’t done being creative.

Zero waste and the new challenges for packs are part of the latest trend report Inspiration From the US - Skincare Edition, created by the Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation agency. For more informations, feel free to contact the team.

Wonderland Forever: how glitter, multi-chrome, & unicorn shades are drumming up some serious buzz

Sies Marjan AW18, Opening Ceremony x Disney - photo: Dean Podmore

Unicorn, mermaids, glitter... are true mega-waves that continue to infuse the fashion weeks, insta-influencers and beauty looks. These new exploratory universes evoking childhood fairies but twisted with techno-futuristic are real inspiration for the beauty industry. They lead to new virtual pigments refecting light, new finishes, new claims that infuse all segments from eye colors up to personal cleansing products. 

This is highly "insta-genic" trend initiated by influencers and indie brands is now cascading to legacy brands as well. And the holographic trend seen in the latest fashion weeks at Sies Marjan, Balmain or Maryam Nassir Zadeh is here to stay as it has become also one of the hottest looks of the most iconic fashion designers.

UNICORN FOIL

Milk Makeup

Highlighters continue to be one of the most innovative segment in Beauty with shades now playing with light in a more futuristic yet regressive way. Strobing is made with ethereal mystical shades that shift in color and offer a mix of iridescent tones and multiple color effects as if coming out of a fairy tale. 

Too Faced launched its Festival collection with "a high-impact, out-of-this-world festival finish" and a unicorn inspiration. The unicorn holographic finish initiated in 2017 is still hot  and I-finish, "foily" way. 

In hair, the Prism Roots is making a buzz on social media (@kristinacheeseman). Fun Sexy Hair offers Mermaid Glow Getter to get glitter root. Even brush shampoo Ely Maya - Unicorn Brush Shampoo & Conditioner goes unicorn with a green and purple pastel marble aspect and glitter.

FAIRY BLUE IS THE NEW PINK

Following the trend of the Millennial Pink, light blue makes a massive come back as the new fairy color, color of serenity, fresh skies and watercolor atmosphere. Seen at the fashion week as one of the key pastel colors for Fall 2018, with a holographic twist - Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Sies Marjan - it is also one of the hit colors for highlighters.

Almay released Make Them Jelly Hi- Lite Mermaid Magic, a jelly highlighter in an iridescent blue shade.

Too Faced - Unicorn Horn

Almay Mermaid Magic

Maryam Nassir Zadeh Fall 2018 Image: Imaxtree

At Too Faced, it is Unicorn Horn - Mystical Effects Highlighting Stick, a creamy pearlescent blue gloss finish to add a magic twist to the look. 

GLITTER STATEMENT

Glitters are not only for Coachella anymore! They continue to be hot and indispensable.  During the NYFW, a lot of sparkle highlighted the models’ eyes or face. At Marc Jacobs, pressed glitter stretched across lids; Swarovski crystals on lids and below the brows at Kate Spade; sequins to decorate the eyes at Lanyu; loose gold glitter on a black smoky eye at Carmen Marc Valvo... 

Lemonhead LA

In beauty, brands enjoy playing with glitter, and it infuses every segment.

New indie brands such as Lemonhead LA have become sought after specialist in glitters and praised on social media.  Lemonhead.LA is a prestige, vegan and cruelty-free product line founded by make-up artist Megan Dugan. 

The glitter trend is also infusing the suncare market  with suncreens infused with sparkles - the Unicorn Snot Glitter Sunscreen.

Wonderland Forever is an extract from the What's Up MakeUp report - 01/2018 from Cosmetics Inspiration & Inspiration. This is only an extract of this trend as the full article is included in the report. Don't hesitate to contact us for information on the tarifs.