Beauty

Gen Z is increasingly becoming worried about ageing and is highly aware of their appearances. This is partly due to time spent on social media, where filters can warp self-perception. Even though several beauty campaigns focus on healthy ageing, there’s still a need for strong action from brands.

In the gaming industry, the representation of Black hairstyles often falls short. To combat this, Dove has partnered with the Open Source Afro Hair Library to create the Code My Crown free guide that outlines how Black hair can be accurately and respectfully represented in video games.

E.l.f. cosmetics company is making its foray into Roblox to help Gen Alpha build soft skills that can benefit their careers. With the youth's digital-first development, they're considered the most enterprising generation yet, and they look for practical support in unlocking creative potential.

On the back of Dove's #KeepTheGrey movement, the brand has launched products that help people embrace their natural grey hair. Alongside this, 'The First Grey' video campaign shows how embracing graceful ageing is empowering and tries to disrupt the anxiety young women feel about getting older.

Dior has expanded its beauty lineup with a fragrance and skincare range for infants under its Baby Dior line. The baby care industry is witnessing a shift towards premium products, presenting an opportunity for brands to tap into the growing market of luxury baby fragrances and skincare.

TikTokers are raving about the 'Black Nail Theory' – a trend suggesting that black nails boost inner confidence and outward mystique. In contrast to the male-pandering 'Red Nail Theory', it tackles patriarchal prevalence as the female gaze establishes itself in the mainstream consciousness.

To promote rider safety, micro-mobility company Lime has teamed up with hair salon Edwards and Co. to launch a helmet hair studio. The campaign effectively addresses behavioural barriers to helmet use and could also resonate with riders who lack helmet options for their hair types.

Ulta has announced a nationwide expansion of its in-store wellness spaces, looking further to integrate wellness into the beauty retailer’s DNA. Americans have largely come to see beauty and self-care as occupying the same space, and many are looking for brands to make wellness journeys easier.

Gwyneth Paltrow has debuted Good.Clean.Goop – a sister brand of Goop that aims to make premium clean beauty more accessible. But as de-influencing is here to stay and people are increasingly fatigued by celebrity ventures, playing up affordability may not be enough to win over audiences.

As the number of Gen Alpha skincare aficionados grows, many are engaging online first, learning about brands from friends but also influencers. For these consumers, skincare has become a source of cultural capital, meaning there’s a demand for popular brands to cater to younger audiences.

In conjunction with Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla biopic, Half Magic Beauty has teamed up with A24 to drop a kit for moviegoers to imitate the film’s makeup looks. There’s an opportunity for brands to let audiences be a part of the storytelling process and inspire real-life connections with products.

UK beauty brand Eyeam has made its debut with a skincare line that combines crystal healing with science-backed formulations. As people look to beauty rituals to self-soothe amid the mental health crisis, these behaviours are driving the demand for cosmetics that centre the mind-body connection.

Ahead of the EU microplastics ban, Germany has seen an increase in glitter sales among celebs and influencers. Despite concerns about microplastics, the demand for glitter underscores the tension between sustainability and personal expression, offering opportunities for eco-friendly alternatives.

CeraVe is set to open its first-ever UK pop-up from 19-22 October, launching a new Back to School-themed space in London's Covent Garden. The brand is generating greater engagement with consumers through immersive and exclusive experiences, as well as reliable skincare education.

In honour of China’s International Women’s Festival, L’Oréal Paris premiered a short film spotlighting the issue of sexual harassment. Utilising its platforms and resources, the collaboration underscores the significant role businesses have in addressing societal issues and driving effective change.

Future Society has intertwined science with beauty with a perfume collection that uses the scent of extinct flowers. Bringing biotech into beauty and creating exclusive olfactory experiences, the start-up hopes to make science and sustainable practices more accessible to a broader audience.

Fenty Beauty is now available at Ulta Beauty locations situated within Target stores as part of an effort to reach a wider audience of shoppers. But the partnership also brings affordability to consumers, who can purchase mini versions of best-selling Fenty Beauty products.

The Indian government has announced a new support scheme for a range of artisans and skilled workers, including barbers. This move comes as countries with larger informal economies in the Global South are finding ways to scale up local entrepreneurship and point to growth for the beauty industry.

As part of a series of beauty microtrends on TikTok relating to food, ‘cherry make-up’ has become a popular content stream on the platform. As a form of linguistic escapism, it illustrates how the worlds of food, beauty, and fashion are colliding to allow for greater self-expression.

Katie Jane Hughes, a celebrity make-up artist with a large social media presence, has launched a beauty brand. In a crowded cosmetics space increasingly dominated by celebrities, the line from Hughes taps into consumer desire for expertise, especially among buyers who are making budget cuts.

As part of its Water Bank collection, skincare brand Laneige is marketing across Reddit, specifically catering to skincare aficionados on the platform. The move coincides with a shift in social media behaviors that has younger users looking for more community-focused spaces.

L'Occitane is furthering its sustainability efforts with a large-scale tree-planting initiative. As the beauty sector strives to progress towards environmentalism, brands that make a difference by addressing problems head-on will resonate with like-minded eco-conscious consumers.

Korean cosmetics giant Amorepacific is bringing its premium skincare brand Laneige to Mexican shoppers through a partnership with Sephora Mexico. As K-beauty brands set their sights on developing markets to spur a new phase of growth, localisation will be a key strategy moving forward.

Indian D2C nutrition brand TruNativ has released its Beauty Fibre supplement that boasts anti-ageing and skin hydration properties. The product speaks to the country’s booming health foods market as well as the growing marriage of wellness and beauty rituals among young Indians.

Dove has expanded its #FreeThePits initiative for New York Fashion Week 2023, encouraging women with a series of subway ads to embrace their underarms. As gendered beauty standards become more malleable, more women embrace their body hair and look for brands to support their freedom of expression.

Lancôme x Louvre's collection leans into artistic heritage to celebrate the ever-evolving representations of beauty. As people increasingly perceive beauty beyond aesthetics, brands have the opportunity to frame products in ways that mirror evolving narratives of self-expression and inclusivity.

Japanese cosmetics giant Pola has teamed up with aviation company ANA to create skincare products that the country’s astronauts will use. With space exploration no longer a remote possibility for the masses, beauty brands are mining the extraterrestrial for innovation inspiration.

A TikTok trend is seeing people add cloves to their shampoo in pursuit of glossier hair. The cost of living crisis, and a decline in trust for conventional methods, are seeing people embracing natural beauty solutions – and TikTok is often the breeding ground for new hacks, methods, and techniques.

Chanel is set to open a pop-up fragrance-centered diner in Brooklyn to inspire sensory-seeking customers. Recognizing the maintained interest in perfumes and fragrances amid inflation, the brand is offering an immersive experience that speaks to exclusivity and aromatic discovery.

Deodorant company Axe’s ‘Logne Forgiveness program is offering Gen Zers $150 to offset the money they’ve spent on expensive colognes in the past in promotion of its new Fine Fragrance Collection. As young people cut back on luxuries, some brands are premiumizing to offer an affordable splurge.

TikTok users are fueling interest in dupes of Ariana Grande’s perfumes as once-loyal fans look for alternatives following her recent romantic scandals. It showcases the intersection of dupe culture and fandom, both sectors that are shifting as people increasingly shop with their values.

Estée Lauder has reported a slump in travel retail sales in China due to governmental crackdowns on discount resellers. Beauty brands have an opportunity to invest in all-round services and user experiences, showing people that an authentic luxury experience can only be had at official stores.

UK beauty brand Wild is adopting a compostable refill packaging made of bamboo starch for its new shower gel. With increased climate awareness, people are increasingly seeking more sustainable solutions that fit into their everyday lives and help them fulfil their eco-ambitions with ease.

US TikTokers are praising French cosmetics sold in pharmacies, including the more utilitarian ones designed for particular skin ailments. However, experts and knowledge-based influencers are warning younger consumers to take skincare advice found on the platform with a grain of salt.

Created by interior architect Sara Al-Rashed, Asteri Beauty refers to itself as the ‘first desert-proof’ beauty brand. People expect hyper-specific options that cater to their personal needs, driving beauty innovations to create laser-sharp products that infuse heritage and durability.

Eram Fragrances’ three-month programme offers Japanese consumers the opportunity to try and test various scents until they find the one for them. Perfume brands are actively tapping into beauty consumer’s explorer mindset as a way to provide a more personalised product, and encourage daily wear.